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.