Five candidates are running in the Democratic primary to succeed Mark Green, who is running for Mayor. While each of these candidates brings a very different background to the campaign, each has been a friend to and advocate for the gay community. These five candidates had similar, positive responses to the Pride Agenda’s candidate questionnaire.
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Stephen
DiBrienza of Brooklyn has been a vocal champion of the community
since at least 1982 when he ran against then-Council Speaker Tom Cuite,
who had prevented the gay rights bill for coming to the floor for
a vote for 15 years. (Mr. DiBrienza’s challenge was widely credited
with bringing about Cuite’s retirement, and DiBrienza was elected
to that seat in 1985.) He provided important leadership in getting
the Council to pass the city’s comprehensive domestic partner
law in 1998. In addition, he co-wrote the law which mandates a high
quality of assistance for people with HIV/AIDS through the Division
of AIDS Services (DAS). He is currently a lead sponsor of the bill
to amend the Human Rights Law to include explicit protections for
transgender persons. Mr. DiBrienza has been endorsed by Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, State Senator Tom Duane, and City Council Member Christine Quinn. |
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Kathryn
Freed of Manhattan, a long-time supporter of the community, has
served on the City Council since 1991. She was the lead sponsor of
the city’s law giving victims of bias crime explicit authority
to sue in civil court and also of a law specifically mandating the
cancellation of city contracts where the contractor engages in antigay
discrimination. She supports a bill to require contractors with the
city to extend benefits to domestic partners and is a co-sponsor of
the bill to amend the Human Rights Law to include explicit protections
for transgender persons. She has consistently attended and supported
gay community events and causes. Ms. Freed has been endorsed by the Stonewall Democratic Club. |
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Betsy Gotbaum of Manhattan has a distinguished 32-year record of community service, including serving as New York City Parks Commissioner under Mayor Dinkins, as an education advisor to Mayors John Lindsay and Abraham Beame and,most recently, as Executive Director of the New York Historical Society. While she was Parks Commissioner, she successfully argued for a change in city policy that allowed the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and other organizations the use of Central Park for fundraising events. That action allowed more participants than ever before to take part in GMHC’s AIDS Walk, resulting in a significant increase in proceeds to help fund services for people with HIV/AIDS. |
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Norman Siegel of Manhattan has an extensive background in fighting for the rights of the disenfranchised. For the last 15 years, he served as Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. He has been a leader in the struggle to reform the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and has worked to assist many demonstrators arrested or brutalized by the police in AIDS and gay demonstrations. He also fought to ensure that all people, including AIDS and gay/lesbian demonstrators, have the right to assemble and bring their concerns to the city’s attention. |
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Scott
Stringer of Manhattan is a long-time friend and supporter of the
gay community. As a member of the State Assembly since 1992, he has
a 100% voting record on our key issues such as SONDA and the hate
crimes law. In 1998, he was one of a handful of legislators with the
courage to vote against the mandatory HIV partner notification bill.
He co-sponsored the state’s clinic access law which makes it
illegal for anti-choice zealots to prevent women from entering health
clinics and was a driving force behind New York State’s anti-stalking
laws. He has consistently attended and supported gay community events
and causes. Mr. Stringer has been endorsed by State Assemblymember Deborah Glick and by the Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats (GLID). |
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