By Brian Bohl

Same-sex unions deserve the same rights and privileges under the law that married couples enjoy, said an Empire State Pride Agenda spokeswoman who addressed close to 60 University students on Wednesday.

Nearly 1,500 legal rights are bestowed on married couples, such as veterans’ benefits, Social Security rights and the option to file joint tax returns. But gay and lesbian couples are currently not entitled to most of those benefits, said Nora Yates, the field director for the Empire State Pride Agenda foundation, a political action committee.

To help support the special interest group’s “New Yorkers for the Freedom to Marry” initiative, Yates said her organization is trying to persuade the New York State Senate and Assembly to pass identical bills before it reaches Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s desk for ratification.

“Our governor has come out in support of marriage equality,” Yates said. “He says he will be introducing a marriage equality bill. With Spitzer having an approval rating of 70 percent, hopefully the senate and assembly will listen.”

Opponents of same-sex marriage received a boost in July when the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that the state constitution does not guarantee the right to marriage for gay or lesbian couples.

The four-to-two decision upheld New York’s Domestic Relations Law, though the legislature has the power to amend the language and eventually change the statue.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-43rd District) praised the court’s decision in the summer, and Yates said Long Island Republican Senators like Caesar Trunzo and John. J. Flanagan are likely to oppose the measure to extend marriage rights to all couples.

“I have previously stated that I am opposed to gay marriages because I believe in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman,” Bruno said, after the ruling. “The Court of Appeals made the right decision in upholding the state law that relates to this issue.”

New York has voted for the Democratic candidate in the past six presidential elections, but members of the Empire State Pride Agenda group said that is not the best indication of how local politicians will vote when it comes to the controversial measure.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Yates said. “I’m sure many of you think that since we live near New York City, it’s a liberal; ‘blue state.’ Legislators aren’t going to take a lead on an issue that could cost them their jobs.

“We need to build support in parts of this state in places like Long Island, and upstate is more important. Non-New York City parts of the state are more important than any other part.”

The event, which was sponsored in part by the Progressive Students Union and the Gay-Straight Alliance, was held in the Cultural Center Theater.

“I think marriage equality is the huge civil rights issue of our time,” Eric Dubinsky, a member of the Progressive Students Union, said. “State and federal benefits are being denied to gay and lesbian couples, and that’s outrageous. It’s imperative to have a program like this and educate the Hofstra community about what we can do.”

Nora Yates, the field director of the Empire State Pride Agenda foundation, advocates same-sex marriage and pushes for the New York State Senate to pass legislation for ratification.