“We have nothing to fear from love and commitment” December 3, 2009 Jill via The Awl comes this video of New York State senator Diane Savino speaking about marriage equality yesterday. I also loved her speech: And the speech that really made me lose it was Ruth Hassell-Thompson: One thing I noticed while watching the senate debates was the diversity of the pro-marriage contingent, and how proponents of fairness and equality so often referenced their own history of discrimination and oppression. The biggest proponents of the marriage equality bill were senators of color, Jewish senators, and women. While Ruben Diaz was a vocal opponent, most of the senators who silently voted “no” are white men. After Proposition 8 was passed in California, the “blame people of color” meme was loud and strong — even in the face of statistics that refused to bear out any truth to the claim that gay rights failed because of black and Latin@ voters. Now that gay marriage has been defeated in New York — thanks in large part to white senators — the media is silent on the issues of race and ethnicity. Funny how that works. While the defeat of the marriage bill was painful, many of the floor speeches were beautiful to watch. Take, for example, Eric Adams: But I think my favorite Senate floor speech came from Liz Krueger: A majority of New Yorkers suppport marriage equality. Let’s hope that we can take out the senators who voted against human rights, and replace them with folks who will stand up for basic equality.
Good point on the fact that when white people vote against gay marriage, all the folks who were so quick to jump on Black and Latin@ people are silent. My experience has been that there’s a ton of unacknowledged racism in queer circles I’ve been a part of. After Prop 8, watching that racism become so loud, and watching the damage it did to LGBT / queer people of color in the community, was really awful. Because of that dynamic, I think, my insides always get a little queasy when, again and again, I hear the movement for marriage equality compared to the civil rights movement by white LGBT / queer people. I think it’s good when this is done in a way that acknowledges the civil rights movement’s contribution to the marriage equality movement, and acknowledges the presence and activism of queer people in civil rights struggles. But too often, the people I hear comparing marriage equality to civil rights seem to be the same ones who have no problem blaming Black voters for Prop 8, or refusing to acknowledge racism as a “real problem,” and failing to build a movement that fully supports queer folks of color. Just my experience – thanks for bringing these issues out.
These are fantastic speeches. It really is heartening to see how many fantastic people are in this Senate. I don’t know if it’s a good thing that this softens the blow, but somehow, it does. I want to say thanks to these people for fighting and for continuing to fight.
@ Cha-Cha: yeah, I’ve noticed that too. I feel like some white queer people are really bad about playing “Oppression Olympics,” too, where they have to prove that homophobia is worse than racism or that you suffer more for being queer than being POC, or whatever, while not acknowledging that many queer people are POC and not only does that kind of talk negate the very real oppression that straight, cis POC face for being POC, it basically disappears queer POC altogether. I think cis, white gay men and lesbians in particular need to address the racism in our own communities and re-evaluate that, and try to make queer communities more welcome both to queer POC and to straight POC allies. If that makes any sense? I haven’t slept in a while, so it might be kind of jumbled. Sorry. Re: the vote – this is really, really depressing. đ Seeing gay marriage get defeated over and over again just makes me want to cry. I’m trying to console myself by telling myself that someday, we will have equality, but someday just isn’t getting here soon enough, and it’s really disheartening. I admire all the senators who voted yes, though, and everyone who lobbied for gay marriage.
Also, wow, sorry about all the run-on sentences in that comment. I hope my meaning was clear enough anyway.
It always amazes me how similar the arguments against interracial marriages to the arguments against gay marriage. It amazes me how the debate never changes. It’s always the same, decade after decade. I don’t know if that comforts me, since we did eventually allowed interracial couples to marry so there is hope that the gay marriage debate will come to an end soon. But maybe this is where that debate stops. But seriously, do these people NOT see that the same arguments are being used the the reasoning against gay marriage sounds just as dumb as the reasoning against interracial marriage?
Can we get some transcripts here, for non-hearing folks? Or at least links to where transcripts could be found? Otherwise these are not very helpful.
I was talking about this with my co-workers this morning. Basically I think this issue should be for the courts to decided. It’s out of place to vote on things that restrict someone’s rights. Law should uphold citizens’ rights, not make “moral” judgments or take them away. There are so many protections that we have, that if put up for a vote today we’d lose. Take the Public Library for example. I can hear fools saying, “Why should my tax dollars go towards providing access to books for people too lazy to buy their own?” Ugh. Disgusting and I really think pressure should be put on the courts.
Savino’s nasty, ablist aside about marrying a “dwarf” was a very off-putting note in an otherwise very good speech.
I just want to say thank you for posting these. While it’s heartbreaking because of the vote against marriage equality, seeing these folks talk about marriage equality in the various ways they did was heartening, particularly talk of pluralism, of majority-rule-with-minority-rights, of leaving one’s bible outside the senate floor.
These speeches at least make me feel a tiny bit better. The same day marriage was voted down I was subjected to a lengthy “gays are going to hell” rant in the subway by a man preaching as though he had some special line of communication with ‘god’. Sometimes my straight friends just don’t get why these things can put me so low.
The speaches were so moving, removing some of my bitterness towards the political process. I am Canadian, where gay/lesbian marriage has been legal nation-wide since July of 2005. I have taken for granted the struggle to achieve that. I think the, “leave religion at the door” argument isn’t a fair one. We talk about “the personal is political,” so it’s reasonable that religion influences their decisions. The question is, how does homosexual marriage destroy heterosexual marriage? What negative impact does it have on the lives of straight couples? Longer lines at the marriage registry. Practically speaking: It’s a recession, we could use the gay-dollars spent on weddings to stimulate the economy.
I took your quote, “And the speech that really made me lose it was Ruth Hassell-Thompson,” as that she voted against it but upon viewing the video I see that she voted ‘yes’ for gay marriage and can only assume that “loosing it” means that you were happy about her decision. She voted yes even though her sisters reputation would be put on the line as a minister. I am for gay marriage because I believe that is not up to politics or religion, but to ethical fairness. I can not decide on the morals of others nor can I deny anyone their happiness. Savino came to a beautiful point, What do we have to fear from gay marriage when most of them have been together longer than the average married couple? Look at our divorce rate. It’s at 50% for just man and woman being married. Why does the church not condemn THIS? They believe that marriage includes working as a team but obviously, the Christian married couples are going against THAT by getting a divorce. I think that this situation is very hypocritical. I think that political decisions against gay marriage are very hypocritical as well. I’ve lost faith in the American government on this issue. Did you see the people in the backgrounds? Not a one of them were paying any attention to what the speakers were saying yet they voted against gay marriage. These are the people who’s hands our freedom is in and they can’t even give the American people enough respect to listen. It’s simply pathetic.
I took your quote, âAnd the speech that really made me lose it was Ruth Hassell-Thompson,â as that she voted against it but upon viewing the video I see that she voted âyesâ for gay marriage and can only assume that âloosing itâ means that you were happy about her decision. I meant it made me “loose it” emotionally — as in, I cried. đ
I think the, âleave religion at the doorâ argument isnât a fair one. We talk about âthe personal is political,â so itâs reasonable that religion influences their decisions. I don’t agree with you that this isn’t a fair argument … the question is not whether or not religion informs your decisions, it’s whether or not you’re imposing that religion on others … THAT you don’t get to do, and if you want to stand up and be a political leader, you need to be able to think outside of your own beliefs, etc and not impose them on others. Hell, my values would love getting rid of all religion and faith on the planet period, but I would never do so, because I can see how much they mean to others. Hence; check your religion at the door.
Wow… I wish I had watched these before. I have been so angry at the senate this week, and I’m still angry, but these videos give me so much hope. There are people who actually get it. I was in tears by the end of several of these speeches. I just don’t understand how people could hear these senators and still vote no.