As the clock on the legislative session ticks down, the New York Senate has not yet taken up the Marriage Equality Bill; either because the GOPs still want more âreligious exemptionsâ so churches and religious organizations can opt out of accommodating married gays or because the Senate also has to pass bills on rent regulations, property taxes, and other crap.
But our sources say the vote could happen as early as this evening, so thereâs still time to help out!
1) Call Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and urge him to bring the marriage bill to the floor for a vote: 518-455-3171
2) Call the remaining swing NY senators.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
3) You can watch the historical action at the NY Senate if and when the vote occurs at www.nysenate.gov/live and www.livestream.com/nysenate
Weâll let you know as soon as the vote happens, but please take a minute or two to make these calls. They could help make history!
Elloreigh
And remind your representatives and senators that you do NOT support a bill that guts anti-discrimination protections for gay people as a trade-off for legal marriage.
Word is that the senate bill is going to contain special rights for anti-gay bigots to discriminate against gay members of the public. This is unacceptable – more people need to those protections than need legal marriage.
If those provisions remain intact – Kill the Bill!
Robert in NYC
I just learned the language in the bill is being tweaked right now (it’s already 5:15 p.m. here). Sheldon Silver saw a draft of the revised bill and seems to think its acceptable. A vote this evening could take place or by tomorrow latest. Rumor has it that there are 32 votes, but we shall see.
Daniel Villarreal
@Elloreigh: It’s my opinion that we should take any bill they have, provisions be damned and then fix it in the courts. Marriage is an important step towards equality and we’ve never gotten this close before, so let’s seal the deal then fix it later.
Jadedbycolor
I have an idea for you homes if your amenable to it. How about moving all the straight people out of Alaska and giving it to you homes and calling it homoville? That way you can have a Mayor, President, Senators… All that and even bring back Bathhouses so you can work on reducing your population as you did in the eighties:)
That way you can be legally married in Homoville, by none other than a Homosexual Priest, and then you can frolic around til doomsday do you part. Please let me know what you think of my plan?
Sincerely,
JadedbyColor
Ganondorf
@Jadedbycolor:
Naaaaah, pass.
Tanner
There is not enough space on his message service to take my message. Good work guys(:
Daniel Villarreal
@Ganondorf: @Jadedbycolor:
Yeah, don’t feed the trolls. That should be an official Queerty user policy đ
Shannon1981
Totally calling! Right now! brb! Thanks for this Daniel, so important! I heart you and your thorough research and reporting!
Skip
@Jadedbycolor: Your plan is amazing! Now, when do you leave for Idiotville?
Georgia
@Jadedbycolor:
Hey, how about a state with only lesbians? How would I not be up for that?
Or better yet, an entire country…hey, at least give us an island. I call dibs on Fire Island.
Porky D
There is only one moral way to achieve marriage equality – outlaw heterosexual marriage. That way everyone has the same lack of rights, and everyone will be happier because there will be less people suffering through marriage.
Jeffree
From a national perspective, New York’s approval of the bill would be a huge blow & a wake up call to NOM & their ilk. Watching R. Diaz spontaneously combust [that’s a metaphor, I think] would be gratifying too.
@PorkyD: Another idea — although equally unrealistic — would be to outlaw divorce & make adultery a felony. Not going to happen, but that would really keep marriage “sacrĂšd,” a word the anti-equality people love so dearly !
robert in NYC
I agree, No. 3. Just get it done and deal with the legalities after the fact.
No. 11….unrealistic, not going to happen. That said….I would submit that we put it to the hetero majority, especially the same-sex marriage haters, by asking them this….”would you agree to have your marriages downgraded to civil unions?” I imagine the hypocritical backlash would be a resounding NO, to illustrate the double-standard and the hypocrisy. It would call their bluff and debunk the myth that civil unions at the federal level are unequal. In addition, I’d like to ask them why they’d think it would be unfair to do just that.