New York Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang’s remarks were seen by some as out of place for a longtime city resident | Spencer Platt/Getty Images
NEW YORK — Andrew Yang is facing blowback after comments made during an LGBTQ+ mayoral forum that some are criticizing as out of touch and insensitive.
Yang was invited to appear Wednesday at the Stonewall Democrats of NYC, the city’s largest Democratic LGBTQ+ political club, for the group’s endorsement screening — and told members he’s now getting his education on gay bars, citing Stonewall and the nearby Cubbyhole.
“Well, first, let me say that if I go to Cubbyhole, I think I’m going to be accompanied by at least one of my two campaign managers who are both gay,” the Hell’s Kitchen resident laughed. “So there’s like a lot of, you know, familiarity with, with the community, at the head of my campaign leading it.”
Yang added that he asked one of his campaign managers and Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who endorsed Yang this week, whether the LGBTQ community liked him — a difficult question for any politician to ask of a group of people who do not vote as a monolith, said Rose Christ, president of SDNYC.
“He came across like he was a tourist in New York and said he wanted to visit a gay bar,” she said.
The criticism comes after the leading candidate for mayor came under fire last week when a video circulated of Yang laughing when asked if he “choked b—-es.” He’s also faced criticism from opponents for leaving the city during the pandemic.
His comments to the group Wednesday fit with his larger campaign message of bringing back the city back with an embrace of New York City’s culture and diversity — a message that has propelled him to the front of the eight-way Democratic primary in poll after poll.
But his remarks were seen by some as out of place for a longtime city resident, and leaders at SDNYC said he did not address substantive issues that affect the community — such as the murders of trans women, inequitable access to health care and housing, and the prevalence of dangerous genital surgery on infants with intersex traits, among a litany of issues.
“I genuinely do love you and your community,” Yang told the club Wednesday night. “You’re so human, and beautiful. You make New York City special. I have no idea how we ever lose to the Republicans, given that you all are frankly, in like leadership roles all over the Democratic Party. … We have like this incredible secret weapon, it’s not even secret. It’s like, we should win everything because we have you all.”
People watching the forum criticized Yang for pointing to his gay colleagues and supporters on the basis of their gender and sexual identity, rather than why they are important to him.
“As if there weren’t enough reasons to fear a Yang mayoralty,” said Melissa Mark-Viverito, the former Council speaker and a frequent critic of Yang. “He keeps showing us, through his actions, why his candidacy for mayor is all types of wrong for our city.”
Yang’s campaign managers defended his comments.
“If other campaigns want to minimize the importance of visiting and supporting LGBTQ businesses, they’re welcome to do so. But gay bars are an essential part of our City and its history,” Sasha Ahuja and Chris Coffey, Yang’s co-campaign managers, said in a statement. “They are quite literally safe havens for our community, and keeping them here and open is critical. This is why Andrew has prioritized meeting with LGBTQ business owners who invited him in — because he understands that we need to protect and lift up those spaces if we want our recovery to be inclusive and meaningful.”
The Stonewall club endorsed Scott Stringer Thursday morning, and is expected to roll out its second- and third-choice candidates for ranked choice voting Thursday afternoon.
