When Gay City News was founded in 2002, New York State did not yet have a gay rights law and same-sex couples could not get married anywhere in America. In fact, almost a third of the states still outlawed sexual conduct by gay people, which made criminals of LGBTQ community members.
Seventeen years later, the community — here in the US and worldwide — has made huge strides. Same-sex couples can now marry legally in almost three dozen countries and major international organizations, such as the United Nations, make LGBTQ rights a critical focus of their work.
At every step along the way, the editors and reporters at Gay City News have been there, telling the community’s stories from on the ground. The newspaper broke the news in 2006 that then-Senator Hillary Clinton said she had “evolved” and would support New York State adopting marriage equality. When Andrew Cuomo signed marriage equality into law in 2011, he gave his first two interviews to Maureen Dowd at the New York Times and Gay City News’ founding editor-in-chief Paul Schindler.
2019 is a defining moment in the history of the LGBTQ community — nowhere more than here in New York City. It was June 28, 1969 when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village fought back against a police raid, the sort of harassment typical of that era. After several nights of disorder, a new community had been born. The events of that week became the cornerstone of the modern gay rights movement. A community of millions, most of whom had lived their lives quietly, often in secret and in fear, became visible and politically engaged.
The world would never been the same.
As New York marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, the city plays host as well to WorldPride, an event that with an opening and closing ceremony, a human rights conference, and dozens of other events planned, will draw an estimated four million out-of-town tourists. Gay City News’ Pride issue, which hits the streets on June 27, is the must-have resource guide to the events of Pride Weekend, which will also, of course, include the annual LGBTQ Pride March, on June 30, along with another human rights march earlier the same day.
As it has been for almost two decades, Gay City News will be indispensible to coverage of Stonewall 50 and WorldPride events. In recognition of the key role the newspaper plays in the community, the city’s largest LGBTQ political club, the Stonewall Democrats, honored Gay City News with a special award at its Pride Kick-Off Gala on May 23. City & State New York is honoring editor Schindler as one of the Pride Power 100 in its June 24 issue; in 2010, the newspaper also honored him, as one of the Power Matrix 13 Power Players in the community.
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Emmett Findley, communications manager at God’s Love We Deliver, wrote, “We have worked with Gay City News for many years and we thank them for their constant support as an advertising partner, and for raising awareness for our urgent cause among our neighbors.”
“The 50th anniversary of Stonewall and WorldPride provide a moment to reflect on and celebrate the huge strides the LGBTQ community has made,” Schindler said. “And looking at the work that remains to be done reminds all of us at Gay City News of the crucial mission we continue to have.”
To be part of the June 27 Stonewall 50/ WorldPride edition of Gay City News, contact Ralph D’Onofrio at 718-260-2510 or rdonofrio@schnepsmedia.com.
