Primary Elections Advance Marriage Equality

In Tuesday’s primary elections (just as in earlier primaries), some clear advances were recorded towards LGBT equality – notably in New York and Maryland, but also elsewhere. Why does this matter to me? I am not a New Yorker, or even American, but a South African now living in Europe.  These successes area important to the queer community everywhere, as part of a much broader pattern that will transform our political landscapes everywhere – the advancing global acceptance of a new understanding of family. This is a theme I will be expanding on for a broader post later today, but first I need to present the evidence – which I do by starting with the primaries in New York and Maryland

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In principle, the Empire State should be one of the most supportive of marriage equality.Polls consistently show the voters in favour, the present governor, both senators and New York mayor are strong supporters, and the state legislature has twice voted to introduce enabling legislation.:Only the state senate voted against. In a scandalous episode last year, three Democratic senators conspired with Republicans to temporarily control the Senate and prevent equality even reaching a vote.   When Democrat control was regained and the vote taken, eight Democrats voted against. A year later,  two of the original three conspirators (Espada and Monserate) have been booted from the senate, and one of those voting against equality (Stachowski) has been denied re-election after being deliberated targeted by the Human Rights Campaign and Fight Back New York. Some marriage foes remain (notably Reuben Diaz and Sheila Huntley), but they too had to endure bruising primaries. The lessons will not be lost on the remaining Democratic senators.

On the other side of the house, some of the Republicans face strong Democratic challenges. It is too early to say what will happen in November, but with the widespread evidence that previously solid GOP opposition to gay marriage is breaking up, it is  likely that when the vote comes up next year (as it will), there will be enough Republican senators to compensate for Espada and  Huntley and any other Dem renegades - which is exactly what happened (twice) in the lower house vote.

In Maryland, marriage legislation has not previously made it to a vote. That is likely to change next year, with a record number of seven openly gay or lesbian legislators having won their primaries on safe Democratic districts. I expect a bill for either full marriage or a civil union compromise to make it through committee for the first time. In a Dem controlled legislature, it will pass. When it does, Governor O'Malley has promised to set aside his personal reservations and sign. The one danger is that he might not survive his own election (although he should do so).

Elsewhere, openly LGBT candidates are also continuing to win elections, as they have been doing at an accelerating rate all year. Gay Politics reports that

In all, 29 of the Victory Fund’s 33 openly LGBT candidates with primaries Tuesday night advanced, and many of those have only token opposition this fall.

The most prominent winner among these is Providence Mayor David Cicilline, who  won his congressional Democratic primary in Rhode Island. He will become the fourth openly LGBT member in the new congress. Next year, Rhode Island will be another state where equality legislation should finally make it through committee to a vote - and will be signed by a more gay-friendly governor than Donald L. Carcieri.

Although it is impossible to quantify, the chances are that there have also been more straight allies elected - and that genuinely neutral politician will have noted the signs of growing support for equality, and the erosion of opposition. At all levels of government, in many jurisdictions across the USA, the political landscape next year will become more supportive, and the legislative outlook more favourable for marriage and family equality.

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• Suckered Stachowski: One more anti-equality NY Dem goes down (pinkbananaworld.com)
  
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• Cicilline Wins in RI, Stachowski Loses in NY, O'Donnell Wins in DE (towleroad.com)
  
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Marriage Equality Inching Closer in Maryland, New York?

Just as “gay marriage” is receding as an electoral issue on the US right, it is becoming an issue on the left. Two stated where this of current importance are New York and Maryland.

In Maryland, two recent news reports suggest the signs are promising for a successful attempt at gay marriage  legislation next year. Governor O’Malley appears to have read the tea leaves which show steadily increasing public support for marriage equality. He has stated that if re-elected, even though he would personally prefer to see civil unions, he will sign a gay marriage bill if the legislature presents one.  In a tough year for Democrats, he is not exactly a shoo-in for re-election, but the authoritative Cook Political Report says the race is “leaning” that way. So, the next question is, will the legislature play ball?

Hovernor O’Malley – Gay Ally?

Here too the signs are promising. Attempts at marriage legislation have regularly been launched, and as regularly have stalled.  The prospects for next year though, may be brighter. There are more out LGBT candidates than ever before standing for election, and several have an excellent chance of electoral success. It is entirely possible that the new state legislature could have a stronger caucus of LGBT and gay –friendly legislators. Their success could also send a message to those previously neutral or mildly opposed. Expect a strong push for either full marriage equality, or for civil unions as a compromise, in Maryland next year.

Meanwhile in New York, where the legislative paralysis in the state senate last year was largely precipitated by the fierce opposition of some Democrat senators to the proposals for gay marriage, the backlash has been fierce. Several initiatives to “take back New York” have seen strong primary challenges against the Democrat senators who opposed equality, and especially against two of the ringleaders, Senators Espada and Ruben Diaz Snr, in SD’s 32 and 33.  The outcome of next week’s primaries should be watched closely. If at least one of these, and some other opponents, are booted out, expect a dramatic shift in the political mood, and a much more realistic legislative attempt to achieve marriage equality next year. If both survive, equality will not come to NY state by legislative means for a long while yet.  

No Joke-NY Media Fails To Read AP Stylebook

You know, how hard is it for media people to grasp this concept?

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

Once again, the media fails in a story involving a transwoman, and this time it happens in our country's so-called media capital.

And it's not like you media peeps don't get enough practice in getting stories on trans people right. Every two days somewhere on the planet a transperson is murdered. Every now and then transpeople make the news for something other than being a murder victim, and you still frack the pronouns up.

Amanda Gonzalez-Andujar was a 29-year old trans woman who was found stabbed to death in her Queens, NY apartment. Her apartment had been ransacked and much of her possessions destroyed. A man she recently began dating is suspected of committing the crime.

And guess how the New York Times and other NY newspapers initially identified Ms. Gonzalez-Andujar? By using her old name and calling her a 'man'.

They've corrected the stories, but it's still infuriating to have to say the same crap over and over about a concept that elementary school kids get.

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