Mercer assemblyman
acknowledges he's gay
Gusciora cites
state's 'tolerant' attitude
BY DEBORAH HOWLETT,
Star-Ledger (nj.com) from the Web, December 6, 2006
The state lawmaker pushing to give
same-sex couples in New Jersey the legal right to marry has acknowledged he is
gay.
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer) said yesterday he has never hidden his
sexual orientation, but his sponsorship of the marriage equality bill seemed to
raise the question in the minds of others.
"I've just never made an issue of it," Gusciora said. "If someone asks me,
I tell them. No one ever asked me publicly before."
Gusciora, 46, acknowledged he is gay during an appearance Sunday on the New
Jersey Network news show "On the Record." His official biography in
Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual makes no mention of his family or personal life.
He was first elected to the Assembly in 1995.
Gusciora, who is single, is the first openly gay member of the Legislature and
the highest-profile politician to acknowledge his sexual orientation since Gov.
James E. McGreevey resigned from office two years ago in a scandal over an
extramarital affair with a male aide.
"Reed's coming out has enormous historical and policy consequences," said Steven
Goldstein of Garden State Equality. Gay rights advocates in states such as
California and New York have had more success in the legislative process,
Goldstein said, because of the personal impact openly gay lawmakers can have on
the views of their colleagues.
Nationwide, 350 federal, state and local elected officials are openly gay,
according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that supports the
campaigns of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered politicians. New
Jersey was one of 13 states without an openly gay state legislator, according to
the group.
Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) said he doubted Gusciora's
acknowledgment would affect his standing in the Statehouse or his relationship
with other lawmakers.
"I view it as a nonissue," Roberts said. "I don't think his sexual
orientation changes the way people view him or the way he works. He's a
well-respected colleague."
The state Supreme Court ruled the Legislature must provide same-sex couples with
the same marital rights as heterosexual couples. Gusciora introduced a
bill to create government-sanctioned "civil marriage" for everyone. The
measure also protects religious institutions from being forced to perform or
recognize the unions.
He said the idea, which mimics the laws in several European nations, is a step
beyond civil unions, which recognize the rights of same-sex couples without
calling it marriage.
Gusciora, well-known for his progressive views, said he doubted voters in his
district care very much about his sexual orientation.
"At least I hope so," he said. "New Jersey is a lot more tolerant than
other states."
Deborah Howlett covers politics. She may be reached at
(609) 989-0273 or
dhowlett@starledger.com. Posted 12-5-06.
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