Living in New York City is all about taking advantage of experiences for two Southerners like me and Bo. Therefore, this afternoon Bo and I ventured two avenues away to take in the Gay Pride Week 2010 NYC Pride March. We knew this would be a site to be seen as it was the parade’s 40th anniversary.
The parade began at noon and ran from 36th and 5th and ended in Greenwich Village at the location of the 1969 Stonewall riots.
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.
The parade featured three Grand Marshalls this year:
Dan Choi :
Lt. Choi’s selection and acceptance of the honor of NYC LGBT Pride Grand Marshal marks the first time in U.S. history that an openly gay male on active service with the U.S. Armed Forces will be an LGBT pride march Grand Marshal.
In October 1998, Judy and Dennis Shepard lost their 21 year-old son, Matthew, to a murder motivated by anti-gay hate. Matthew’s death moved many thousands of people around the world to attend vigils and rallies in his memory.
Constance McMillen is a Mississippi high school honors student who fought back when her school told her she couldn’t take her girlfriend to the prom.
Talk about Operation Beautiful. These are certainly people who have stood up for their beliefs in peaceful yet powerful ways.
Today’s parade was filled with colorful characters, cheers, and plenty of dancing! I was surprised that the parade wasn’t more dense as I have heard a great deal about this parade historically and expected it to be constant music and dance. Instead there was normally a minute or two before each group of marchers.
There were lots of faces but only one that I recognized!
Bethenny from Real Housewives of NYC was throwing out beads and showing pride in a Skinnygirl Smart Car.
Enjoy the pictures!
