I hope you don't mind me intruding, but I wanted to tell you about someone who, in my mind, is a hero, but is not someone you know. And to let me brag for a minute about someone who would never do it for himself and would probably be embarassed that I'm doing it.
In over thanksgiving in 1998, I married a wonderful man (I'm a hetero female) who I knew was sensitive, kind and wanted justice for all. About one month later, he was hired as counsel to a man who was just elected NYS Senator - Thomas Duane, who happened to be the only openly gay, HIV positive legislator in NYS at the time. My husband started working for him in January 1999. From the start, one of the Senator's key, if not main, issues was Marriage Equality. My husband assisted Senator Duane (who is one of the sweetest men I have ever met) in this fight, along with the fight for SONDA (yeah!), Dignity for all students Act last year, which my husband helped draft and we have a copy of it with Governor Paterson's official pen framed on our dining room wall), Marriage Equality and of course he is helping the Senator still fight for the passage GENDA.
The past few years, and especially the past few weeks, have been very stressful for him, working behind the scenes, as is his job. Many nights my son and I didn't see him as he got in at 2 am, left by 7 am to work. I was so proud of him working on this important issue.
And then Friday night happened. I, like many of you, watched it from home, minute by minute, with bated breath. It was amazing! I was (and am) so proud to be a New Yorker! And I was so proud of my husband for helping Senator Duane do an amazing thing. And I was so impressed with Governor Cuomo and how amazing he was througout this process. And impressed with the courage of those who came forward and voted with their conscience - Republican and Democrats alike. And I was so honored to know someone, let alone be MARRIED TO (and understanding the irony) someone who helped Senator Duane in the process, was in the Senate chamber during the historic vote and was really a quiet/small part of history. And I'm so happy that our three year old son will think that marriage for all is normal (as it should be) bc that is what he will now grow up with.
And then - the Senator asked us to walk with him and his partner Louis in the NYC Pride Parade. We came down from Albany early Sunday in the morning to do so. I can honestly say that, after marrying my husband and giving birth to our son, this was one of the top five emotionally inspiring things I have ever done in my life. The people were wonderful - I have never seen anything like it in my life! The gratitude and thanks from the spectators was amazing. And the Senator kindly took my husband (who had our son on his shoulders) to walk right next to him and his partner during the parade to show his appreciation. I got wonderful pictures of it which I will treasure always. I was choked up during most of the parade with happiness, with pride for all who worked so hard on the issue and just trying to grasp the magnitude of what I was experiencing. I still feel it today.
So thanks for listening to this long drawn out piece to tell you a little about one man who played a small part, who helped in the best way he could, and who no one will really know. And that's okay, bc it's how he really wants it (except for me being a boastful wife!)