Openly gay state Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, joined North Tonawanda Alderman-at-Large Austin Tylec in calling upon State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, to explain his donation to the New Yorker’s Family Research Foundation, an anti-LGBTQ group that supports conversion therapy.
In response, NYFRF defended Ortt, who also put out a statement disclaiming any intent to oppose equality for LGBTQ people, claiming that he supported the group only for its anti-abortion mission and not for its opposition to LGBTQ people:
“Sen. Ortt supports the rights of all New Yorkers to live their lives free of discrimination, including individuals in the LGBTQ community. Using his support of pro-life values to insinuate otherwise is plainly wrong. Senator Ortt respects people with different values and beliefs.”
The city council declined to take further action, according to the Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, a local weekly newspaper.
Born Perfect is a survivor-led program created by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in 2014 to end conversion therapy by passing laws across the country that protect LGBTQ children and young people, fighting in courtrooms to ensure their safety, and raising awareness about the serious harms caused by these dangerous practices. https://bornperfect.org