NY Sen. Ruben Diaz’s Vote Against GENDA All But Assures Fight Back NY Is Coming For Him
The New York State Senate’s Judiciary Committee today voted down GENDA, Sen. Tom Duane’s bill that would’ve made all public accommodations — including restrooms, health clubs, dorm rooms, and even shelters — open to individuals who identify as a certain gender, even if their biological sex doesn’t match the facilities’ mandates, allowing a MTF transgender person to use the lady’s toilet or find refuge at a women-only domestic violence shelter. The bill was defeated by one lawmaker in a 11-12 vote. Among those voting no: Sen. Ruben Diaz, the proud homophobe who helped defeat the state’s gay marriage law. Diaz, who talks publicly about his two gay brothers, was the only Democrat to vote against GENDA; Sen. George Maziarz, a Republican, previously said he would support the bill but voted against it.
@Andrew: I’m not really sure what’s ironic about him having a gay brother, but as a fellow New Yorker I also share your frustration.
And you shouldn’t be shocked that New York would have these protections already. Outside of the city New York is, as I am sure you know, a very different place. (Was getting back to home one day and saw a guy drive by with a deer on the top of truck. I wondered if I had accidentally bumped into Pennsylvania.)
I hope his two gay brothers go ape on his ass.
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@J. Clarence: Well, it just seems a bit distasteful to me. (Or a lot.) And I actually live in Upstate New York myself, though luckily in a fairly liberal part near Albany. But considering I’m not of age to move, I’m stuck here for a few more years. Then it’s off to home, — Northern Cali.
@J. Clarence: Well, the problem in NY is that our assembly, — which is proportionate, regularly passes these types of things by huge margins. The assembly passed marriage equality by something like 60′s-20′s. But the Senate, which up until 2008 had been in Republican hands since the 50′s, gives too much power to conservative upstate.
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As a New Yorker, I was almost certain our state had protections in both the public and private sphere? This is…depressing, to say the least. I can indeed say they Diaz, if the Senate weren’t so damn disproportional, should be kicked out of the Dem caucus.
Ironically enough, he has a Gay brother.