Protests Continue Against Antigay Eviction
By Joan Moossy

“Hey, Matel, see the light, Housing is a human right!” I could hear the chant getting louder as I walked west on East Sixth Street on Jan. 6, towards the third of a series of demonstrations to bring attention to the struggle of tenants John Curtis and his partner, Winston Man, against attempts by their landlord, Matel Management Company, to evict them from their apartment.

The couple has been together for 28 years and living in this apartment for 17 years. Matel began the eviction process a year ago when John left the city temporarily to recuperate from an illness. They contend that Curtis has given up his tenancy and that Man has no succession rights to their apartment.

Supporters beat drums, gave flyers explaining the issue to passersby, chanted, and picketed Matel’s offices for about an hour, braving a harsh wind and temperatures in the low 20s.

Although Curtis and Man have a lawyer, are fighting this case in court, and are eager to tell their story to a judge, they have no upcoming court dates. Curtis believes that is a follow-through on a threat made by the landlord’s attorney at a deposition last September, where he told Curtis that they would drag this out as long as they wanted. Curtis also reported that at this deposition he was asked questions in a rapid-fire manner such as, “Why didn’t Winston attend your mother’s funeral?” and “When you first rented your apartment, why didn’t you go to the landlord and tell him that you were gay?”

The demonstration ended with a traditional Lower East Side speakout. In an extremely poignant moment, John Curtis pledged to never stop fighting to keep Winston in his apartment.

One supporter, Gloria Sukenick of Met Council, read a statement of support from Assemblymember Deborah Glick calling Matel Management’s attempts to evict this couple, “not only a clear violation of New York State’s rent-stabilization code, but a blatant act of homophobia.” She points out that the Braschi decision in 1989 expanded the definition of family member to include non-traditional families, guaranteeing succession rights to “any long-term resident who can show they had a relationship with a tenant involving commitment and interdependence.” Another speaker, Frances Goldin, lamented that such a situation could happen on the Lower East Side, a community of integration, of diversity, of color, of ethnicity, of political ideas, born of struggle; she expressed fear or her two lesbian daughters; but she ended in strength and optimism by noting the constant increase of supporters and looking forward to a victory homecoming for Winston, who is presently hospitalized.

Also in attendance was Armando Perez, Democratic district leader for this area. He says situations like this are all too common all over the city, but especially on the Lower East Side, and he says that people need to wake up. “Something is very, very wrong here, and