BP MARKOWITZ STATEMENT ON SENATE APPROVAL OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY

“It is impossible to overstate the momentous history we witnessed in Albany tonight with legislative approval of marriage equality for all New Yorkers. With his signature, Governor Cuomo will finally put an end to what can only be described as government-sanctioned discrimination against our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Whatever your religious convictions, love is love—and we need to do everything possible to foster relationships and families, not tear them down. Kudos to Governor Cuomo for making marriage equality a top priority, to our lawmakers—particularly our Democratic Senate delegation from Brooklyn and those courageous Republican Senators from throughout New York who broke with their party to make this possible—to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Speaker Christine Quinn, Brian Ellner of the Campaign for New York Marriage and the tireless equality advocates and volunteers who made their voices heard during this protracted battle. And a special ‘bravo’ to all of our LGBT couples who have endured years of being treated as second class citizens, patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) awaiting the day when their relationship would be recognized by the State as something to be admired and validated. As someone who represents one of the largest LGBT populations in the nation, I am thrilled to join Brooklynites and all New Yorkers in celebrating the passing of this historic bill. Now that New York has become the sixth and largest state to adopt marriage equality, let’s hope that the remaining 44 states and President Obama ‘evolve’ as I have, and support equal marriage rights for all Americans, so that they can pursue life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness—and, yes, love.”