New York
New York is home to over 51,000 same-sex couples. In 2007, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer proposed a marriage equality bill in the state legislature which passed the state Assembly. State advocacy groups and citizens across the state are working to continue the momentum towards ending the exclusion of same-sex couples and their families from marriage.
FROM EVAN WOLFSON:
The freedom to marry: Keep dancing
The Advocate
July 10, 2006
Following the New York state high court's disappointing decision perpetuating discrimination in marriage, Evan Wolfson notes, "The silver lining to the New York State high court's poorly argued ruling in favor of marriage discrimination is, well, that it's poorly argued.
If we make our case for equality directly to our fellow Americans, we''l win."
VIDEO: Evan Wolfson at Google
YouTube
June 21, 2007
Evan Wolfson visited the NYC Google office on May 29, 2007 to discuss his book Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry.
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WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE:
Empire State Pride Agenda
The Empire State Pride Agenda is New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization.
Lambda Legal
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Marriage Equality New York
Marriage Equality New York is an all-inclusive organization whose mission is to educate the public by raising awareness of the important right of all persons to enter into legally recognized gender neutral civil marriage with all the benefits and responsibilities that entails.
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LEGISLATIVE STATUS IN NEW YORK:
Your Community—New York
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
HRC presents resources, news, and the current marriage and
relationship recognition laws in each state.
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THE NUMBERS: POLLING & STATISTICS:
A majority (53%) of New York voters support ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, an increase of six percentage points in just two years. [Global Strategy Group Poll, March 2006]
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PUBLICATIONS:
Martinez v. County of Monroe—NY Court Affirms Same-Sex Couples' Marriages from Elsewhere (pdf)
In a unanimous decision, a New York appellate court ruled that marriages of same-sex couples entered into outside of New York must be recognized. The case, filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union, is the first appellate court decision in the state and the first known decision in the country to hold that a valid same-sex marriage must be recognized here. While it is good and right that marriage should be honored, not destabilized, New Yorkers should not have to leave their home to get married.
Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples in the U.S. Census and the
American Community Survey
Williams Institute
November 2007
Gary Gates at the Williams Institute released groundbreaking research
on the geographic trends among same-sex couples. The report finds the
biggest increases in Southern and Mountain states and states barring
legal acceptance of same-sex couples had larger percentage increases
in same-sex couples from 2000 to 2006.
1324 reasons for marriage equality in New York State (pdf)
Empire State Pride Agenda
June 12, 2007
The Pride Agenda Foundation and the New York City Bar Association released a report documenting once and for all the 1,324 New York state statutes and regulations that confer a right or duty on married individuals in New York State — most of which cannot be obtained by any other way but though marriage.
STUDY: Love counts: The economic benefit of marriage equality for NY
(pdf)
Office of the New York City Comptroller
June 5, 2007
New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today issued a study finding that the legalization of marriage for same-sex partners could yield $142 million in economic benefits to New York City. The report analyzed both the economic effects on the state and the fiscal impacts on government.
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NEWS:
NY Court Strikes Down Gay Pension Ruling
A New York appeals court has vacated the ruling of a lower court that a gay man was not entitled to spousal health insurance benefits even though he and his spouse were lawfully married in Canada.
NY's Next Governor: Lauded as Consensus Builder
Paterson is considered a strong consensus builder, a man whose lifelong disability and status as a racial minority have made him sensitive to others' needs and a clear and empathetic communicator. Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, described Paterson as a staunch ally of the LGBT community. "He's been a long-time supporter of ending discrimination in marriage and I'm confident he would also be a strong advocate in the battles to come," Wolfson says.
Need to End Exclusion from Marriage Gains Notice in State Court
On the way home from work in Rochester, Patricia Martinez stopped at a liquor store and bought a small bottle of Champagne to celebrate her marriage to another woman. The wedding took place in Canada nearly four years ago, but it wasn't until Feb. 1 that a New York appellate court declared it valid in the state... Last week in Manhattan, a State Supreme Court justice, ruling in a divorce proceeding, recognized the Canadian marriage of two New York City women. Advocates for marriage say the two court decisions last month granting reciprocity in New York to marriages of same-sex couples in other jurisdictions simply underline what most people would consider common sense.
Interpreting a Landmark Ruling As Big Step Toward Marriage Equality
When a New York appellate court ruled that out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples were legal there, it marked a major step in the establishing of marriage equality in this country. But the victory, while certainly another step in the right direction, was maddeningly ironic: New York gays and lesbians who want to get married still can’t do so in their home state--which will, however, recognize them if done elsewhere.
3 gay couples settle in as parents
Outside the three households, an American culture war rages over the rights of gay men and women to raise children. Inside, these three have been raising theirs for as long as a decade…Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, said the ruling [in NY to recognize out of state marriages by same-sex couples] will mean more to the children of gay couples than how the bills get paid. "Beyond the tangible legal consequences, there's the intangible security that matters a lot to kids," Wolfson said. "Children whose parents are married have a legal relationship to both parents and are given a strong, clear confirmation from society that they and their parents form a family and that family is worthy of respect."
Rally backs marriage equality ruling
About 75 people gathered downtown Monday to protest Monroe County officials' decision to appeal a court ruling requiring New York state to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed outside the state. "Everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly under the law," said Todd Plank, who helped organize the rally at noon outside the County Office Building, 37 W. Main St.
EDITORIAL: A Victory for Marriage Equality
The Times editorial staff says a N.Y. appeals court ruling in favor of recognizing out-of-state marriages of gay and lesbian couples is "...important progress toward changing laws and attitudes that deprive gay people of equal rights and deny the dignity of New York’s many gay families. They should be able to live, marry and raise children with the same respect and the same rights as anyone else.
A Very Surreal Victory, Tempered By Two Things...
Well, what a great notice that came through on my listserv last night! New York Appellate Court rules that out out of state marriages must be recognized! Woo HOO! Yay for all NY couples who married in Massachusetts, or Canada - and yay for ME ! I got married in Canada last September! And we live in New York! But...wait a minute. My partner is here on a temporary visa.
State Court Recognizes Marriages From Elsewhere
A New York appellate court ruled Friday that valid out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples must be legally recognized in New York, just as the law recognizes those of heterosexual couples solemnized elsewhere. Lawyers for both sides said the ruling applied to all public and private employers in the state. While it is good and right that marriage should be honored, not destabilized, New Yorkers should not have to leave their home to get married. Read the decision (pdf).
BLOG: New York Appellate Court Orders Recognition of Same-Sex Couple’s Canadian Marriage
Prof. Arthur S. Leonard analyzes the New York court decision requiring recognition of marriages from out of state.
Court rules NY gay couples' marriages are legal, entitle them to benefits
365Gay.com
September 11, 2007
An Albany court has dismissed a challenge to a decision by New York State's Comptroller that treats out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples the same as any other legal marriage in terms of benefits afforded to state employees through the New York State Retirement System.
BLOG: Soulforce's Right to Marry campaign begins
Soulforce Blog
July 15, 2007
After picking students up from train stations in New York City, they traveled to Albany to begin training. The leadership of the initiative assembled a host of seminars that would prepare the students for meetings with NY politicians, community leaders, and constituents.
NY Assemblyman O'Donnell picks his fights in the legislature
New York Times
July 13, 2007
The quest to obtain a marriage license started when he joined a lawsuit against the state that reached the Court of Appeals, which deferred the question to the Legislature. He considers the Assembly debate and passage a historic first step. "And as it turned out, many of my straight colleagues in the Assembly support my right to be as miserable as possible. My ability to get a marriage license hurts nobody: Gay marriage is less harmful to straight people than Dick Cheney on a hunting trip."
OPINION: In NY, marriage bill is a victory but the fight continues
The Villager
July 4, 2007
As the gay community and its allies celebrate this latest milestone, let's remember that much more work remains to be done to make marriage equality a reality in New York State. The Republican State Senate, led by Majority Speaker Joe Bruno, will not move the marriage measure without significant pressure from residents, politicians, the media and other stakeholders throughout the state. Now that the momentum has shifted, we call on all to keep up the pressure.
OPINION: Religion and the law
New York Times
June 28, 2007
Andrew Weiss concisely illustrates a NY legislator's mistake of relying solely on his 'religious beliefs,' rather than his understanding of the Constitution, to vote against ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
Marriage touches legislators' emotions
New York Times
June 21, 2007
As the debate ended, Assemblyman Matthew J. Titone, a Staten Island Democrat who is also gay, held up his cellphone and announced that his partner had just proposed. "Now everyone's asking, 'So when's the wedding?'" Mr. Titone said yesterday, "and my response is, 'We'll have to ask Joe Bruno when it will be.'"
Pride Agenda's marriage ambassadors take the lead in NY
Gay City News
June 21, 2007
Edith Windsor keeps working the phones. But this spring, she and Spyer decided that Thea couldn't wait any longer. With the help of three of Spyer's home care attendants, the couple flew to Toronto on Memorial Day weekend. The judge who married them, Windsor told the Toronto Globe and Mail, said that "we had married for all the people who died before same-sex weddings were possible."
NY State Assembly approves marriage law
Gay City News
June 19, 2007
In an historic vote late in the evening on Tuesday, June 19, the New York State Assembly approved legislation guaranteeing marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. The measure was approved by a vote of 85 to 61 after a floor debate that lasted more than three hours. "Fresh from the historic Massachusetts victory last week, we now have a state that many thought couldn't do it become the second legislative body in the country to step toward marriage equality," Evan Wolfson said. "The fact that states such as New York, California, and New Jersey are so dramatically within reach ought to inspire all of us, gay and non-gay people, funders, and allies to go the extra mile now, and really work for what is now within our reach."
NY Assembly Judiciary Committee approves marriage bill
Gay City News
June 18, 2007
In a straight party-line vote, the Judiciary Committee of the New York State Assembly approved the marriage equality bill introduced by Democratic Governor Eliot Spitzer in April and sponsored by Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell and Senator Tom Duane.
Straight Rabbi at gay shul set to be not-quite-married
New York Magazine
June 15, 2007
"This is one of the major social injustices of our time," Rabbi Ayelet Cohen said. "I cannot, in good conscience, participate in a system that actively excludes and discriminates against same-sex couples" — including her 4,000 congregants.
Marriage equality is gaining favor in NY
New York Post
May 30, 2007
By a sizable 63-29 percent, voters between 18 and 34 years of age said they approved marriage equality. It was the first time the Siena College survey had asked a marriage question, so there were no past results for comparison.
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MULTIMEDIA:
VIDEO: N.Y. Governor David Paterson Pledges to Bring Full Marriage Equality to New York
Honored at a Task Force dinner, NY Gov. Paterson reiterated his support for marriage equality and said in a video statement, "I am proud to have run on a ticket...that became the first ticket in this country to actually advocate for marriage equality for all citizens, and to win on that premise, and last year we passed a marriage equality bill in the Assembly...marriage equality in New York may not come just this moment, but it is no longer an issue mostly for conviction, it is an issue for courage...We will push on and bring full marriage equality to New York state."
WAMC New York Vox Pop: Governor Spitzer 2/12/08
In an hour-long call-in show called “Vox Pop” on WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, Governor Spitzer talks about marriage equality. You can hear this three-minute discussion with “Vox Pop” host Alan Chartock beginning at 2’45” on the audio clip.
The Governor sharing his views in response to a caller named Phil who identified himself as man in his upper 70’s who has been in a relationship for over twenty years. He said about his partner and himself: “We Pay taxes, we vote, we pay our dues to our community.” His question for the Governor: “Do you have any sense that within our lifetimes the state will recognize our relationship so that we can benefit from the privileges and responsibilities that other married couples enjoy in New York State?”
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In a unanimous decision, a New York appellate court ruled that marriages of same-sex couples entered into outside of New York must be recognized. The case, filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union, is the first appellate court decision in the state and the first known decision in the country to hold that a valid same-sex marriage must be recognized here. While it is good and right that marriage should be honored, not destabilized, New Yorkers should not have to leave their home to get married.
