Gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink has contradicted her pro-equality image by saying: “I don’t support gay marriage. I think that is entirely a religious decision that individuals can make. I do support civil unions.”
Sink was speaking to a group in St. Petersburg on June 10 when she clarified her position, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
This is in contrast with what the LGBT community might expect from the winner of Equality Florida’s esteemed “Voice of Equality” award for the year 2009. At the reception gala, she garnered standing applause from about 200 of South Florida’s gay community leaders. She spent approximately 10 minutes giving a stump speech about how “every American deserves to be treated equally,” but mostly she gave the audience her resume from her days at Bank of America. She did not, however, talk about Florida’s controversial “Amendment 2,” which bans LGBT persons from participating in both marriage and civil unions.
At the beginning of that November 2009 gala, director Nadine Smith introduced Alex Sink and others by saying, “When you look around at these galas… you see the backbone of the gay community.” Alex Sink took to the podium soon after, where she made a total of eight pleas for campaign money while saying nothing about specific actions she would take as governor in favor of the LGBT community.
“I know that together, we can make equality for all Floridians a reality,” Sink said to the guests at the 2009 Equality Florida event. “That is—with the right officers in place.
“Tonight I stand before you as a candidate for governor—a position for which no woman has ever been elected. And in 2010, with all your support and encouragement, and maybe some of your money, I intend to put Florida under new management.”
Alex Sink was not immediately available for comment, however, Nadine Smith of Equality Florida issued the following statement: “I disagree with all candidates of both parties who do not respect full legal equality for LGBT families including equal protection under our country’s marriage laws. Equality Florida will continue to advocate for full equality, mobilize voters and educate candidates and elected officials until we achieve full equal rights.”
Editor’s note: Jarrett Terrill is a reporter with the South Florida Gay News and this article is used with permission.
