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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.
New York does honor out of state marriages with no gay exception. In May 2008, NY Gov. David Paterson directed state agencies to ensure that the out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples are respected and treated equally under law, the same as New York does with different-sex couples' marriages. Gov. Paterson's order conforms to NY's historic practice and the common-sense principle that it makes more sense to respect marriages than to destabilize them. But couples cannot, as yet, marry at home in New York.
In order to help make understanding these issues easier, Empire State Pride Agenda has created a resource page on their website.
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:
New York Trial-Level Court Rules to dismiss challenge to Gov. Paterson on marriage equality directive
September 2008
Bronx Supreme Court Justice Lucy Billings rejected a legal challenge to Governor David Paterson's directive that state agencies recognize same-sex marriages contracted outside of New York State.
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:
View news about the fight for the freedom to marry in New York.
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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.
