Curran creates LGBTQ+ committee day before she leaves (Updated with Blakeman comment)

                                                                              

 




Outgoing Democratic County Executive Laura Curran issued an executive order today creating a "Nassau County Advisory Committee for Gender Inclusivity", some 36 hours before she turns over her job to incoming County Executive Bruce Blakeman a conservative Republican.

It was unclear whether Curran also made appointments to this new nine-member committee.

But the move appears to be a way for Curran to put her successor in a political tight spot: Blakeman has a choice of either upsetting some members of his conservative constituency by approving a committee to review county policies regarding transgender rights -- or angering Nassau's active transgender community by rescinding the order.

Blakeman did not take the bait.

“Laura Curran had four years to create this committee yet did it upon leaving office as a way to create headlines,:" Blakeman said in a statement today. "Rather than disrespect the LGBTQ community by using political tricks, this administration will respect the community by placing important stakeholders on the Human Rights Committee.”

Did he mean Human Rights committee or this new Gender Inclusivity committee?

Human Rights committee, a spokesman confirmed.

Which is a pretty deft sidestep of a potential controversy.

She did not define LBGTQ+ but online websites say the acronym represents Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning and other sexual identities. This community is often represented by a rainbow flag.

For years Nassau Democrats --initially the late Legis. Judy Jacobs of Woodbury --urged Republicans to specifically codify anti-discrimination against transgender people and other members of the rainbow community. 

Jacobs' successor Legis. Arnold Drucker of Plainview has continued to push for legislature to amend the county's Human Rights to "make it unambiguously clear that transgender and gender non-conforming Nassau residents are protected."

But the legislature's Republican majority balked, first arguing that the county's Human Rights law already barred all kinds of discrimination and then saying state law has been amended to mandate equal treatment for transgender people.

Curran's order says the county is committed to ensuring an "open and welcoming environment to everyone regardless of their gender identity or expression."

It directs the committee to review the Nassau charter, the county administrative code and other laws regulations, rules and procedures "to ensure that the county's goals of inclusivity are met" and issue a written report to the county executive with recommendations.

Curran's 4-year term expires at midnight on Friday, Dec. 31.

Blakeman's inauguration is scheduled for Jan. 3 at the Cradle of Aviation and will include the swearing in of newly elected Republican County Comptroller Elaine Phillips as well as incumbent County Clerk Maureen O'Connell, also a Republican.

                                                                      

Blakeman and Curran (from NY Daily News)


 


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