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Dock
of the Bay 2002 Honoree
MAXINE
POSTAL:
RENEWING OUR FAITH IN POLITICS
by Jed Ryan
 Suffolk
County Legislator Maxine Postal (D-Amityville) holds a special
place in the Long Island gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered
community. Unlike most of the local, state, and national politicians
that ultimately affect our lives by their decisions, Ms. Postal
stands out. Her ardent, tireless devotion to the equality
of our community, in itself, makes her unique. However, another
important difference sets this energetic lady apart from the
rest: Maxine Postal is a visible presence. Most of us have
met her at one point or another when she's appeared in person
to show support for our community. Always impeccably dressed
in smart, stylish ensembles and with a welcoming smile on
her face, Ms. Postal is never to busy to talk to her fellow
citizens. She has attended community-based events ranging
from Dock of the Bay, to the LIPP
(Long Island Pride Press) Community Awards, to the Long
Island Pride Parade, where she often speaks at the Pre-Parade
Rally. Anyone who has listened to Ms. Postal speak at these
events knows that she is very articulate and eloquent, and
always uses these opportunities to promote the importance
of volunteer work, community activism, and political awareness.
Last October, Ms. Postal graced Long
Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) with her presence,
and greeted some of the youngest members of our community.
This was most likely the first opportunity many of these teens
had to meet a politician up close and personal.
And what a politician! Maxine Postal became a pioneer when
she was the first woman to be elected to the Legislature in
1987. She represents the 15th
Legislative District in Suffolk County, which includes
Wheatly Heights, Wyandanch, North Amityville, parts of Amityville
Village, Copiague, North Lindenhurst, West Babylon, North
Babylon, and the portion of Farmingdale which lies in Suffolk
County. In 2001, Maxine Postal was selected as Deputy Presiding
Officer (DPO) by Suffolk County Presiding Officer Paul Tonna
(R-Deer Park), making her the first woman to serve in that
position. The Amityville Record said of the event, "Paul Tonna
once again did what President George W. Bush has promised
but failed thus to deliver, a truly bipartisan government."
The Republican Tonna commented about Postal, "She has come
to symbolize the best and brightest of our bipartisan tradition
here In Suffolk County." Indeed, Maxine Postal's record, both
before and during her political rise, show a compassion and
advocacy for her fellow citizens that transcend party politics,
an unfortunately rare quality among politicians today.
 In
the 15 years that Maxine Postal has served Suffolk County,
she has gained respect as a crusader for tax reform, an advocate
for community health and safety, and an environmentalist.
On her web site, Ms. Postal boasts an extensive, varied, and
ultra-impressive list of legislative accomplishments. Yet
all of them have to do with making life better for the people,
as echoed by Postal's own words on her site: "The Suffolk
County Legislature is, in my opinion, the truest form of democracy
and the most accessible and responsive level of government.
All meetings are open to the public and provide opportunities
for participation and input. I am your employee and, as such,
I welcome you to contact me with your ideas and requests."
In 1998, she sponsored the first legislation permitting taxpayers
to make installment payments on their property tax bills.
She has instituted free annual prostate cancer screenings
at County health centers and established the groundbreaking
Patient Navigation Program for victims of breast cancer. She
sponsored legislation to establish standards for mammography
and to create an outreach program to assist the public in
accessing care at County health centers. Her environmental
endeavors have included her authorization of the toughest
recycled newsprint law in the nation, and her sponsorship
of legislation to recycle waste automotive tires. She has
sponsored resolutions to establish the Drinking Water Protection
Program and the new Clean Wastewater Program. Ms. Postal's
enthusiasm and hard work weren't born with her election to
the Legislature. Before she was involved in politics, Ms.
Postal was known as a community activist, a businesswoman,
and a professional educator. She earned her Bachelor's Degree
and Master's Degree from the City University of New York at
Brooklyn College. She was a teacher and school administrator.
She then became the owner and director of a large, licensed
child care center. Ms. Postal's involvement with politics
seemed like a natural step. She was already widely known by
her neighbors from her involvement and leadership in a variety
of community-based groups, ranging from the Amityville Soccer
League to the Amityville Board of Education. Ms. Postal is
also the mother of two sons, Greg and Eric.
Maxine Postal's dedication to the GLBT community has been
so far unparalleled by any local lawmaker. In the spirit of
P-FLAG (Parents,
Friends, and Family of Lesbians and Gays), she shows that
some of our community's greatest allies are straight women
and men. The fact that Maxine Postal is a strong, Jewish woman
in the world of politics, which always been dominated by men,
may explain her compassion towards the plight of underrepresented
groups in our society. The fact that she's been reelected
six times shows that her devotion to GLBT equality has not
hurt her politically-- debunking the lame resistance of many
politicians to address gay and lesbian issues at the risk
of being too "controversial." In 2001, Ms. Postal was an integral
force in strengthening Suffolk County's anti-discrimination
laws. Fellow Dock of the Bay 2002 honoree Stephen
Sebor, Long Island Field Organizer for the Empire
State Pride Agenda, praised Ms. Postal for her work in
promoting equality: "The new law represents tremendous progress
for lesbians and gays in Suffolk County. We give special thanks
to DPO Maxine Postal, who sponsored the legislation and never
gave up despite the hurdles and setbacks she confronted along
the way." Another of Ms. Postal's fellow honorees, Louis
Trapani, says of the Legislator "She once spoke about
what motivates her to be such an ally, and I believe that
it is due to the fact that she can relate to being discriminated
against, and made out to be different from the rest. She knows
the uphill struggle for equality. The Long Island GLBT community
does not have many advocates in the local government, so we
are extremely grateful for the support she has given. Not
just showing up at our events, but also in legislation where
it matters and makes a difference." Maxine Postal has also
used her position to help animals as well as humans: In April
2002, she sponsored a resolution to allow Suffolk County to
publicize animal shelters. Animal rights activists praised
the resolution, optimistic that it will ultimately help scores
of abused, homeless, and abandoned dogs and cats-- many of
which would be euthanasized if no alternatives were found.
In addition to being recognized by the Long Island and New
York State GLBT community, Maxine Postal has been honored
for her work by a wide variety of organizations including
the American Jewish Congress, the NAACP,
and the National
Organization for Women (NOW).
Suffolk County Legislator Maxine Postal is truly a role model
for any woman or man interested in going into politics and/or
activism. She proves that one person really can make a difference.
In these times, when cynicism and mistrust about our political
system is almost regarded as a fact of life, Ms. Postal restores
faith and trust in the political system to anyone who meets
her and learns of her accomplishments. She's a source of inspiration
for anyone who dedicates their time and energy to making the
world a better place. Priscilla
Pride, in her monthly column on www.LICKtheWeb.com,
summarized Maxine Postal-- her persona and her political advocacy--
in Fall 2002: "Maxine and I spend many a 'Day of Beauty' together,
and I can tell you that she is beauteous both inside and out!
What a devoted gal to our Long Island GLBT she is!"
I couldn't agree more!
Contact Maxine Postal at 15 Albany Ave., Amityville, NY
11781; call (631) 854-1111, or e-mail
her. Ms.
Postal's web site, which features her biography, accomplishments,
and initiatives, can be accessed through the web site for
Suffolk County Government, www.co.Suffolk.NY.US.
NOTE: Unfortunately, since the time this article was written,
Maxine Postal has sadly passed away. We encourage people
to honor her memory by making a donation a to the Maxine
Postal Institute for Social Justice at LIGALY
 Other
Dock of the Bay Profiles and Features
LIGALY
photo by Louis Trapani © 2002
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