Empire State Pride Agenda To Shut Down

In an unanticipated announcement, New York state’s leading LGBT rights organization has revealed its plan to shut down. Paul Schindler reports at Gay City News:

Citing its success in winning new state regulations protecting transgender New Yorkers from discrimination, the Empire State Pride Agenda has announced it will close down major operations in early 2016.

In a press release issued on the evening of December 12, the organization indicated that it hoped to maintain a political action committee “to play a continuing role in electoral politics,” while identifying “aspects of its policy work to transition to partner LGBT organizations.”

The release, explaining the decision was reached unanimously by the group’s two component boards of directors, stated, “The Boards’ decision comes on the heels of securing the Pride Agenda’s top remaining policy priority –– protecting transgender New Yorkers from discrimination in housing, employment, credit, education, and public accommodations –– in the form of new regulations announced in partnership with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo at the organization’s Fall Dinner on October 22, 2015.”

Cuomo’s executive order on trans rights could be undone, of course, by his successor.

Former Empire State Pride Agenda director Matt Foreman is furious. Via email:  “Appalling. The statutory reforms still needed are enormous; enforcement of existing laws is minimal; work with state agencies on regulations and funding is still in its infancy. What could they possibly be thinking? – Matt Foreman, Pride Agenda Executive Director, 1997 – 2003.”

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