2010 Miss New York, Claire Buffie, has filmed a video for HRC's New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign.  In the video, Buffie describes marriage equality as a “fundamental fight for fairness,” and how she competed in Miss America 2010 on an LGBT rights platform.  The campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in the Empire State, can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

Claire's platform as Miss New York has been LGBT equality and has traveled the state promoting fairness.  She has spoken to fellow New Yorkers, appeared in PSA's, and lobbied members of the state legislature and has been a wonderful straight ally to the LGBT community.

A recent poll released by Siena Research Institute shows public opinion continues to trend toward marriage equality in New York State with a record high of 58 percent support and a record low of 36 percent opposition. The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign is centered on video testimonials from New Yorkers who support the right of same-sex couples to marry. To date, HRC has released videos from Miss New York, Anna Wintour, Larry King, Sean Avery, Julianna Margulies, Bill T. Jones, Sam Waterston, Christopher Meloni, Mario Batali, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Lucy Liu, Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, Russell Simmons, Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo, John Slattery, Joan Rivers, Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher, Moby, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore and Kenneth Cole – with more to follow in the coming weeks.