I do not mean to flog a dead horse here, but in order for someone to even think about tying the knot, there has to be a certain amount of stability in their lives. In New York State, gender identity is NOT a protected class, medical assistance can NOT be used for transition related procedures, yet Cuomo has his priorities wrong. Then, I discover this little tidbit:
 

Needing support from Republican senators on the gay marriage issue, Cuomo has political capital to spend with them after closing a $10 billion budget gap without raising taxes.

The issue may also help Cuomo solidify his liberal base after he alienated many with an austere budget that cut spending on education, healthcare and social programs. He also angered progressives by opposing the extension of an income tax surcharge on the state's wealthiest residents.

Cuomo has stopped short of making himself the public face of the campaign, instead leaving on-the-ground organizing to groups that have lobbied for marriage equality for years.

He pulled those disparate groups together in closed-door sessions at the Capitol, and they came out forming an umbrella group called New Yorkers United for Marriage.
 

And some of these cuts include slashing funding for LGBT competent youth shelters: 
 

In Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal, the $4.7 million in state money that funds emergency homeless youth beds in the current fiscal year –– $1.4 of which went to New York City –– would be zeroed out as a dedicated revenue stream.

Emergency shelter facilities for what, in government parlance, are termed runaway and homeless youth (RHY) funded out of the existing revenue stream would instead be bundled with eight other state programs and compete for money from a block grant. According to DYCD figures, however, the total funding for the nine programs in that block grant would decline from $85 million in aggregate dollars in this fiscal year to $35 million next year.

In budgets passed by both the Assembly and the Senate, the block grant model was rejected in favor of retaining the current nine revenue streams. However, at best, the Legislature proposed maintaining only about 50 percent of the current funding level, which would mean a decline from $4.7 million to $2.4 million statewide –– and from $1.4 million to $700,000 in the city.

DYCD and Carl Siciliano, who runs the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and social services to homeless LGBTQ youth, agree that such a cut would mean the city would lose 19 beds out of only 252 currently available on an emergency basis for kids on the street.
 

And of course, eliminating housing programs for HIV/AIDS positive people:
 

New York is the most unequal state in the country, with glaring poverty side by side with eye-popping wealth. It is in many of these marginalized communities that VOCAL New York organizes -- people with HIV/AIDS, chronic drug users and ex-offenders living in poverty. These communities are tied to families and neighborhoods that represent millions of New Yorkers who have been ignored by the Governor's agenda so far.

As a former HUD Secretary leading the state during a time of record homelessness and foreclosures, there are few better issues than affordable housing for him to apply his expertise. For example, thousands of homeless people living with HIV/AIDS and their families could be moved into rental units -- for less money than we currently spend on hotels -- if the state's affordable housing policy was extended to the HIV/AIDS rental assistance program. It is the only program currently left out.
 

Governor Cuomo is not pro-LGBT. He's only for the most privileged G, he gives lip service to the L, others the B, and totally disdains the T.  Families need to have their sh*t together before they get married, Albany should do the same. I am worried that homeless transgender people won't have a place to go in the city.

For a petition to Governor Cuomo asking to restore cuts to youth services, click here.

-Jordan Gwendolyn