Quote Of The Day - Daniel O'Donnell

"Ever since I was a boy, I dreamed of being a politician. But when I was imagining it, there were no openly gay politicians to look up to. I didn't think an openly gay person could be elected to public office. I pursued a legal career, not in the hopes of switching to politics, but as an alternative I could enjoy. My husband, John, and I hid our relationship for more than a decade -- not even sharing an apartment for fear of discovery. By the late 1990s, attitudes had shifted enough that I began to entertain a run for office. By 2002, I had been elected as the first openly gay man in the Assembly. Still, it would be almost another decade before marriage equality finally came to our state. [snip] On New York's anniversary, let us rejoice in our partnerships, and then use them to keep fighting for true equality, freedom from workplace discrimination, and rights for the transgender community. As we await the Supreme Court's decision, I'm hopeful that the justices will choose to open doors for the next generation of LGBT youth. I am excited to see what they can achieve when the way is cleared for them. - New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, celebrating the state's fourth anniversary of same-sex marriage.