Miss New York Claire Buffie has also
recorded an ad for the Human Right Campaign's (HRC) New
Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign. Her video is expected to
be released in the coming weeks.
In the 30-second spots, celebrities and
prominent politicians urge New Yorkers to support the legalization of
gay marriage in the state.
The 24-year-old beauty queen is the
first to use the platform to champion LGBT rights.
“It's the right thing to do,”
Buffie
reportedly said after recording her ad. “I'm presenting this
as an issue of dignity, respect and fairness.”
Buffie, an executive board member of
the gay rights group Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays (PFLAG), has an older lesbian sister.
In discussing gay rights at
conservative venues, Buffie said she stresses respectful dialogue.
“You're not going to grow to open up
to or agree with something unless you talk about it,” said Buffie.
HRC, the nation's largest gay rights
advocate, launched the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign
last fall to build momentum on the issue ahead of a hoped-for vote
this year. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo supports the effort, which
is expected to take shape in the late spring.