Photo by DOUG MESZLER
On. Jan. 4, Christine Quinn was elected to head the New York City Council—a position seen as the second most powerful in the metropolis—and became the first woman and first openly gay person to do so.
Quinn received a standing ovation as she entered the legislative chamber on the second floor of City Hall, The New York Times reported. Smiling as she made her way through the crowd, she hugged and kissed Council members, lobbyists and other supporters.
Councilman Joel Rivera stood up to nominate Quinn, lauding her as a tireless advocate of community causes. Two other members seconded his nomination, followed by a chorus of yeas.
During a passionate speech, Quinn wept several times, thanking her father and her partner, Kim Catullo, who looked on from the audience, the Associated Press reported. She is the third speaker since 1989, when the position was created. Term limits forced out her predecessor, Gifford Miller, whose run for mayor fell short last year.
Quinn, 39, a Democrat who represents a part of Manhattan that includes Greenwich Village and Chelsea, pledged to lead a council that would be accessible to all of the city's residents. She was elected by a vote of 50 to 0, with one member abstaining.
Quinn also vowed to join Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun control campaign, which he has recently elevated as a second-term priority. In addition, she stated that she would like to simplify the city's budget process; improve the city's middle schools and public hospitals; and deal with the shortage of low-cost housing.
Even the Republican minority leader, Councilman James Oddo of Staten Island, had nothing but nice words for his counterpart across the aisle. He told The New York Times that he saw Quinn as a friend, not a foe.
Quinn is among 350 openly gay politicians serving in all levels of government nationwide, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, an organization that advocates for gay candidates. That number is up from 41 in 1991.
Quinn's victory was praised by various gay-rights organizations. 'Speaker Quinn has helped her constituents press the New York City Council to become an aggressive advocate for marriage equality, and all citizens of the nation's largest city will benefit with her as Speaker of the Council,' commented Eric Stern, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats.
The Associated Press reported that the mayor said his administration would be happy to work with Quinn.