Advocate: Senator Gillibrand Fights For LGBT Adoption

 

 

Senator Kirsten Gillbrand (D-New York) has become the foremost champion for LGBT rights in the United States Senate. Not content to just vote right, she has become a fierce advocate and an effective strategist in fighting for full equality. Gillibrand was one of our most powerful allies on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell'. She utilized the full force of her office to enable marriage equality to become reality in New York.

In an interview with The Advocate, she champions her latest effort on the rights of LGBT Americansto adopt. Here are some excerpts from "Gillibrand Keeps Up the Push for Equality" by Julie Bolcer.

"As 2012 nears, the roster of offensive and defense bouts for equality has never appeared more crowded, with state ballot measures, federal lawsuits, and a basket of legislative priorities all pending. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York represents a state that achieved one of the highest profile victories to date, and now she wants to expand what she calls the “consistent drumbeat of advocacy and persuasive narrative” to a new frontier with a bill to remove adoption barriers for LGBT families.

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act would prohibit federal funding for entities that discriminate against prospective adoptive or foster parents on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. In this way, the legislation uses the power of the government’s $8 billion child welfare purse to target discriminatory laws against LGBT couples and individuals in more than 30 states, and help children find homes. An estimated 400,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system, with over 100,000 waiting to be adopted.

“Every time a vote is called, every time there is an opportunity for a lawsuit to be heard, it moves our agenda forward,” Gillibrand said Tuesday in her first interview on the bill’s introduction. “Every battle we fight also creates more converts and more advocates who will support our cause."

The article continues:

"Gillibrand addressed the criticism by making a distinction between public and private adoptions. Proponents of her bill say that Catholic Charities, one of the country’s largest social service providers, is involved with less than 5% of public adoptions, which means the legislation would have a minimal impact on the agency.

“This law only deals with public adoptions,” she said. “The law has no impact on private adoptions and Catholic Charities, and other religiously affiliated organizations are free to continue to operate as they have in private adoptions. In states that already have nondiscrimination laws regarding adoption and foster care placements, religious organizations, such as Catholic Charities, are already required to comply with those laws, so our bill would not change that.” The bill arrives as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares for the historic markup Thursday of the Respect for Marriage Act that would repeal DOMA. Gillibrand, who is not a member of the committee, expects the panel to approve the bill, although with an uncertain Senate vote and opposition from Republican leadership in the House, she acknowledged that the growing body of federal litigation may provide a “more successful route earlier” than the legislative track."

The Senator discusses her role as a champion for LGBT rights and President Obama and full marriage equality:

"While she remains focused on garnering bipartisan support for her adoption bill, the senator said she expects to be an “aggressive” advocate on DOMA repeal as the legislation advances. Even with a marriage equality law in her state, not every member of the New York congressional delegation supports the Respect for Marriage Act, including a Republican who now represents her former upstate congressional district.

President Barack Obama has endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act, which would allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages but would not compel recognition from individual states. Gillibrand told The Advocate last May that she thought the president should support full marriage equality before the 2012 election, and she reiterated that position on Tuesday.

“I hope he does,” she said. “I think he should. I think he should be a president who supports full equality for all Americans.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: Our Fight For Marriage Equality Is Not Done

 

 

 

Here in New York, this summer has been an exciting time in the march toward equal rights for all.

I was so thrilled that on June 24th, the NY State Senate passed marriage equality and it was incredibly moving to see hundreds of same-sex couples line up for their marriage licenses as the law went into effect on July 24.

New York has always been a leader on equal rights and I’m extremely proud that we are leading once again in this fight for marriage equality.

But we must not forget that even though we’ve won this battle, our fight is not done.

The fact is that even as loving, committed same-sex couples continue to marry here in New York, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) will prohibit them from enjoying the same federal rights and privileges that I enjoy with my husband.

That's why earlier this year, I joined Senator Feinstein and several of my Senate colleagues to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that will repeal the unjust and discriminatory DOMA. Just last month, with the leadership of Chairman Patrick Leahy, Congress took its first step towards doing the right thing by holding its first hearing in the Judiciary Committee where we heard moving testimony.

It's also why I've joined with Democracy For America (DFA) to launch a national online campaign to rally support for repeal. For only once every legally married couple in the United States is treated equally under federal law can we fulfill the true meaning of marriage equality. I hope you'll join us.

The Defense of Marriage Act truly is damaging. Every day, thousands of legally married LGBT men and women around the country are unable to take advantage of rights and privileges -- from hospital visitation to inheritance rights to health benefits -- that straight married couples take for granted.

Take Edie Windsor of New York City. Edie and her partner Thea first met in 1965, got engaged in 1967 and remained engaged for 40 years before traveling to Canada to get married in 2007. You see, it was in 2007 that Thea -- who had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis years earlier -- received a dire diagnosis and they felt they had little time if they wanted to marry. And indeed, Thea passed away in January 2009.

Upon Thea’s death, Edie discovered that while New York recognized their marriage, the United States of America treated Edie and Thea as complete strangers. Most notably, Edie had to pay exorbitant estate taxes on the inheritance she received from Thea -- something straight married couples are exempted from.

Edie has filed suit in US federal court challenging the constitutionality of DOMA, a suit that I was pleased NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined on behalf of New York in July.

See Edie tell her remarkable love story in her own words below:

It’s stories like Edie’s that inspire me every day to fight this unjust law and to work toward full LGBT equality in this country. And it’s why DFA and I have begun to collect the stories of Americans who’ve been affected by DOMA. Please spread the word to anyone you know whose life has been harmed by DOMA so they can tell us their story. For only through putting faces and names on this shameful policy will we be able to change hearts and minds and repeal it once and for all.

So as we continue to celebrate the marriages of our LGBT friends and family, we can not forget that the fight for equality goes on. We did it with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and we'll do it with DOMA but the time ti start is now.

Thank you for standing with me and DFA for equality for all Americans

Who Will Be The First Woman President?

 

 

 

In 2008, Hillary Clinton broke the glass ceilings everywhere with her candidacy to be the Democratic nominee to be President of the United States. In her remarkable and continuing career, this is one of the highlights. Never before has a woman come so close to being President. Will she run again? If you believe her own proclamations (and I do), she will end her term as Secretary of State and spend time with her family. Since she began campaigning with her husband in Arkansas she has not stopped working for the past four decades. God, she has earned the right to this upcoming time of rest.

So that leaves us with the question of who next has the best shot at being the first woman President. No matter how hard they attempt to explain their strategy to be President you can count out Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann on the Republican side. There is no other woman in that political party that is able at this stage to make that assent to the level where they would be a serious contender.

So that leaves it up to the Democrats if we hope to see a woman in the Presidency in our lifetime.

United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is my strong personal choice and I think she will be the perfect candidate for Democrats in 2016. A persuasive and effective leader, Gillibrand has achieved legislative victories not normal for a freshman senator. On social issues she is unwavering and she was the most powerful voice for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Born into politics, she understand the in and outs of campaigning and is brilliant at the game. Gillibrand is an incredible campaigner, charismatic speaker and a born leader. Fear doesn't seem to be a part of her character as she has challenged some of the most powerful men in Washington to get the job done.

No one is more suited, better positioned or a better leader to be our candidate in 2016. Think that is far off? Didn't 2012 seem far off and here we are getting ready to campaign again. There is little doubt that of all the women in America, Senator Gillibrand has the best opportunity to be President of the United States.

Impressions......by David Mixner

 

 

 
-Broadway never looked brighter than the premiere of "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" on Sunday night. Bette Midler, Joan Rivers, Jeff Davis, Kevin Jennings, Guy Pierce, Christie Brinkley, Kathleen Turner and Barbara Walters were among the VIP guests heading down the red carpet to make this an old fashion Broadway event. Adding to the fun of the evening, some audience members came in full drag. Word of mouth on the show is that it is spectacular.

-Joe Jervis, of JoeMyGod fame, took home the first ever "Blogger Award" at the GLAAD Media Awards held on Saturday night here in New York. He was in good company since Ricky Martin stepped forward to claim his award.

-At the Victory Fund brunch on Sunday in Washington,DC, couldn't help but think of all the straight allies who have made our movement possible. Especially remembered Bob Shrum and Marylouise Oates (photograph) who have been instrumental in helping the organization raise funds. For half a decade they hosted the "Oates/Shrum Awards" given to a straight person who has made valuable contributions to LGBT rights. The "Oates/Shrum Awards" raised over one million dollars for the Victory Fund. Among the honorees were Senator Ted Kennedy, CEO Leo Hindery and former Majority Leader Tom Daschle. We should never forget our straight allies.

-While we are on awards, The Point Foundation will have their annual dinner on April 4th at Capitale in New York City. They are honoring Andy Cohen, Johnson and Johnson and Grethe Cammermeyer. You can get your tickets by clicking here. It is close to a sell out again this year.

-Amazingly, only 2% of our DavidMixner.com readers felt that our nation is ready and prepared for an event like the one that hit Japan. Not exactly a vote of confidence is it?

-All the concerns about the nuclear plants in Japan has caused most to overlook the fact that the death toll is over 18,000 and expected to rise higher. Miyagi might account for over 15,000 deaths alone. Don't be surprised if we hit the 25,000 to 30,000 mark. So very sad.

-ABC News not only has before and after maps of the quake and tsunami in Japan, it has maps where you can slide the wave across the towns and villages and see how they appeared in one second and gone the next. The most fascinating visuals I have seen so far.

-Freedom to Marry's campaign of saying "I Do..." and urging President Obama to endorse marriage equality has hit 50,000 people. Be sure to join and add your name to the list asking the President to step forward and lead on this issue.

-A Public Policy Poll show that Ohio voters are not happy with the elected officials they voted into office last November. Republican Governor John Kasich would go down to defeat to former Democratic Governor Ted Strickland by a margin of 55% to 40%! Collective bargaining for public employees is supported in the state by a margin of 63% to 29%.

-Add the name of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to those pressing for a clear withdrawal plan to end the war in Afghanistan. Thank you Senator.

-On Karen Ocamb's LGBTPOV, Jon Davidson writes of the recently deceased former Secretary of State Warren Christopher. Personally, I served with Secretary Christopher on the McGovern Commission and found him to be a man of great honesty and dignity.

-Can you believe it? Tea Party right-winger Sharron Angle is going to now run for Congress in Nevada. How long do we have to put up with her?

-With his message of hate and division, Newt Gingrich is creeping up on Mike Huckabee for the Republican nomination in the polls. In the bellwether state of Missouri Mike Huckabee has 29% but Newt is now ins second place with 19%.

-E Online has established their own version of "March Madness" and bracketed the hottest men on television. You can vote for each round. Vote by clicking here. I found it a lot of fun.

-Daily Kos has run a really informative chart on the legislative recall efforts in Wisconsin. Three GOP States Senators are at risk of being recalled.

-Frontiersweb has run a fantastic interview with openly gay "Young and Restless" star Thom Bierdz (photograph). The handsome actor is also a very fine writer.

-The Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus has a new video on youtube.com called "Revolution". The moving video is a tribute to our epic struggle for civil rights.

-Towleroad.com had the exclusive on the dedication and photographs of the new monument/memorial to the LGBT community in Barcelona. It was dedicated by Mayor Jordi Hereu. Click here to see the photographs and read the story.

-The latest poll from the Billing's Gazette shows incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester in a race for his life. The poll shows the rancher Senator dead even with Republicans.

-MSNBC has ranked the top ten most at risk Nuclear Reactors in America. Holding the dubious honor at number one is Indian Point just north of New York City. That really makes me feel safe. Click here to see the rest of the list.

-The new hit in European music charts is the work of Alessandro Striggio's 1156 Mass performed by 40 choristers. Listen to this remarkable story.

LGBT Politics: Senate Races We Should Care About In 2012

 

 

Too soon to focus on 2012? Tell that to all the candidates already frantically making money calls and calculating their political positions for this upcoming election. Out of the 33 seats up for election 23 of them are held by Democrats. This means the Democratic Party will have a helluva battle to maintain control of the United States Senate. We all know from the 2010 elections that we can't take any seat for granted.

What seats should be priorities for the LGBT community? Here are a few for your consideration:

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D- Michigan): A longtime supporter of our efforts in Congress, she has always been there for every crucial vote. Michigan went totally Republican in the last election from top to bottom. She faces a tough race and needs our support.

Senator Amy Kobuchar: (D- Minnesota): Elected in a tight race last time around, she faces a tough re-election effort. While the legislature in the last election turned Republican we were able to hang on the governor's office. I have two words for you regarding this seat: Michele Bachmann.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri): She campaigned previously in this very conservative religious state to vote to repeal DADT and she kept her promise. Her Republican opposition vows to use that vote against her. McCaskill is a real friend to the community in this difficult state.

Senator Bob Menendez: (D- New Jersey): Republican Governor Christie will be eager to show he can defeat Democrats in his own state. You can count on the Christie machine going all out to defeat the senator. This will be a test for Christie's 2016 Presidential ambitions.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D- New York): The senator is the most devoted friend of the LGBT community in the United States Senate. This is the election for her first full term and we can't afford to lose our best ally.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio): Talk about a tough race - this is one tough one! The progressive Democrat is a strong advocate for full equality. He really will need our support in this race.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington): Seems as almost every Washington statewide race these days is neck and neck. This longtime friend of our community will need every ounce of support we can send her.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Talks Marriage Equality On "The View"

DADT Signing: A Perfect Day

 

History was in the air on Wednesday. From the moment you arrived at the Department of Interior Building at 6:30AM in the morning, you could see the line of hundreds stretching down the block in the frigid, dark morning air. Seems after seventeen years the folks didn't mind waiting in the cold for 45 minutes. You could cut the anticipation and excitement with a knife. This day was our day and we were not disappointed.

White House Staffer Brian Bond couldn't have handled this day more perfectly. They moved the signing ceremony from the White House to the Department of Interior so more members of the LGBT community could witness this special moment. Embracing a policy of inclusion, they invited the leadership of GetEqual, the pioneers who initially opposed the policy in 1993 and current leaders from around the country. This generosity of spirit was just sublime and set the tone for the event. They made sure the day was for the those who had suffered under DADT and our veterans. Brian deserves high praise for his decisions that made this day perfect.

Bill Smith of Gill Action with a smile on his face said, "Never have so many LGBT leaders gathered under one roof and every single one of them happy!" After laughing until tears came into my eyes, I realized he was right in that everyone was smiling and embracing each other...often in tears. The crowd went literally crazy giving prolonged ovations especially to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Susan Collins, Admiral Mullen and Congressman Patrick Murphy. In the audience were our champions in the Congress such as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Mark Udall and Senator Dick Durbin. (Photograph of Attorney General Holder, Dustin Lance Black and Chad Griffin)

The crowd was filled with people of courage. Tracy Thorne the fighter pilot who came out in 1993. Grethe Cammermeyer who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, former Marine Justin Elize who was carried away from the White House fence and so many others who filled the room. As the National Anthem played, it was just music but then suddenly the entire crowd started loudly singing it and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Everywhere you turned you saw the heroes and heroines of this struggle to repeal. Watching people was like watching 17 years of history unfold in one room.

Then the moment had arrived .

President Obama rose to the occasion. Understanding what this meant not only to those in the room but every single person who loves justice in this nation, he spoke, as always, with elegance saying:

"So this morning, I am proud to sign a law that will bring an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It is a law -- this law I’m about to sign will strengthen our national security and uphold the ideals that our fighting men and women risk their lives to defend.

No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military -– regardless of their skills, no matter their bravery or their zeal, no matter their years of exemplary performance -– because they happen to be gay. No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie, or look over their shoulder, in order to serve the country that they love.

As Admiral Mike Mullen has said, “Our people sacrifice a lot for their country, including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their integrity as well.”

The President ended his speech by saying:

For we are not a nation that says, “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We are a nation that says, “Out of many, we are one. We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. We are a nation that believes that all men and women are created equal. Those are the ideals that generations have fought for. Those are the ideals that we uphold today. And now, it is my honor to sign this bill into law."

The President then sat at the table and signed the beginning of the end of DADT. When finished he leaned back and almost in disbelief looked at us and said,

 "This is done."

 

DADT, President Obama and Congress

 

Over 18 years ago the LGBT community was in a state of pure joy with the election of Governor Bill Clinton from Arkansas. He had promised to issue an Executive Order lifting the ban on members of the LGBT community from serving in the United States Armed Forces. In order to support the new President, dozens of leaders, straight and gay, met in the Georgetown home of Bob Shrum and Marylouise Oates to create The Campaign for Military Service to be headed by highly respected Tom Stoddard (who has since passed away from AIDS). We rolled up our sleeves and began to work hard to support the President's promise. In the end, beaten and bruised, he announced what turned out to be the horribly oppressive "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

From that meeting and other ones, it has been a long seventeen years. What amazes me about them is the constant number of surprises, near misses, disappointments and raw courage that define those years. What I love about the political process and the people in it is that you never know what in the hell is going to happen on any given day. Such was the case of DADT this past two years. A roller coaster couldn't have provided such a wild ride politically and many of us have new gray hairs from the effort.

No one can doubt that sacrifice, courage and persistence by the LGBT community was the major reason DADT was repealed. However, we needed the political process to make it happen and we need to acknowledge how that unfolded.

Let me say very clearly: The repeal of DADT would not have happened without President Obama. No matter what your opinion, positive or negative, of this President he was clearly on our side and this happened on his watch. Just think for one moment if John McCain had been elected President of the United States. Yesterday we had President Obama making calls to help pass DADT while Senator McCain was hysterically saying American soldiers would die if DADT was passed. Quite honestly, I can't think of any more perfect contrast of what a difference an election makes.

Politics is very strange indeed. Senator Joe Lieberman was one of my least favorite senators and yet I find myself today smiling in admiration of his tenacity and sheer determination to get his bill passed the Senate. Often I would think the legislation was dead and wake up to hear Senator Lieberman refusing to give up and presenting a new strategy. He has earned and deserves our admiration for this work. He may even have sacrificed his close friendship with McCain as they became bitter opponents on this bill.

My information from numerous Hill insiders is that it was a young women from HRC that worked with Senator Lieberman to come up with the 'stand alone' policy. Allison Herwitt and the senator made a smart choice.

No one delivered more consistently and quickly than Speaker Pelosi. Over and over again she shepherded this legislation quickly and deficiently through the House. We needed a House vote? She delivered. Once again this past week she demonstrated what an amazing Speaker she has been for the LGBT community.

Senator Harry Reid brought smiles to my face yesterday as he tweeted Lady Gaga and Lt. Dan Choi that he was keeping his promise to them! Yes indeed, the Majority Leader did keep his promise with a bulldog tenacity against the McCain juggernaut that was seeking any rule and any procedure to stop a vote from happening. Reid refused to give up.

And most surprisingly it wasn't even a close vote. We won 65 votes to 33 votes. Special love has to go out several members of Congress. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden who is undergoing prostate cancer surgery today flew back to DC to cast his vote. Day in and day out Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Patrick Murphy fought by our side to make this happen. Senator Susan Collins in the end kept at it and delivered eight Republican votes. There is a special place in our hearts for them

Over the last months, there were times I was convinced that all hope was gone but politics had many surprises in store for us. Would I have over the last two years chosen this path to victory? Oh, hell no! However, despite my differences with many choices, the job got done and everyone together achieved a historic victory.

We have many miles to go before we achieve full equality. Clearly we have to monitor and push on the implementation of the repeal. Right now, I want to savor the moment and say a huge thank you to all of the above. They were straight allies who stood by our side in the end. Thank you.