Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James headlined a pre-election rally at the Stonewall Inn on November 5 alongside LGBTQ advocates, out elected officials, and celebrity television personality Andy Cohen.
The rally was one of numerous last-minute political events held during the final weekend before the culmination of the midterm election contests. The focus was on generating support for Hochul, James, and Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, as well as the Democrats in general.
Among others on hand at Stonewall were drag artist Marti Gould Cummings; State Senator Brad Hoylman, and Councilmembers Chi Ossé and Crystal Hudson of Brooklyn and Erik Bottcher of Manhattan. Melissa Sklarz, an out trans district leader from Queens, and out gay former lawmaker Thomas Duane were also in attendance.
“You want to take away the rights of my LGBTQ community? You gotta get through me first,” Hochul said, drawing cheers from the crowd.”I’m here for this fight.”
Cummings brought attention to the legislative attacks on trans youth, the murders of transgender individuals, and the “Don’t Say Gay” bills in statehouses. Cummings also emphasized that of abortion rights as an LGBTQ issue that impacts women, trans men, and non-binary individuals.
“We must defeat MAGA conservative who want to put us back in the closet because we will not go back in the closet ever again,” Cummings said.
The event was energetic and positive, though at one point, videos on social media showed two people engaged in a brief scuffle before Hudson stepped in and separated them.
