Gay Marriage in New York

Last week I wrote to the Gay City News, a prominent gay news source for New York, regarding the condition of legal protections for gay New Yorkers. Iy was published by the editor, Paul Schindler for this weeks edition. (You may click the title of this post to read their edited version of my letter.) Additionally, just after sending my letter a scadal broke regarding an inside memorandum at the Empire Stae Pride Agenda, the largest local gay equality group, regarding Hilary Clinton. Great timing, huh! (See the story, also at the link to my letter above.)

I was disappointed to find that the paper had edited a couple of remarks I made and so here print bothe letters. I will admit that the cohesiveness of some of their editing makes sense - but to leave out references to "working class" gays and the AG race were not worthy of a good editor's cut, in my opin ion. Judge for yourselves.

The edited version:

Volume 5, Number 8 | February 23 - March 1, 2006

Perspective/ Letters to the Editor

why is new york such a laggard?

February 17, 2006
Dear Editor,

First, may I compliment you on a fine publication with excellent, serious reporting.

My partner and I are recent arrivals from Los Angeles. Both he and I are shocked at the pitiful state of gay equality in the largest metropolitan area of the country. Reading your paper this morning, we see Mr. Bloomberg’s anti-gay win over domestic partnership equality in city contracts with the overturning of the Equal Benefits Law, this while your mayor claims to be pro-gay. (“Bloomberg Wins Vs. Gay Partners,” by Paul Schindler, Feb. 16-22). Albany is in your breaking news section having rejected “three gay marriage lawsuits.” I understand Mr. Bloomberg is also fighting against gay marriage in the courts. Please forgive me for asking how he thinks he is helping?

I held the understanding that New York is a blue state and a stronghold of Democratic and not Republican ideals, yet Senator Clinton refuses to support gay marriage and apparently supports some wishy-washy civil unions alternative.

I’m dismayed at having arrived to live here. The basic equality which I held very dear in California, and depended upon to protect my partner and me and our interests, isn’t even on the table here as a possibility. Why?

Is the gay populace here so secure in their social position that they believe they are untouchable? Where is their will, their outrage, their demand to obtain the basic rights of equality which their heterosexual peers enjoy? I am reminded of two literary references. The obvious, the taunt from Roy Cohn in “Angels in America”—pardon my paraphrasing—”… that in two decades of fighting, the faggots can’t even get a simple equality bill past City Council...” and, secondly, and far more frightening, I feel that I’ve suddenly arrived in the “castellated abbey” of Prince Prospero and that gays in NYC are perpetually and happily living at an enchanting costumed masque while completely and utterly ignoring the very real and very deadly specter at the gate.

Donald W. Larson
New York City

The original version:

17 February 2006

Dear Editor,

First, may I compliment you on a fine publication with excellent, serious reporting.

My partner and I are recent arrivals from Los Angeles. While I've visited New York many times, with great pleasure, my partner also lived here and attended NYU Med. School in the 1970s. Nevertheless, that was 25 or so years ago and both he and I are shocked at the pitiful state of gay equality in the largest metropolitan area of the country.

Reading your paper this morning we see Mr. Bloomberg's anti-gay win over domestic partnership equality in city contracts as well as the overturn of the EBL - this while your mayor claims to be pro-gay (and is rumored to be gay himself).

Albany is in your breaking news section having rejected "three gay marriage lawsuits". I understand Mr. Bloomberg is also fighting against gay marriage in the courts while yet again claiming to be supportive of our communities equal rights. Please forgive me for asking how he thinks he is helping?

I held the understanding that New York is a 'Blue State' and is a stronghold of Democratic and not Republican ideals; yet Senator Clinton refuses to support gay marriage and apparently supports some wishy-washy civil unions alternative. And we all remember Mr. Clinton's passing of the DOMA legislation, while, as you've reported, his words at Mrs. Kings funeral certainly held no sting for Republican values.

I'm dismayed at having arrived to live here. The basic equality which I held very dear in California, and depended upon to protect my partner and me and our interests, isn't even on the table here as a possibility. Why?

In a recent correspondence with Sean Patrick Maloney's camp for the Attorney General race I was assured that the "working class" would be well looked after by the new AG. Working class was referenced several times - as if this distinction were the core value of the argument. As I had only referenced the cost of setting up private legal protections as prohibitive the conclusion was, to me, tell-tale of the malaise here in New York.

Is the gay populace here so secure in their social position that they believe they are untouchable? Where is their will, their outrage, their demand to obtain the basic rights of equality which their heterosexual peers enjoy? It is not simply a question of whether you wish to marry or not, it is an issue of equal protection, responsibility and benefit under the law. How can you claim interest in our community and oppose any of the recently defeated legislation?

I am reminded of two literary references. The obvious, the taunt from Roy Cohen in Angels in America, pardon my paraphrasing: "...that in two decades of fighting the faggots can't even get a simple equality bill past city council..." and secondly, and far more frightening, I feel that I've suddenly arrived in the "castellated abbey" of Prince Prospero and that gays in NYC are perpetually and happily living at a enchanting costumed masque while completely and utterly ignoring the very real and very deadly specter at the gate.

Sincerely,

D. Larson

Donald W. Larson
New York, New York
dwflarson@mac.com