LGBT Groups Showing Political Heft

by Michael A. Jones

Published October 26, 2008 @ 10:17AM PT

If gay marriage becomes legal in New York after this coming Election, there might be one critical reason why: the organization of LGBT groups in the state (and outside of the state) working to overturn the State's Senate body. Right now, Republicans control the State Senate by two seats. Overturning that hold on the Senate, coupled with the fact that New York has a Governor, David Paterson, who favors gay marriage, could put New York front and center in the battle to become the next state to recognize marriage equality for all.

Today's NY Times has a great story on how LGBT groups are quietly but potently exercising their political heft this Election year. And it's not necessarily on things like Cali's Prop 8, Fla's Amendment 2, or Ark's Proposed Initiative Act 1...it's on the state and local level where major funders like George Soros (Chairman of the Open Society Institute), Tim Gill (the founder of Quark, one of our favorite programs!), and Anna Wintour (the editor of Vogue, and likely the actual real devil that spawned the book/movie "The Devil Wears Prada") are helping fund change from the bottom up.  That's what's happening in New York State.

The article also gives props to the Empire State Pride Agenda, which has emerged as a key player in New York State politics. Should the Democrats reclaim the State Senate this year, Empire State Pride will get a large dose of credit for helping make it happen.

There is no question that in the last few years the Empire State Pride Agenda has gotten bigger and more sophisticated and has become a much more important player in New York politics. They’re one of the more effective organizations out there doing issue advocacy. -- Eric T. Schneiderman, NY State Senator

For more information on the Empire State Pride Agenda, check them out. And stay tuned on Election Day to see what happens with the New York State Senate. Could it be the next state to legalize same-sex marriage? Or, like we wrote about a couple weeks ago, will it be Iowa, where the State Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the ban against same-sex marriage in the coming months? Needless to say, the interest in LGBT political issues won't be dying out after November 4.