McCord van Kempens Talk Marriage Equality

Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen are no strangers to the spotlight. On the new season of their show Real Housewives of New York City, they have chosen to use that fame to advocate for a cause near and dear to all of our hearts: marriage equality.

SDGLN: What made you decide to speak out in support of marriage equality? Why choose this issue?

SVK: Ultimately it’s simple fairness. There should be no restriction on the gender of a person’s legal partner; everyone should be allowed to officially create a family unit, receive health benefits, file taxes and raise children with the one person whom they love.

AM: I grew up with gay family members. Plus, seeing positive and stable same-gender partnerships without thinking anything of it, I was shocked when I went away to college to witness relationship bias for the first time. As I grew up and married, it became all too visible among our gay friends who also grew up and paired off, but were unable to make it legal.

SDGLN: How did you react to the New York Senate’s rejection of its gay marriage bill in 2009?

AM: The 180-degree turn from overwhelming support in the state Assembly to the defeat in the state Senate shows us all how much work is still needed – what’s being done now isn’t enough, which is why we got involved with Marriage Equality New York.

SDGLN: If and when a new bill to legalize gay marriage is introduced, would you be active advocates and supporters of it?

SVK: Absolutely; it’s important and we believe gay marriage should be legal. And while perhaps this is an issue that the individual states should lead, it's also important that the feds pick it up and embrace it too.

SDGLN: Do you have LGBT friends who have negatively been affected because the limitations on their rights?

AM: Yes – there are many examples but one that made it to TV is my best friend from college, whom “Housewives” viewers saw in season two and will see again in the new season. He was unable to take a job in another state because his marriage would not be recognized there, which would affect their benefits, their child, etc.

Credit: San Diego Gay & Lesbian News (Sandy Chase)

The McCord van Kempens Want Gay Marriage

Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen are adamantly in favor of same-sex marriage, which will come up in the new season of Real Housewives of New York, particularly at a marital equality rally they appeared at along with other notables.

On the phone yesterday, the duo filled me in on their viewpoints.

Simon van Kempen: On a show like Real Housewives, we have a broad audience. We tend to stay away from issues because they're interested in us because we're crazy and wear red leather pants.

Alex McCord: They don't want us to be Sean Penn. But this is civil rights! This is a cause that we feel passionate about. The number one thing is it's not fair! My best friend from college shot a playdate with us on the show. I've been with him as his life was changed when got married in Vermont, and then again in Massachusetts when they moved there. One of the things that broke my heart is he'd gotten a dream job offer, but it was in a state he couldn't move to because his husband wouldn't have gotten health benefits and so on!

Simon: I came to the states almost 10 years ago for a three-week business trip. I met Alex. Fortunately for me, the Alex I met was Alexandra, not Alexander. I moved to the states and eventually got my U.S. citizenship. But if it was Alexander, our love would have been screwed. It's ridiculous that in 2011, there are people split up who can't live their lives because of the government!

Credit: The Village Voice (Michael Musto)