Yesterday tens of thousands of people made their way to Washington DC, our nation’s capitol, in order to take to the streets to demand of our government that equal rights in marriage, military service, immigration and more be extended to ALL citizens of the United States of America. David and I were lucky enough to attend yesterday’s historic march and were able to see first hand the action up close and personal. Here are are a few photos from the New York Times to give a taste of the event yesterday and some deets about what went down:
Tens of thousands of gay-rights activists marched Sunday in Washington to show President Obama and Congress that they are impatient with what they consider piecemeal progress and are ready to fight at the federal level for across-the-board equality, including for the right to marry and the right to serve in the military. Key votes on same-sex marriage are coming up in the District and Maine, and Obama reiterated his campaign promise Saturday to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that forces gay and lesbian members of the armed forces to keep their sexual orientation a secret. But organizers of the National Equality March and its participants said they want to shift the political effort toward seeking equality in all states, rather than accepting just local and state-level victories. “We’re not settling,” said Cleve Jones, co-chairman of the march and founder of the Names Project, the AIDS memorial quilt that recognizes Americans who have died from HIV- or AIDS-related causes. “There’s no such thing as a fraction of equality. We want equal protection under the law.” The march was coordinated by Equality Across America, a group formed this year. Organizers said they represent those who want immediate fundamental change in the legal status of gays, as opposed to those who think patience is needed as legal obstacles are overcome. Some in the latter group are political veterans, such as Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the highest-ranking openly gay political figure in the United States. Last week, Frank said he thought the march was “useless,” a remark that was attacked at the rally. “How many more tears should be shed before some politicians in a backroom can decide it is convenient to join us and fight for our freedom?” asked David Mixner, a longtime activist who spoke at the rally. Attendees expressed complicated feelings about Obama. Nearly every person interviewed said he or she had voted for him, but many people said they were disappointed by what they see as a lack of action on key gay-rights issues, such as letting gays serve openly in the military. Thousands of people marched from McPherson Square, a few blocks from the White House, down Pennsylvania Avenue, chanting “President Obama: Let mama marry mama!” and “L, G, B, T — We demand equality!” Marchers carried signs reading “We Won’t Wait for Full Equality” and “Mind Your Own Marriage.” Spectators watched from the street and the roof of the Newseum, many cheering the participants. As the march ended about 2:30 p.m., people gathered on Capitol Hill for a rally. Many supporters identified themselves as heterosexual, carrying signs with such slogans as “I’m Not Queer But I’m Here.” Organizers seemed surprised by the turnout.
It was a pretty fantastic day … being a part of it all … there are no words. As anyone who even remotely knows me, I’m not the kind of person who likes to get up at 5AM in order to walk around all day long — so it must’ve been a pretty important cause to get me active. But in all seriousness, I am so thankful that David pushed and planned for us to be at yesterday’s march. Walking the streets of Washington DC with so many other people united in the single push to demand equal treatment from our government was really an event I’ll remember for the rest of my life. After the jump, check out some of my personal photos and watch video of speakers Lady Gaga, Cynthia Nixon and Dustin Lance Black at the National Equality March yesterday …
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