From: buckmr@aix.rpi.edu (Ron Buckmire)
Subject: News Story on NYS Lesbian Assemblywoman
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 19:09:11 GMT


From Greg Prett on gaynet@athena.mit.edu:

Here's an article I picked up out of today's issue (Thursday, July 30, 1992)
of The Daily Gazette of Schenectady, NY.  I quoted it below without
permission.  I probably wouldn't have spotted it, except I noticed my mother
laughing hysterically at the very last paragraph.  I think you will too.
It's kind of sad, but I didn't know what else to do but laugh... :)

There was also a very good photo of Assemblywoman Glick above the article.
Anyway, the article itself...


        LESBIAN LEGISLATOR TAKES PAINS TO HAVE WELL-ROUNDED AGENDA
        By David Bauder, The Associated Press

          ALBANY -- Deborah Glick knew when she came to Albany that she
        would be more a symbol than a legislator in many people's eyes.
          The 41-year-old Manhattan resident was the first activist
        lesbian to join the Legislature when she was elevated to the
        Assembly in 1990.  The designation made sure that she would be
        noticed, unlike many freshman lawmakers.
          "When you're a first, there's no question that it's an uneasy
        position," she said.  "It's not the kind of thing you want to be
        known for, but it's the kind of thing you know is going to be a
        focal point."
          Glick has worked hard on issues important to the lesbian and
        gay community, including a still-stalled bill that sets special
        penalties for people convicted of bias-related crimes.
          But she's taken pains to present herself as a well-rounded
        legislator and to dispel any stereotypes that lawmakers have
        about lesbians.
          One fellow Manhattan Democrat says she's succeeded.
          "For many members, no matter what they thought, if they hadn't
        dealt with the gay community they had no idea what to expect,"
        said Assemblyman Alexander Grannis, and Albany veteran.
          "I think they found, much to their surprise, that Deborah is
        not unlike any other member -- she's issues oriented, she works
        hard, she's learning the ropes, and she takes her job very
        seriously," he said.
          Glick's old boss, former Assembly Speaker Mel Miller, was
        impressed with her intelligence and set a standard for tolerance
        with a quote that's achieved a legendary status in Albany.
          "The fact that she's an avowed lesbian doesn't really mean
        anything," Miller told The New York Times.  "I mean, I've got
        avowed morons in my conference."
          Perhaps to prove that point, Glick said she's had a handful of
        fellow legislators tell her that there are no gays or lesbians
        living in their districts.

-  
Gregory Pratt                               "The problem with the gene pool
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute            is that there is no lifeguard."
Association for Computing Machinery                             --- unknown

-- 
RON BUCKMIRE, 11 Colvin Circle, Troy, NY 12180-3735.  ``D.C. in 93!''
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