New York State & Gay Marriage

Cathy Marino-Thomas, President of the Board of Marriage Equality New York and was Executive Director from 2005 – 2008, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. We chatted with Marino-Thomas days before the shocking news that New York State is denying marriage equality to their LGBT community. When asked what’s coming up for our LGBT civil rights in her state, Marino-Thomas stated, "We will be reaching out to our federal level state senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer to go after all civil rights and equal rights under the law in all 50 states in general; specifically for me marriage equality.” On a personal note Cathy and spouse Sheila have been together 16 years and legally married in Massachusetts in 2004. They have a 10 year old daughter through artificial insemination. Cathy is the birth mother and Sheila was able to obtain a second parent adoption making both parents Jackie’s legal guardians. New York recognizes gay marriage from other states so we asked how this is working out. Marino-Thomas answered, “Well it’s a good beginning. It gives us some state level protections as of now. But the problem with that is that because there is no law making marriage legal in New York we are subject to that law changing at any point. And that’s the place we’re in. Although Sheila and I do enjoy state level marriage rights today, we may not enjoy them in the future. We don’t have a law on our actual New York State books that says that marriage is for all families.” New York State voted down gay marriage by a vote of 38 to 24. Read More... More Info: Marriage Equality New York

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