Thanks for the support…
Members of the Lambda Independent Democrats, the borough’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender political club, took a moment from recent pride festivities in Park Slope to honor 12 state assemblymembers who voted in favor of a same-sex marriage bill in Albany last year.
Supporters included local Assemblymembers Jim Brennan of Park Slope and Joan Millman of Carroll Gardens.
While the bill passed the Assembly, the pivotal legislation died in the State Senate, which refused to call the bill to the floor for a vote.
The bill wasn’t re-introduced this year, although supporters are continuing with their promises of getting the bill passed sometime soon.
In the meantime, Governor David Paterson ordered state agencies to acknowledge legal same-sex marriages from other states.
Looking ahead to next year, LGBT groups such as Lambda and the Stonewall Democrats have begun a new “Conversion Tour,” which will target state legislators who did not vote for gay marriage.
The Conversion Tour would hopefully “change hearts and minds” of these legislators “so the next time these individuals have an opportunity to vote for marriage equality they will do just that,” explained Lambda Co-President Dan Willson.
Last year, six Brooklyn Assemblymembers voted against gay marriage. Two others abstained from the vote.
“We will be in their districts, we will be in their neighborhood papers, we will be in their offices, we will be in their neighborhoods talking with their neighbors,” Willson explained. “If necessary we will be in their faces to get them to understand why this is so critical to the couples living in their districts and throughout our borough and state.”
