Lambda Independent Democrats Call on Leadership in Albany to Demand Rep. Tom Suozzi End His Campaign for Governor

In recent years, conservatives have rapidly coalesced around a hostile belief that queer people pose a threat to the welfare of minors in both the abstract and concrete. As most Americans begin to reframe their understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity and accept queer people, the backlash from conservatives has become concentrated around the notion that the mere awareness of us is enough to warrant national concern for parents. It must be reminded that this rhetoric is an old one: In 1995, music teacher Gerry Crane was harassed by members of his community in Byron Center, Michigan for being gay. Parents removed their children from his class. The school board issued a statement explaining “individuals who espouse homosexuality do not constitute proper role models as teachers”. Crane resigned in 1996, after enduring many months of fear, ignorance, and harassment.

These beliefs are not founded on genuine concern for children. Instead these beliefs serve to justify the restriction, control, and abuse of the LGBTQ+ community. Politicians who use this rhetoric are very aware of the insidious nature of these ideas and have decided that this platform is worth winning a handful of votes. 

While club leadership questions Rep. Tom Suozzi’s description of himself as a “common-sense Democrat”, we are sure he understands this and is knowledgeable enough to know that teachers do not talk about sex with kindergarteners as he so claimed Thursday on WABC’s Bernie & Sid in the Morning. That he finds the Parental Rights Act, commonly know as “Don’t Say Gay” law, to be reasonable defines the kind of person Suozzi is. 

Rep. Tom Suozzi is no ally to the LGBTQ+ community and we call on leaders in Albany to demand he end his campaign for Governor.