LGBTQ+ Rights
We must all fight for queer liberation and stand against the far-right’s war on LGBTQ+ people. That’s why I’m fighting to:
- Make New York a true safe haven for transgender youth. In June 2023, New York became a “safe haven” for transgender youth and their families fleeing targeted persecution in anti-LGBTQ+ states. However, these protections mean nothing without further commitments from our state government. That means guaranteeing housing, healthcare, and education for everyone, so that queer youth and their families can actually afford to settle down in New York.
- Oppose far-right efforts to erase queer people. Conservative politicians and activists are trying to ban books, drag events, and any discussion of LGBTQ+ people in our schools. Those fights may feel far away, but books are being banned right here in Assembly District 106. I’ll oppose any and all efforts to write queer people out of our history, and will actively work to include them across the board.
- Codify LGBTQ+ rights. I support the Equality Rights Amendment (on the November 2024 ballot for voters to approve), which would codify LGBTQ+ rights in the New York State Constitution.
Compare to Didi Barrett’s record:
In June 2019, Barrett helped block legislation championed by LGBTQ+ organizations that would help many couples—especially gay couples—become parents. The next year, Barrett introduced her own watered-down version that would have set untenable restrictions on gay couples seeking to have children.
Barrett’s legislation was condemned by a broad coalition of LGBTQ+ organizations, including The National Center for Lesbian Rights, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, Lambda Legal, the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, and the Family Equality Council. According to Gay City News, the organizations “stated that the requirements unfairly harm LGBTQ families because ‘this kind of investigation and evaluation would be unthinkable for parents who planned to have children through sexual intercourse.’”
I’ll always stand with the LGBTQ+ community and will make sure that I consult them before making major decisions that affect them—not afterward.
