Deborah Glick | |
|---|---|
_Deborah_Glick.jpg) Glick in 2025 | |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | William F. Passannante |
| Constituency | 61st district (1991–1993) 66th district (1993–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-12-24)December 24, 1950 (age 74) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Leslie |
| Education | Queens College (BA) Fordham University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Campaign website |
Deborah J. Glick (born December 24, 1950) is an American politician who serves in theNew York State Assembly from the66th district since 1993, and from the61st district between 1991 and 1993, as a member of theDemocratic Party.
Born inQueens, Glick was educated atQueens College andFordham University. She operated aprinting business and was a deputy director for theNew York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. The Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats elected her as its president and splintered due to her opposition toEd Koch.
Glick was elected to theNew York State Assembly in 1990, becoming the first open LGBT person to serve in the state legislature. She has chaired the Ethics and Guidance, Higher Education, and Social Services committees during her tenure. She unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination forborough president of Manhattan in 1997.
Deborah J. Glick was born in theNew York City borough ofQueens,[1] on December 24, 1950.[2][3] She graduated fromQueens College with a bachelor's degree and fromFordham University with aMaster of Business Administration. She has lived inGreenwich Village for over 40 years.[1] She isJewish[2] and is married to Leslie.[4]
Until May 1990, Glick was a deputy director for theNew York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.[5] Prior to that she operated aprinting business inTribeca.[3]
Greenwich Village's Democratic politics were divided into the pro-Ed Koch Village Reform Democratic Club (VRDC), anti-Koch Village Independent Democrats (VID), and neutral Downtown Independent Democrats (DID). The Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats elected Glick, who was opposed to Koch, president in 1986. The pro-Koch members of the organization left and formed the Stonewall Democratic Club.[2][6]
Ruth Messinger,borough president of Manhattan, ran formayor of New York City in 1997, rather than for reelection.[7] Glick announced her campaign for the Democratic nomination on May 4,[8] but lost toC. Virginia Fields. Her campaign raised $665,002 from donors and received $322,074 inpublic funds.[9][10][11] Fields was endorsed by Messinger[12] while Glick was endorsed byAlan Hevesi.[13]
Thomas Duane was endorsed by Glick forNew York City Council in 1991, later becoming its first openly gay member.[14] She and other gay leaders and organizations opposed the reelection ofAntonio Pagán, a gay man, to the city council in 1993.[15] For mayor of New York City, she supportedFernando Ferrer in2005,[16]Bill Thompson in2009,[17]Maya Wiley in2021,[18] andScott Stringer in2025.[19] Glick called forEric Adams to resign asMayor of New York City after he was indicted.[20]
William F. Passannante, who had served in the state legislature for 35 years, announced that he would not seek reelection to theNew York State Assembly from the61st district on April 11, 1990.[21] Glick, who launched her campaign before his announcement,[22] was supported bySusan Sarandon,[23] Messinger,Bella Abzug,[24] theNational Organization for Women,[25] andThe New York Times.[26]
Liz Shollenberger, who was endorsed by the Stonewall Democratic Club[27] and VRDC,[26] attacked Glick's commitment to abortion stating that "The only time that a lesbian would deal with an abortion would be when she's raped."[28] The VID endorsed Tony Hoffman while DID endorsedKathryn E. Freed.[29][26] She defeatedRepublican nominee Elizabeth Ivory Greene in the general election.[5] Around $150,000 was spent by Glick during the campaign.[30]
Glick faced no opposition in the 2006,[31] 2008,[32] 2012,[33] and 2022 elections.[34] She considered running to succeedManfred Ohrenstein in theNew York State Senate in 1994,[35] but declined to do so.[36]
Doug Seidman was selected by theWorking Families Party as apaper candidate against Glick in 2018. The WFP swapped Seidman forCynthia Nixon, who received the party's gubernatorial nomination and is a resident of the district, so that it could give its nomination toAndrew Cuomo. Nixon did not campaign and supported Glick.[37][38][39] Glick won with 81.94% of the vote.[40] On October 22, 2025, Glick announced that she would not seek reelection.[41]
Glick was the first openly LGBT person in the state legislature.[42] She refused to participate in the 1992New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade if the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization were prohibited.[43]
In 1991, Glick was the 10th-lowest paid member of the state legislature.[44] During Glick's tenure in the state house she served on the Children and Families, Environmental Conservation, Government Operations, Rules, and Ways and Means committees. She was chair of the Ethics and Guidance, Higher Education, and Social Services committees.[45][46] She was apresidential elector forBill Clinton in the1996 election.[47]
In 1993, legislation cosponsored by Glick which would amend New York's civil rights law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation was passed by the state house, but was not voted on in the state senate.[48][49][50]Pope John Paul II'svisit to the United States was protested by around 1,000 people, including Glick, due to his stances on abortion, birth control, and gay rights.[51] She criticizedBarack Obama for selectingRick Warren to do the invocation at hisinauguration due to his stances on gay rights.[52] In 2013, she supported legislation tobanconversion therapy.[53]
Legislation to recognizedomestic partnerships was proposed by Glick.[54] She supported repealing New Yorkmisdemeanor punishment for adultery, which ad existed since the 1800s, as only 10 people were arrested for it between 1972 and 1993.[55] She criticized Senate Majority LeaderJoseph Bruno in 1995, after he stated that LGBT state senate employees should not receive health coverage for domestic partners as it would subsidize their "abnormal lifestyle".[56]
Glick opposescapital punishment.[57] In 1991, Glick sponsored legislation byVelmanette Montgomery that would decriminalize the possession ofhypodermic needle, hoping that the availability of clean needles would reduce the spread ofHIV/AIDS.[58] In 1995, the state assembly voted 140 to 9, with Glick against, to passMegan's Law.[59][60] She supported releasingJudith Alice Clark from prison.[61]
Carl Marcellino and Glick proposed legislation in 2005, to ban contests where the goal is to kill as many animals as possible, with the exception of fishing contests.[62][63] Similar legislation was cosponsored by Glick and signed into law by GovernorKathy Hochul in 2023.[64] Selling horses for meat was made illegal by legislation sponsored by Glick in 2023.[65]
The 1992redistricting plan for the state legislature was criticized by Glick as a "clear attempt togerrymander".[66] In 2017, she proposed to create acompulsory voting system with a fine of $10 for those who do not vote.[67]
Construction of a new stadium for theNew York Jets in Manhattan was opposed by Glick in 2005.[68] She opposed usingPier 40 for residential development[69] and theElizabeth Street Garden for affordable housing for seniors.[70]
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