Residents—New and Old—Support Marriage Equality

In Carroll Gardens, residents overwhelmingly support same-sex marriage, which was legalized in an historic vote in the New York State Legislature late Friday night.

On Smith Street, locals celebrated.

"I heard about this and was like, 'We gotta party!'" said Thea Paulucci, who was having celebratory drinks with three friends in the backyard at .

After days of uncertainty on whether the bill would even come to the Senate floor for a vote, and years of waiting for many New Yorkers, the bill was approved 33-29, just in time for the pride parade in Manhattan Sunday.

Paulucci said she was very happy for all her gay friends who are now afforded the same rights as she is.

"I think about them [gay friends] and how they can get married," she said. "They can now visit their families at the hospital and they can adopt kids."

Inside the bar, another group of friends said gay marriage just made sense.

"No one should deny them. They're not hurting anybody," said Alex, who wished to only be identified by his first name. "If it makes you happy, knock yourself out."

Longtime residents of Carroll Gardens also support same-sex marriage.

In front of on Court Street earlier this week, life-long residents gathered, listening to classic tunes and talking with their friends.

"If two people love each other... I'm for it," said Carmine Balsamo, who owns and maintains the Saint Lucy statue on the corner of Court Street and Third Place, in honor of his mother.

Andrew Moriello agreed.

"Why should I be happy and not a gay couple?" he asked.

But Moriello and Balsamo agreed had this been 30-years-ago, local reaction would be different.

"That's a different story," said Balsamo. "My parents would have been against it. But the world has changed and you gotta change with it."

The Brooklyn Pride Center on Friday issued a joyous statement.

We "see a bright future ahead for Brooklyn, and are eager to see every hope, dream and wish of those in our community realized," read the statement. "Today’s historic vote is one gigantic step toward that goal."

Borough President Marty Markowitz said legalizing same -sex marriage put an end to "government-sanctioned discrimination."

"Whatever your religious convictions, love is love — and we need to do everything possible to foster relationships and families, not tear them down," he said. "As someone who represents one of the largest LGBT populations in the nation, I am thrilled to join Brooklynites and all New Yorkers in celebrating the passing of this historic bill."

Craig Hall, a six-year resident of Carroll Gardens, said he was surprised at how long it had taken New York, a liberal state, to legalize same-sex marriage.

"We seem to be ahead of the rest of the country in so many other ways," said Hall.

"I say better now than never," he added.

Hall said he is looking forward to marrying his boyfriend in New York.

The problem now is "finding the time to plan it!" he said.

Michelle Brandi, owner of , a dog and cat grooming shop on Henry Street in Cobble Hill, was also joyous.

"It's about time," she said, her window ablaze with the colors of a pride flag. "I know too many people who haven't had their rights."

It’s been a long road for both sides of the gay marriage debate in New York State.

The mayor of New Paltz, Jason West, was the first New York public official to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004. However, subsequent challenges by gay marriage opponents resulted in the courts striking down those unions as unconstitutional in 2006.

Shortly after, the State Legislature went to work.

A bill legalizing same-sex unions was first introduced in the Assembly in 2007 and has passed the Democratic-controlled chamber multiple times since.

However, the politics of gay marriage has been a much more complex affair in the state Senate — one that often transcends party lines.

Eight senate Democrats joined Republicans to vote down the measure in 2009. Of those Dems, six hailed from the five boroughs, led by state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., D-Bronx, a Pentecostal minister who opposes same-sex unions on religious grounds.

In the last days before the bill’s passage, it was concerns raised by religious leaders like Diaz Sr. that dominated negotiations between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and wavering Senate Republicans.

With the passage of the bill, New York joins five states and the District of Columbia in legalizing same-sex unions.

New York pride is a byproduct of the new law.

"I've always been proud to be a New Yorker. To be in a place with so many people from so many different places living together, mostly in harmony, is amazing," said Hall. "This just makes it more apparent that I'm living in the right place."

Brandi agreed.

"I'm very proud and very happy," she said.