LGBT Activists Accuse Christine Quinn Of "Selling Out"

LGBT protesters are rallying against out lesbian and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn this Sunday. “Her identity is not enough. She’s not the one I want to see break that barrier.”

An LGBT protest against Christine Quinn is being held this Sunday at 11:15 a.m. outside the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.

blogs.villagevoice.com

The growing movement against Christine Quinn is partly the result of her position as the front-runner, making her vulnerable to attacks from every other candidate. Although she is an openly out lesbian, some factions within the city's LGBT community have started to push back against her candidacy. Allen Roskoff, a famed gay rights activist, stated, “She was a real activist, a street fighter, and then she became Mayor Bloomberg’s puppet.”

She is receiving criticism from people who claim that by playing the "political game", she has abandoned her roots as a progressive advocate and organizer. Quinn started out as a fair housing advocate and then became the head of the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. She's been on the City Council since 1999, representing the city's third district, and was elected speaker in 2006.

The Facebook group "Queers Against Quinn" has emerged:

facebook.com

Louis Flores, who runs the Facebook page and also a "Quinn Sold Out" blog, told the NY Daily News, “Her identity is not enough. She’s not the one I want to see break that barrier.”

The protest is hoping to take aim at The Victory Fund, who they say is blindly supporting Quinn's mayoral campaign.

facebook.com

The protest Facebook invitation page reads, "The Victory Fund doesn't care that Speaker Quinn is the biggest obstacle to social justice advances in New York City."

Donny Moss, gay filmmaker and activist, has made it his mission to inform residents of the LGBT community on Quinn's dealings:

“It’s her consistent record of violating the public trust,” Donny told Gay City News. "She doesn’t listen to her constituents.” Donny runs the website Vote Quinn Out as well as a "Defeat Quinn" Facebook page.

Twitter feeds bearing names such as @DumpQuinn and @HerMajestyQuinn have been organizing small protests:

Stop Christine Quinn @stopchrisquinn

Protest was a success, because @ChrisCQuinn cancelled her appearance. Activists distributed over 300 flyers. http://t.co/pfD5xmnf4H

03:05 AM - 12 Apr 2013

Protest was a success, because @ChrisCQuinn cancelled her appearance. Activists distributed over 300 flyers. http://t.co/pfD5xmnf4H-- Stop Christine Quinn

DumpQuinn @DumpChrisQuinn

Quinn can't explain us away; you can't stop us now @Quinn4NY http://t.co/6B6W4EcUYq

03:27 PM - 14 Apr 2013

Quinn can't explain us away; you can't stop us now @Quinn4NY
http://t.co/6B6W4EcUYq-- DumpQuinn

"Being a strong leader and getting results means making tough decisions that not everyone will agree with," stated campaign spokesman Mike Morey.

commons.wikimedia.org

Gay rights activist and Quinn supporter Jon Wikleman called some of her critics “a bunch of crazies who would like to blame the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand on Quinn’s office."

In a protest against Quinn last April, this man stripped down as the crowd chanted, "New York voters, open your eyes!"

youtube.com

Today Capitol New York reported that Christine Quinn's polling lead has eroded by 11 points:

blogger.com / Via joemygod.blogspot.com

h/t: The Village Voice