New York City to have record number of LGBTQ City Councilmembers
If they win the general election, as expected, six out LGBTQ people will be on the 51-member Council.
In addition to selecting a new mayoral frontrunner, Democrats in New York City selected six out LGBTQ candidates to represent them on the 51-seat City Council. Due to the overwhelmingly Democratic lean of the city, and the individual districts in particular, all six are favored in the general election (three don’t even have major-party opponents), which would mean the city would have the most out LGBTQ councilmembers serving simultaneously than at any other time in its history.
Among the victors in the primaries — which used ranked-choice voting for the first time, thus delaying the final tabulations for several weeks after June 22 — were Crystal Hudson, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Kristin Richardson Jordan, of Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood, who are likely to become the first out LGBTQ women elected to the Council.
Chi Ossé, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, in Brooklyn, will make history as the youngest person ever elected to the Council. Tiffany Cabán, of Astoria, and Lynn Schulman, of Forest Hills, will become the first out queer people elected to any public office in Queens. And in Manhattan, Erik Bottcher will continue the tradition of an LGBTQ person continuing to represent a district that includes Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Hudson Square.
All four current LGBTQ members of the Council were term-limited, meaning there was a possibility that LGBTQ representation on the Council would diminish or be nonexistent for the next four years. But the most recent round of vote tabulations allays those fears for most activists.
Annise Parker, the president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, which endorsed all six Democrats in their bids for public office, celebrated their primary victories.
“New York City’s slate of LGBTQ council candidates are a reflection of the city they aim to represent, and many will make political history when elected in November,” Parker said in a statement.
“New York City’s LGBTQ community and communities of color are uniquely impacted by the effects of the pandemic, making these six LGBTQ leaders critical to ensuring equitable policies that help all New Yorkers recover,” Parker continued. “It is a transformational moment for New York City and the ideal time for the council’s LGBT Caucus to grow.”
See also:
New Jersey appeals court requires conversion therapy practice to pay $3.5 million in legal fees
Anti-gay Catholic priest accused of having sex with men to “heal” their homosexuality
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
