By reframing
marriage equality as a civil right, two African-American
governors have become leading voices for gay rights.
Massachusetts
governor Deval Patrick and New York governor David Paterson
have more than a few things in common. Of course,
there’s the obvious: Both men are handsome,
charismatic, and in their 50s. Both are the first
black governors of their states—and only the second
and third nationwide since Reconstruction. But less
obvious -- at least to the average voter -- is their
similar dedication to pro-gay politics.
Unlike his
antigay Republican predecessor, Mitt Romney, Patrick has
continually flexed his political muscle to ensure all of his
constituents are treated equally. “In
Massachusetts equal means equal,” he said in
late July when he signed legislation that allows
out-of-state gay couples to wed in Massachusetts. This
repealed an obscure, 95-year-old law Romney had
enforced to ensure that Massachusetts, as he explained,
would not become the “Las Vegas of same-sex
marriage.”
Paterson is just
as impressive. A soft-spoken, legally blind politico,
who represented Harlem in the state senate for two decades
before becoming New York’s lieutenant governor
in 2006, he’s been a staunch ally and ahead of
the curve on gay issues. One of Paterson’s first
major acts, after becoming governor in March, was
ordering all state agencies to recognize same-sex
marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions. The
New York Times remarked that Paterson has
become “something of a celebrity” since making
that decision, noting he received “a
hero’s welcome” while marching in New York
City’s gay pride parade this June.
Think about it.
Of the 50 men and women who occupy governor’s
mansions in the United States, only two are black. And
these two black men are arguably the most gay-friendly
to ever be governor -- including New Jersey’s
Jim McGreevey, who came around to gay rights only after
coming out and leaving office.
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