TRAILER: History In The Making

Clip recap:

This feature-length documentary, History In The Making: The Marriage Equality New York Archives 2007-2015, follows an all-grassroots organization, Marriage Equality New York (or MENY) from the NYC streets to Albany and eventually to the Supreme Court. Directed & edited by Fred Anguera. Filmed by Cristina Wolff, Rob Martin, Reed Davis, Fred Anguera, Emmanuel Migrino, Carmine Nicholas Tzavis. Appearances by Cathy Marino-Thomas, Edie Windsor, Brendan Fay, Margaret Cho, Maggie Gallagher, Sen. Thomas Duane, Christine Quinn, Danny O'Donnell, Candy Samples, Gilbert Baker, Chic, Ann Northrop, Gov. David Paterson, Sassy, Ron Zacchi, Fred Anguera, Sheila & Jackie Marino-Thomas, Cynthia Nixon, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Kate & Darcy Tuscano and more.

Get tickets to the screening.

Prop 8 Celebration At NYC's Stonewall Inn

NEW YORK: Gay Rights Group Unite On Concentrated Push For Marriage

A coalition of LGBT rights group has formed to make a concentrated push for marriage equality in New York state. Via press release:

New Yorkers United for Marriage, an unprecedented alliance that includes Empire State Pride Agenda, Freedom to M arry, Human Rights Campaign and Marriage Equality New York will build on the growing momentum for marriage and groundwork already laid across the state - with the goal of enacting a bill before the end of the current legislative session. "Today, we stand closer than ever to allowing all loving, committed couples to legally marry here in New York," said Ross Levi, Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. "We've sent a loud and clear message during the last two years that supporting the LGBT community isn't just the right thing to do, but it's also good politics, and this unprecedented coalition will amplify that message.”

The New York Times reports that the coalition is being led by the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Under the supervision of the governor’s staff, the groups intend to raise more than $1 million for a media blitz, hire a powerful political consultant close to the Cuomo administration and deploy field organizers to the districts of more than a dozen key lawmakers to drum up support, according to interviews with those involved in the effort. In contrast to their failed drive for a marriage bill two years ago, the advocates envision a short, disciplined and intense run-up to a vote in the State Legislature, raising the prospect that gay couples may be allowed to wed in New York by early summer. Their overriding aim: avoid the mistakes and miscommunications of 2009, when those lobbying for same-sex marriage sent conflicting messages, misjudged the opposition and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate, 38 to 24.

Valentine's Day Activism: NYC Gay Couple Turned Away At Marriage Bureau

This morning a gay couple was turned away at the New York City marriage bureau in a Valentine's Day protest staged by Marriage Equality New York. That's MENY head Cathy Marino-Thomas speaking behind the men.

Help Defeat New York's #1 Homophobe, State Sen. Ruben Diaz

Marriage Equality New York, who created the below clip, has posted a donation page for Charlie Ramos, the 2010 opponent of state Sen. Ruben Diaz, our state's most virulent and successful homophobe. Including in the below clip is footage of the 2008 anti-gay rally staged by Diaz, which brought 10,000 Hispanic evangelicals to Manhattan to scream anti-gay slogans and rail against same-sex marriage. Diaz, a Pentecostal preacher and a Democrat, has successfully thwarted numerous LGBT equality measures.

SLIDESHOW: Marriage Equality New York's 12th Annual Gala In NYC

Last night Marriage Equality New York staged their 12th annual fundraising gala in NYC, honoring LGBT advocates NY Sen. Jose Peralta, actor B.D. Wong, attorney Shannon Minter, and activist group Queer Rising. The evening was hosted by the ever-effervescent Marti Gould Cummings. I was unable to attend, but JMG staff photographer Dr. Jeff did his usual stellar work on the red carpet for us.

Lots of bold-face names in the photos below, including songstress/comedian Lea DeLaria, MENY head Cathy Marino-Thomas, Village People's Randy Jones, actor Leslie Jordan, Reichen Lekmkuhl, Broadway's Marty Thomas, NYC Councilman Daniel Dromm, NYC Comptroller John Liu, the cast of Hair, civil rights attorney Yetta Kurland, and many more.

April 28th: Marriage Equality NY Gala

The 12th annual Marriage Equality New York gala fundraiser takes place on April 28th in Manhattan. Get tickets here.

The MENY Gala will be recognizing and honoring: Queer Rising, NYS Senator Peralta, Sharron Minter, and BD Wong for their work in moving marriage equality forward in New York State and, in some cases, on the national front. This recognition comes from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and it represents how important this issue is in our everyday lives. There will also be a silent auction put on by MENY PAC (our political action committee is not a 501c3 and donations on the auction are not tax-deductible)

Massive Union Square Rally Promises 2010 Retribution On New York Senate

A crowd of over one thousand attended tonight's rally in NYC's Union Square, where Marriage Equality NY provided a roster of the state and city's top political leaders and activists, all of whom vowed revenge upon the 38 state senators that voted against equality.

Among the speakers: Gov. David Paterson, activist Corey Johnson, NY Sen. Tom Duane, NY Sen. Liz Krueger (my rep), NY Asssemblyman Micah Kellner (my rep AND a JMG reader), and Marriage Equality NY head Cathy Marino-Thomas. Among those attending: uber-blogger Andy Towle (whose coverage is here), Gay City News staff Paul Schindler, Duncan Osbourne, and Andy Humm, and rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker.

Throughout the crowd and from the stage, threats of retribution rained down on the "Hate 38," the Senators that voted against equality. Particular scorn was heaped upon the eight traitorous Democrats, whose faces adorn many placards and who were named and shamed from the microphone. Hearty cheers went up whenever our new heroes like Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson were mentioned. The crowd was instructed about the coming 2010 elections and the NYC seats now in everyone's crosshairs. The evening was definitely not another useless venting of rage, as these things are often characterized.

NYC: Marriage Rally Union Square 6PM

Marriage Equality New York will stage their own marriage rally tonight at Union Square, 6PM. MENY events tend to bring out the major politicos - City Council members, borough presidents, etc. Embiggen the above for the deets or go here for more.

Gilbert Baker: "Where's The ANGER?"

At last night's Maine response rally in NYC's Union Square, rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker said to me, "Where's the ANGER? Where are the pitchforks?" as he surveyed the glum crowd. I told him his opinion reflected much of what you folks here were saying yesterday. From the bullhorn came the usual speechifying to the usual audience of activist regulars. NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn urged the crowd to continue to pressure NY's state senators, as did Marriage Equality NY head Cathy Marino-Thomas.

Here's a report from the rally by Our Scene TV reporter Blake Hayes.

Marriage Activists Vs. Maggie Gallagher

On Friday at Hofstra University, Cathy Marino-Thomas of Marriage Equality NY debated Maggie Gallagher, who sits there and smugly shakes her head as Marino-Thomas calls out her lies.

(Via - Towleroad)

New Clip From Western Queens For Marriage Equality

Western Queens For Marriage Equality sends us their latest clip urging NY state Sen. George Onorato to change his mind on same-sex marriage. Visit their Facebook group. Gov. Paterson has promised to force a vote in the state Senate sometime this month. If you are a constituent of Onorato (or even if you're not), please consider contacting him via the information in the clip. Donate to Marriage Equality New York here.

NY Fails Marriage Recognition Test

Two New York women with a still-legal California marriage are expecting twins. They'd like everybody in their family to have the same last name, so they visited a New York City marriage bureau to request a name-change form. Marriage Equality New York followed them with a camera as the women learned that it's not as easy as they'd hoped. New York state is supposed to be recognizing same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions.

Tonight: NY Marriage Equality Meetings

Tonight at the NYC LGBT Center:

Both Marriage Equality New York and Civil Rights Front will be having their monthly meetings tonight at the LGBT Center. MENY is at 6:30pm, CRF at 7:30pm. These may be the last meetings before the Prop 8 decision is issued, so I'd strongly urge you to attend one or both. Both meetings will also talk about the counter-demonstration that's being planned against the National Organization for Marriage (Sunday, May 17, 1pm, 3rd Ave & 40t St)

(Via - Eric Leven)

Feb. 3rd: New York Marriage Equality Day

Via press release, here's a great and fun way to do something for marriage equality in New York.

Marriage Equality Day
February 3, 2009

Join Marriage Equality New York for a day in Albany where we will get
the chance to meet with legislative offices from various senate
districts to educate them on why marriage equality matters!

Register Now Here
Registration with Bus Ride and Lunch $35.00
Registration and Lunch Only $10.00

If you would like to apply for a cost assistance scholarship, please email info@meny.us
We will have buses traveling from:

Huntington- Long Island
Midtown Manhattan
Buffalo
Rochester
Syracuse
And possibly more locations if we can get people to fill them from those locations.
This event is an all day event starting out as early as 6:00am (for certain bus points) and arriving back in the evening (around 8pm), so please plan accordingly.

If you have questions, concerns or comments please email us at info@meny.us

February 3rd is a Tuesday. Who's down for a day trip upstate?