New York business leaders join fight for gay marriage

At least two dozen high profile business leaders are stepping out in favor of gay marriage in New York with an open letter to lawmakers in Albany.

The business leaders who work in the legal, financial and real estate industries, include Lloyd C. Blankfein, the chief executive of Goldman Sachs; Jerry I. Speyer, chairman of Tishman Speyer Properties; and Paul E. Singer, a prominent hedge fund executive.

According to the New York Times, the letter reads:

“In an age where talent determines the economic winners, great states and cities must demonstrate a commitment to creating an open, healthy and equitable environment in which to live and work… As other states, cities and countries across the world extend marriage rights regardless of sexual orientation, it will become increasingly difficult to recruit the best talent if New York cannot offer the same benefits and protection.”

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn recruited influential business leader Kathryn S. Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, to help her collect the signatures for the letter.

Wylde says she hopes the letter will “provide an opportunity for legislators who may not have heard the voice of business to feel that they’ve got some cover to rethink their position on this issue.”

“I knew there was support out there, yet when you talked and did lobbying in Albany, there was no way to show that to people,” Speaker Quinn said.

Many of those who signed the letter are prominent Republican fundraisers.  This serves a major blow to Republican leadership in the state Senate who hopes to block the bill that will legalize gay marriage in New York.

Gay rights activists recently merged together under one group for a more organized campaign for marriage equality.  Governor Andrew Cuomo actively supports gay marriage and says he will sign a bill into law as soon as it arrives on his desk.

About Charles Winters

Charles Winters is the Chief Executive Officer and Editorial Director for our parent company (his namesake, Charles Winters Information Management) where he oversees such media outlets as GaySocialites.com, queerplanet.net, CouponAngel.us and FiDiNYC.info. He founded GaySocialites.com in 2005 and served as Editor-in-Chief until 2011. He still contributes to GaySocialites.com by regularly reporting news, penning a weekly op-ed piece and hosting our original television/ radio programs titled "GaySocialites.com presents..."