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D&I Changemakers:
Hon. Anthony Cannataro &
Hon. Joanne M. Winslow
By John Caher
Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications
Court of Appeals Judge Anthony Cannataro and Appellate Division Justice Joanne Winslow are similar in age, but their experiences in coming out as gay and lesbian individuals were dramatically different.
Justice Winslow, who grew up in the 1970s, was 19 years old when she first came to terms with her sexual identity, but kept it to herself for many years. When Justice Winslow first ran for public office in Monroe County in 2008, she didn’t hide her sexuality, but certainly didn’t advertise the fact that she is lesbian. In contrast, Judge Cannataro knew and accepted his gayness early on (but didn’t tell his parents until he was in his 30s). When Judge Cannataro ran for a judgeship in 2011 in a district that included Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, he campaigned proudly as the only LGBTQ candidate in the race. Today, Judge Cannataro and Justice Winslow are among the highest-ranking judges in the UCS, and they serve as co-chairs of the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission.
In a new Diversity Dialogues podcast interview, the judges discuss the social and legal progress of the LGBTQ movement, share insight into their own journeys, and reflect on the special day this Spring when they together made history: On April 19, 2022, Judge Cannataro and Justice Winslow (sitting by designation) became the first pair of openly gay judges to sit on a Court of Appeals panel together. Ever.
“I think that the courts and the law have been an agent for change by making the law reflect that society has changed. Sometimes the law takes a while to catch up with society,” Justice Winslow said.
Added Judge Cannataro: “Our society, American society, has been steadily progressing through its history to what we all hope is a better and more equal appreciation of all of its members.”
Listen to the full interview with Judge Cannataro and Justice Winslow, found at:
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