Help us bust the myths!

Right now 2000 LGBT New Yorkers and our allies are in Albany lobbying our elected officials. People from all corners of the state have shown up at the Capitol to demonstrate the power of our community and to let lawmakers in Albany know that we expect them to act now on marriage equality for same-sex couples, a transgender civil rights bill and safe schools for LGBT youth.

If you couldn’t be in Albany today, there are ways that you can do work in your community to help us win this year. One of the ways you can have a big impact in New York is by helping to dispel some of the myths that frequently surround LGBT issues. We have created tools so you can arm yourself with the knowledge to stand up to several of the baseless claims on issues like marriage equality and transgender civil rights. Use these resources to help set the record straight with people in your community.

We recently released an online resource called “Same-Sex Marriage Myths Busted,” which dispels eight of the most prevalent misconceptions and falsehoods surrounding the passage of a marriage equality law. We’ve seen misinformation campaigns manipulate the facts on marriage equality in other parts of the country--we’re determined not to let that happen here in New York.

One of the biggest myths about passing a marriage equality law is that doing so would somehow impinge upon the rights of religious institutions. We need only to look to our neighbor to the east, Massachusetts, to see that these claims are completely unfounded. As part of our “Same-Sex Marriage Myths Busted” tool, we interviewed Massachusetts-based clergy from several faith traditions who spoke about how, five years after a marriage law was passed in the Bay State, religious life has continued as it has for decades. Click here to watch the video, “Marriage Equality & Religion: The Massachusetts Experience.”

Transgender issues are also subject to misinformation campaigns—particularly when it comes to the workplace. That’s why we recently released a report detailing the experience of several New York State employers who have dealt with one or more employees transitioning in the workplace. From large companies like Xerox to small businesses with a handful of employees, this report demonstrates that businesses in New York have had positive experiences with transgender issues in the workplace. Read the report here.

By arming ourselves with the knowledge to stand up to these myths, we can stop the misinformation campaigns from gaining traction in New York. Take advantage of these resources and continue to have those needed conversations with your friends, family, coworkers and elected officials. With your help, we can finally make these bills law in New York this year!