 Artvoice: "5 Questions With... Carol Speser: Activist/Chaplain Carol Speser is a long time activist in Buffalo. She has been a pioneer — founded the local Stonewall Democrats, organized the first outdoor pride celebration and is now the founder/director of Rainbow Spirit Rising. We asked her a few questions about issues of special importance to the LGBTQ community. What’s the difference between gay marriage and civil union?A civil union is not a marriage. Civil unions are separate drinking fountains. The Constitution says: equal protection under the law. For the government to establish two separate institutions for American citizens stigmatizes same-sex couples as different, separate and less worthy. States like New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire reached the conclusion that they don’t work. They found them to encourage unequal treatment. You know how it hits me personally? The idea of me being put into a separate legal class of citizens, scares me. I was born in 1948 and grew up here in Buffalo with Holocaust survivors in my life—like Gerda Klein. I heard personal stories told—uncut—because it had just happened—around dining room tables. So for me, being Jewish, the idea of the government passing legislation to put lesbian and gay couples into a separate, legal class of citizens, gives me a visceral whoosh of panic. ..." Read more: http://artvoice.com/issues/v10n31/five_questions#ixzz1UN2QSxXe Add Comment  It is with tremendous joy that Stonewall Democrats of Western New York celebrates the passage of the Marriage Equality Act by the NYS Legislature. At long last, New York will cease to segregate civil marriage rights based on gender. Families throughout our state today have been validated by our government, and given the civil rights once denied them. When same-gender marriages begin in New York, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer (LGBTQ) New Yorkers will have the 1,324 state and federal rights that come with a civil marriage. We commend our Governor Andrew Cuomo for his soaring leadership on this issue. Gov. Cuomo made good on his promise of bringing marriage equality to our great state, and without his non-partisan leadership, we would not have this great victory today. I thank—from the bottom of my heart—SDWNY Vice-President of Community Affairs and Outspoken for Equality President Kitty Lambert for her powerhouse leadership on Marriage Equality. For the last several years, Kitty and her partner Cheryl Rudd have worked their lives for this issue. Kitty Lambert has been the voice of the Marriage Equality movement in WNY, and all fair-minded New Yorkers will forever be grateful for her role in Marriage Equality’s passage. New York State could not have gained this victory for the civil rights movement without the ceaseless work and unfailing dedication of our Stonewall Democrats of Western New York members, allies and incredible community of local, grassroots advocates. It is because of each letter you signed or delivered, each phone call you made, each lobby visit you attended and each neighbor you talked about equality that we now have Marriage Equality in NYS. Thank you to the many SDWNY members and activists who have, throughout the years, worked so passionately for this issue. We thank Carol Speser, community leader and co-founder of SDWNY, for her astounding leadership and advocacy for Marriage Equality. We thank SDWNY Vice-President for Political Affairs Bruce Kogan for his heart and endless drive to work for equality. We thank SDWNY Secretary Thomas Peglowski and Treasurer Ronald Groth. We thank James Bragg, Rita Sanchez, Paul Morgan, Mark Nowak, Jamestown City Council President Gregg Rabb, Ari Moore, Thomas Gleed, Madeline Davis, Wendy Smiley, Andrew Randazzo, Terry Purdue, Edwin Martinez, Douglas Charles, Sean Cooney, Cynthia Appleton, Christopher Sasiadek, Michael James, Gail Wojtowicz, former NYS Sen. Antoine Thompson, Timothy Maggio, Melissa Breckenridge and Jennifer Diagostino, among many, many others. SDWNY extends a special commendation to NYS Assemblymember Sam Hoyt. Throughout his career in the Assembly, Sam Hoyt has fiercely championed the civil rights of LGBTQ New Yorkers. Always, Sam Hoyt has stood with the LGBTQ community. Marriage Equality is now law in NY because of his great work and advocacy. We also proudly extend our utmost gratitude to NYS Senator Timothy Kennedy. A pro-equality voice where previously we’d had none, Sen. Kennedy has proven to be among the most-staunch supporters of LGBTQ rights in the state legislature. As Andrew Cuomo did with his own election, Sen. Kennedy has made good on his promise of Marriage Equality, and SDWNY could not be more proud. We also extend our immense gratitude to Senator Mark Grisanti. With his vote in favor of Marriage Equality, Sen. Grisanti displayed a true profile in courage by standing up for what is right. Throughout our lobbying and working with Sen. Grisanti, he has proven himself to be a man of great wisdom and heart—a Republican willing to listen to the needs of our community, open to learning and, in the end, champion the cause of civil rights. Our state and country would be a much better place if we had more heroic legislators like Sen. Mark Grisanti. And we thank our WNY pro-equality Democratic legislators who helped pass Marriage Equality with their votes and advocacy—Assemblymembers Crystal People-Stokes and Mark Schroeder. We thank all our outstanding pro-equality elected officials: Congress members Rep. Higgins, Hochul and Slaughter; Erie County Legislators Majority Leader Maria Whyte and Lynn Marinelli; Buffalo Common Councilmembers David Rivera, Michael LoCurto and Michael Kearns. And we thank the Erie County Democratic Committee for their support—Chairman Len Lenihan, Executive Director Jeremy Zellner and Melissa Bochenski, as well as the Erie County Young Democrats. It is with this great happiness that we look to the next chapter of our involvement in the civil rights movement: the passage of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act. We remain saddened that our state has not extended protections from discrimination to our transgender sisters and brothers, and has not outlawed discrimination—for employment, for housing—based on an individual’s real or perceived gender identity and expression. We celebrate the victory of Marriage Equality today, and look forward to the day when every single LGBTQ American is afforded all her or his equal, civil rights. -Bryan Ball SDWNY Pride Events 06/02/2011
 Come show your pride and celebrate Buffalo Pride this weekend with the Stonewall Democrats of WNY. We will be marching, with Outspoken for Equality, in the Pride Parade and Dyke March, and will be having our Pride Raising Rally for LGBTQ civil rights this Saturday. Join SDWNY as we rally on Saturday with our community, allies and pro-equality elected officials such as Assemblymember Sam Hoyt and Sen. Tim Kennedy for Marriage and GENDA in NYS—and join us again on Sunday as we march in the parade to show our pride! Pride Events: Friday, June 3 · Madeline Davis GLBT Archives will have a show at the Karpeles Museum at Elmwood and North (not the one near D’Youville). The opening is Friday, June 3, 7-9 and SDWNY member Madeline will be in attendance. People can browse items from the museum collection as well. The show is being put on by the Museum Dept. at Buffalo State College. Saturday, June 4 · Pride Raising Rally: At 2PM on Saturday, June 4, in Niagara Square in front of Buffalo City Hall and Sen. Mark Grisanti’s (R) Buffalo office, we will be showing our pride in our community by rallying for our civil rights. Join Stonewall and Outspoken for Equality as we rally with our community, allies and elected officials in support of Marriage Equality Gender Expression Non-Discrimination—and call on our State Legislature to pass Equality. Among our scheduled speakers, we will be joined by NYS Assemblymember Sam Hoyt and NYS Senator Tim Kennedy. We will be rallying to show all of WNY’s elected officials the tremendous support that exists in Buffalo and WNY for Marriage Equality and GENDA! You can also RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=153341324734082
Sunday, June 5th
Wednesday, June 15 · Femme Finale - Reading by Madeline Davis: Madeline will be reading from her newly completed Memoir, Femme Finale, at 7:30pm on Wed, June 15 at The Screening Room, 3131 Sheridan Drive . It is at the eastern end of the little mall behind Northtown Plaza and used to house the offices of the DMV. Tuesday, June 21st
 Sunday, May 1, 2011 Stonewall Democrats of Western New York are proud to congratulate two of our own Stonewall Democrats on receiving Community Service Recognitions from the Buffalo Brunch, sponsored by Embrace WNY. As one of the most dynamic and accomplished young activists in WNY, Andrew Randazzo works tirelessly along with Outspoken for Equality, SDWNY and the WNY LGBTQ community to advance the civil rights movement. Among his many accomplishments, Andrew was instrumental in lobbying the State legislature to finally, after a long campaign, pass the Dignity for All Students Act last year. We proudly congratulate Andrew Randazzo on his recognition at this year’s Buffalo Brunch. As one of the most responsive and productive elected officials in WNY, Maria Whyte has always stood proudly, steadfastly for what is right. A long-time supporter of LGBTQ civil rights, Maria Whyte is the absolute model of a public servant and elected official. In the County Legislature, Maria Whyte has been an integral part of advancing issues such as the County’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, domestic partnership legislation and just representation for all the citizens of her district. SDWNY is proud to congratulate Erie County Legislator Maria Whyte on her recognition by Embrace WNY, her tremendous accomplishments, and even brighter future. (Pictured: SDWNY Co-Founder Carol Speser, having introduced Legislator Whyte on receiving her award.) Dear Friends, I’m speaking up for the guy who has steadfastly been there in Albany , speaking up for me. Assemblyman Sam Hoyt. I want to say first, that this is surely a complicated, often discouraging election season for many of us in the LGBT community. In some of the races – like the 58th Senate race - it is hard to muster up much enthusiasm for any of the candidates. But still, I hope everyone will go vote on Tuesday. Figure out what’s important to you and vote. Every vote counts, especially in a primary. And there is always one candidate who will be better than the others, even if by a tiny bit. Think it through…and pull the lever. The good news is that in some of the races this year, we can still pull the lever with deliberation and pride. Sam Hoyt is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to representing the WNY LGBT community in the State Assembly. Sam has been there for his LGBT friends, family and neighbors forever. He was there, speaking up for us years ago…when it was only a liability to be our advocate. We can count on Sam Hoyt to be an unwavering, fierce advocate for LGBT Western New Yorkers. I first met Sam Hoyt many years ago, when I worked on his father’s mayoral campaign. At the time, Sam worked for Senator Moynihan. Sam’s Dad, Bill Hoyt was the first local politician EVER to reach out to the gay community to be a visible, integral part of a WNY campaign. (As we all know, the LGBT liberation story is the story of many “firsts.” ) Sam has followed in his father’s footsteps plus he has taken LGBT advocacy to even greater heights. Bill Hoyt made a promise to his daughter, Whitney, when he decided to run for mayor of Buffalo , that he would include the gay community, openly, in his campaign. As many of you know, Sam’s sister, Whitney, is a lesbian. She lives with her partner in California . Many of you know too, that when same-sex marriage was legal in California for that brief period before Proposition 8, Sam flew out and married Whitney and her beloved. He said it was one of the highlights of his life. Sam Hoyt never “strategizes” over how he will or if he will advocate for his LGBT constituents. He’s always there for us. He always was. Long beforeanyone locally would risk the political fall-out of standing up in front of a local crowd to say “I support LGBT civil rights,” Sam was unselfconsciously up on the podium, holding high the rainbow flag. Sam Hoyt, like his Dad before him – steadfastly supports, defends and eloquently represents us LGBT folks. So please, make sure you get out and vote for Sam Hoyt on Tuesday. This assembly race is too close to call. Go vote. Sam Hoyt was a voice in the Wilderness, speaking up for marriage equality when it wasn’t even a glimmer of an idea in most state legislators’ minds. Nowadays candidates have the luxury to check the box on an LGBT political endorsement questionnaire to say “yes” they will vote for marriage equality for all New Yorkers. Sam stood up for us from the get-go - from way back…. when there were no boxes to check! … when there was no legislation at all. Sam was instrumental in getting the marriage equality legislation written! Sam listens to our needs. And our needs change all the time, too. So he’s always listening, he’s always ready to address something new. He evolves, as we evolve. Like recently….he’s writing and sponsoring NY State legislation to mandate sensitivity training for law enforcement on LGBT issues. That’s something we learned didn’t exist when we went through this past winter of hate crime incidents. Unfortunately, there are still too many police officers ignorant about LGBT issues (and particularly on trans issues.) And, for law enforcement, sensitivity training has to be mandated. So Sam stepped up to do something about it. He’s not the guy “checking a box” on a questionnaire saying he’ll support such legislation when it comes up for a vote – he’s the guy leading the charge to write the legislation – he’s the guy working the halls in Albany….building and identifying support among his colleagues to get this legislation passed. Sam’s door is always open - to our community, to our organizations and to us, as individuals. HE’S THERE for us - 100% We all know that Albany is dysfunctional and this is a throw-the-bums out election year. But remember: there are specific state legislators who are truly doing a fine job representing LGBT citizens of New York State . Like Sam. Joe Golombek, Sam Hoyt’s opponent in the primary, does not support marriage equality for LGBT citizens of New York State . He only supports civil unions. That’s unacceptable. As we all know, civil unions are not equal. They are like 8 tracks. They’re obsolete… we don’t want ‘em anymore, they don’t work. Be clear about it: voting for Joe Golombek will set us LGBT citizens back. We will be farther away from achieving marriage equality if we elect Joe Golombek. So I hope all of you will get out there and pull the lever for Sam. With all the LGBT flair and drama in you, do it! Vote! Voting always feels wonderful to me. Even if I’m grumbling all the way to the polls, when I fling back the curtain of the voting booth, I feel so empowered,the theme from Rocky should be playing! I always vote. It never loses its thrill. Sam is the best LGBT advocate we could ever have representing WNY in the New York State Assembly. Please, vote on Tuesday. Encourage your friends and family and neighbors to vote, too. Thanks for listening. In friendship and peace, Carol Speser Founder, Stonewall Democrats of WNY Founding board member, Empire State Pride Agenda Past Commissioner, City of Buffalo , Commission on Citizens’ Rights and Community Relations |  Stonewall Democrats of Western New
York is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer Democratic voice in western New York. Our mission is to advocate for the LGBTQ community within the WNY area government and the Democratic Party. Meeting Information We meet the fourth Tuesday of each month at: El Museo Gallery 91 Allen Street Buffalo, NY 14202-1320 at 7PM News Archives
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