New Yorkers held a rally in Union Square last night opposing the anti-gay vote in Maine on Tuesday, and looking ahead to next week, when Governor David Paterson has promised to call a special session of the state senate.

Watch OurSceneTV's report on the rally, AFTER THE JUMP…

According to Gay City News, both Empire State Pride Agenda executive director Alan van Capelle and State Senator Tom Duane are still confident about a vote on marriage equality:

"Alan Van Capelle, the executive director of the Empire StatePride Agenda (ESPA), the state’s LGBT lobby group, and out gay ChelseaDemocratic Senator Thomas K. Duane, the measure’s lead sponsor, bothreiterated their confidence in the wake of an election in which aRepublican marriage equality supporter was forced from an upstatecongressional race and voters in Maine narrowly opted to repeal the gaymarriage law there. 'Based on my conversations with senators, they are planning onbeing in Albany next week,' said Van Capelle. 'That said, the governoris still required to issue an extraordinary session calendar. Ourcommunity should rest assured we have full commitment from the governorthat the marriage equality bill will be on the very first calendar.' … In a statement issued late in the day on November 4, Duane said, 'I have so much confidence that New York will soon be the next state toenact marriage equality. I strongly believe that my colleagues fromboth sides of the aisle will step up and do the right thing.' Sincethe spring, Duane has consistently said he has the votes –– among them,as yet unnamed Republicans –– to ensure passage of the marriage bill."

More at Gay City News on the impact of Maine and the NY 23rd district Congressional race.

Watch OurSceneTV's report on the NYC rally, AFTER THE JUMP…