Over 100 people gathered Thursday night at the Delaware Park Casino to celebrate strides Buffalo leaders have taken to expand the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
The 7th Annual Honorary Banquet, sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance and the UB Law School's Outlaw Committee of the Progressive Law Society, celebrated the passage of two amendments - one local and one statewide - aimed at extending discrimination protection for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
City Councilman Antoine Thompson, State Sen. Byron Brown (D-Buffalo), transgender advocate Camille Hopkins and Tom Gleed, an assistant to Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello, were all speakers at the event.
In December, New York State became the 13th state to adopt the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act, making discrimination of any kind against gays, lesbians and bisexuals illegal.
Locally, the city of Buffalo passed a law that extended protection from housing and employment discrimination to transgender people.
"Sexual orientation is a taboo subject in the city of Buffalo," said Thompson.
According to Thompson, the passage of the transgender protection laws opened up new doors for the gay and lesbian community.
"Civilization as we know it, in our little corner, became a little more humane," said Thompson.
Hopkins, who proposed Buffalo's anti-discrimination law, spoke at the banquet about her experiences and what it meant to her to have the law passed in Buffalo.
Despite the progress the law aims to encourage, Hopkins said the law needs to include Erie County. She said the state Senate would need extensive lobbying to pass further-reaching legislation.
"The door to full equality is only partially open," said Hopkins.
According to LGBTA President Cory Hill, Hopkins' search for equality prompted her to begin the movements for legislation.
"She got kicked out of her own apartment for being transgendered," said Hill.
Hill also said the state anti-discrimination laws need to be expanded to include legal protection for transgender people and must be mandated in areas such as the suburbs.
"I think it has to go beyond the city because most of the conservatives are outside the city," said Hill.
"Buffalo is full of conservatives," he added. "It's the fifth most segregated city in the U.S."
Brown told the audience that, like Thompson, they should strive for equal rights.
"There is still much more to be done, and some of it may be done this year," Brown said. "I made a choice a long time ago to make this a better place to live in. I challenge all of you to do the same."
The evening concluded with Kevin Kelly, co-chairman of OutLaw, presenting the evening's speakers and Melinda Saran, associate dean for Student Services, awards in recognition of their support for the new Buffalo legislation and their participation in the banquet itself.
Hill gave the Outstanding Community Advocate Award to Hopkins and honored James Bowman, a sophomore pharmacy major, with the LGBTA Member of the Year Award. The Most Active New Member award was tied between Nicholas Rao, a junior media studies major, and Shawn Hopple, a freshman history major.
A portion of the funds raised by the banquet were allocated to the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program fellowship for students who actively support and pursue equal rights for those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
