Cities around the world celebrated the last weekend of gay pride with huge crowds. As expected, San Francisco and New York parades drew the largest numbers.

In San Francisco gay pride is almost a religious holiday. This year, it took a more traditional mood as Californians celebrated their newfound right to marry. In New York a parade route down 5th Avenue filled with an estimated 1 million people. The star of the parade was Governor David Paterson who had signed an executive order directing state agencies to recognize valid gay marriages performed elsewhere.

Even in smaller cities and in states where gay marriage is banned paradegoers were in an upbeat mood. Despite a constitutional gay marriage ban in Ohio, revelers at Columbus' pride were optimistic that gay marriage would eventually find its way to them.

Overseas, about 150 people attending the first-ever gay pride parade in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia were attacked by extremist who hurled rocks and gasoline bombs. No serious injuries were reported, but police in riot gear made about 60 arrests.

In Jerusalem, about 3,000 gay and lesbian supporters marched through the city escorted by 2,000 police. While past demonstrations have been marred with violence, this year's event proceeded without incident.

And in India - where homosexuality is illegal – three cities hosted parades. In Calcutta, Bangalore and New Delhi gay rights supporters put on their largest display yet.

While American parades and festivals celebrated gay marriage victories, Arizona lawmakers slipped a new constitutional ban on the fall ballot late Friday night. Voters in Arizona have already rejected a similar 2006 proposal – a measure John McCain not only supported, but campaigned for. A maverick, you say?

Here's about what I was thinking upon hearing news of the new measure.

A historic congressional hearing on transgender job protections took place on Thursday. Witnesses ranged from transgendered people who had faced job discrimination to groups objecting to the principle. Illinois Representative Phil Hare (Democrat) took issue with a protester's testimony, saying that what he called a “moral judgment” seemed more like a “moral obligation” to him. The hearing was just a starting point toward crafting legislation to protect transgender people in the workplace.

And it was our own Gay Entertainment Report that brought me news that cable channel Logo is set to begin airing Del Shores' Sordid Lives: The Series on July 23rd.

Walter Weeks is a writer for On Top Magazine and can be reached at ww@ontopmag.com.