Steven Goldstein (activist)

Steven Goldstein

Steven Goldstein is a civil rights activist and professor, and the founder of Garden State Equality, New Jersey's statewide organization focusing on LGBT equality.^[1]

Goldstein led Garden State Equality from when he founded it in 2004 until 2013, when New Jersey allowed same-sex marriage as a result of a court ruling in Garden State Equality v. Dow, filed in 2011.^[2] Since 2013, he has been an Associate Professor at Rutgers Law School in Newark, New Jersey, and in political science at Rutgers–Newark, where he had previously served as Associate Chancellor for External Affairs.^[3] He teaches courses on civil rights and social justice, legislative advocacy, political communication, campaigns and elections, and other courses in law and American politics. He is also Deputy Vice Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.^[4]

Goldstein is a lawyer,^[5] former television producer,^[6] and one-time rabbinical student.^[7] He received his B.A. from Brandeis University, an M.P.P. (Master in Public Policy) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, an M.S. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and his J.D. from Columbia Law School.^[8]

Goldstein was co-campaign manager for Jon Corzine for U.S. Senate in New Jersey in 2000. He had previously worked for the U.S. Congress as press secretary to U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, ^[9] and as a counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. ^[10] Goldstein began his career as a television news producer and won 10 Emmy Awards. ^[11]

In September 2002, Goldstein and his then-partner, Daniel Gross, became the first same-sex couple ever to be included in the wedding announcements of The New York Times, marking both their wedding in Montreal and their civil union in Vermont the next day.^[12] In February 2007, they became the first same-sex couple to enter a civil union in New Jersey.^[13] In 2015, Goldstein and Gross announced they are no longer a couple.

Goldstein was played by Steve Carell in the 2015 movie Freeheld, based on the 2008 Academy Award-winning documentary of the same name. Goldstein is a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.^[14]

References

1. "Recognition of Steven Goldstein in the Congressional Record, Extension of Remarks by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ),". United States Congress. January 22, 2013.
2. "New Jersey Supreme Court decision in Garden State Equality v. Dow," (PDF). October 18, 2013
3. "A Pair of New Jersey Lawmakers Have Fought For Answers,". New Jersey On-Line, quoting Steven Goldstein, Rutgers law professor. January 8, 2014.
4. "Chairman Currie Appoints New Deputy Vice Chairs,". New Jersey Democratic State Committee. May 16, 2014.
5. "New Jersey's Most Visible Gay Rights Activist Steps Down, Takes Rutgers-Newark Job". New Jersey On-Line. January 2, 2013.
6. "Equality in the Garden State: Litigation and Social Activism in the Struggle for Marriage Equality" (PDF). Harvard Law Review. Spring 2008.
7. "Rabbinical Student Heads Up the Fight for Gay Marriage in New Jersey,". The Jewish Daily Forward. September 23, 2009.
8. "Steven Goldstein Named Associate Chancellor for External Relations,". Rutgers-Newark Office of Communications. September 23, 2009.
9. Dao, James (15 June 1999). "Ex-Wall St. Leader Making Official Move Toward Senate Race". New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
10. "New Jersey's Most Visible Gay Rights Activist Steps Down, Takes Rutgers-Newark Job". New Jersey On-Line. January 2, 2013.
11. "New Jersey's Most Visible Gay Rights Activist Steps Down, Takes Rutgers-Newark Job". New Jersey On-Line. January 2, 2013.
12. "The New York Times Runs Its First Same-Sex Commitment Announcement,". The Associated Press. September 3, 2002.
13. "Associated Press, February 19, 2007.".
14. "Steve Carell to play Teaneck's Steven Goldstein on the big screen".