Steven Goldstein

Activist, TV producer

• Born: ca. June 11, 1962

Significance: Steven Goldstein is a civil rights activist. In 2004, he founded Garden State Equality, an organization created to promote marriage equality in New Jersey. The organization has since become one of the most successful state organizations for the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States. Prior to creating the organization, Goldstein worked as a television producer and won ten Emmy awards.

Background

Steven Goldstein has a varied background that includes television production, advocacy work, and rabbinical studies. Though Goldstein’s childhood and family have largely escaped media coverage, Goldstein holds three master’s degrees, as well as a law degree. He graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University. His master’s degrees are in public policy, journalism, and Jewish studies from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Columbia School of Journalism, and the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York, respectively. His law degree comes from Columbia Law School. In 2022, he won the Herschel J. Matt Creative Liturgy Award.

In 2000, Goldstein served as a co-campaign manager for Jon Corzine. Corzine was running for the US Senate in New Jersey. Previously, he had worked as a press secretary for US Senator Frank Lautenberg as communications director. Goldstein’s involvement at the federal level includes work on reproductive rights, anti-gun violence, and alternative sentencing for nonviolent crimes. Goldstein also worked in television, where he won ten Emmy Awards as an investigative reporter. He also served as a producer for Oprah Winfrey.

Life’s Work

In 2004, Goldstein founded Garden State Equality, an organization designed to promote marriage equality in New Jersey. His work allowed him to write, co-write, or lead more than two hundred LGBTQIA+ civil rights laws at the local, state, and federal levels. This included the strongest anti-bullying law in the United States. The law addresses harassment, intimidation, and bullying in school and other settings. Examples of the pro-equality laws that Garden State Equality worked on with community partners include the creation of a statewide transgender equality task force, and an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum that covered all subject areas. Both examples were a first of their kind in the United States.

In 2013, Goldstein stepped down from Garden State Equality to work at Rutgers University-Newark as the associate chancellor for external relations. Newark Mayor Cory Booker referred to Goldstein as “an inspired choice” for the position and a “transformational leader.” In April of 2013, National Stop the Violence recognized Goldstein for his work on behalf of bullied students.

Goldstein was featured in the 2008 documentary, Freeheld, which told the story of Laurel Hester’s struggle to have her pension benefits transferred to her domestic partner after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Goldstein was played by Steve Carell in the 2015 movie also called Freeheld. From 2016 through September of 2017, Goldstein led the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a nationwide human rights organization. During that time, he became a forceful critic of then-President Donald Trump.

Impact

Goldstein has been ranked by PolitickerNJ.com as one of the most powerful people in New Jersey politics. He was also ranked as one of the state’s most powerful people by New Jersey Monthly.

In 2002, Goldstein and his partner, Daniel Gross, appeared on CNN to discuss their civil union in Vermont. Following the ceremony, Goldstein wrote a letter to The New York Times asking that their announcement be featured. Goldstein did not approach the request as a political move, nor did he tie it to any LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups. It was simply written from the perspective of two New York City residents who wanted their wedding announcement posted. The New York Times responded that it was the newspaper’s policy to not include same-sex couples in their announcements. However, the paper did promise to feature the men, if the policy changed.

One week later, the policies changed. Goldstein received an email from an assistant managing editor about their inclusion in a future edition. Goldstein stressed that he was not trying to effectuate change by asking for inclusion. He simply thought it would be fun to be featured in the society section of The New York Times. The fact that their announcement request may have contributed to the policy change was an added bonus.

Personal Life

In 2015, it was reported that Steven Goldstein and Daniel Gross were no longer together. In 2023, Goldstein was pursuing rabbinical studies and ordination at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia. Goldstein was also the 2023 recipient of the Whizin Prize for Jewish Ethics.

Bibliography

Friedman, Matt. “N.J.’s Most Visible Gay Rights Activist Takes Rutgers-Newark Job.” New Jersey.com, 3 Jan. 2013, www.nj.com/politics/2013/01/njs‗most‗visible‗gay‗rights‗ac.html. Accessed 28 June 2023.

“Gay Men Discuss ‘New York Times’ Announcement of Civil Union.” CNN, 2 Sept. 2002, http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0209/02/lt.19.html. Accessed 28 June 2023.

Gerber, Tal. “Steven Goldstein, Founder of Garden State Equality.” Jews of New York, 22 June 2020, www.jews-of-ny.com/post/steven-goldstein-founder-of-garden-state-equality. Accessed 28 June 2023.

“Our History.” Garden State Equality, 2023, www.gardenstateequality.org/about/history/. Accessed 28 June 2023.

Sales, Ben. “New Anne Frank Center Head Seeks Rights Agenda as Aggressive as He is.” The Times of Israel, 26 June 2016, www.timesofisrael.com/new-anne-frank-center-head-seeks-rights-agenda-as-aggressive-as-he-is/. Accessed 28 June 2023.

“Steven Goldstein.” Steven Goldstein Public Affairs Consulting, 2023, stevengoldstein.com/biography/. Accessed 28 June 2023.

“Steven Goldstein, LGBT Civil Rights Leader, to be Honored for Pioneering Anti-Bullying Work.” Rutgers University, 4 April 2013, www.newark.rutgers.edu/news/steven-goldstein-lgbt-civil-rights-leader-be-honored-pioneering-anti-bullying-work. Accessed 28 June 2023.