San Fran Gay Pride Parade Features Something Unusual - Married Couples

[CShine]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The party still had its traditional leather-clad legions and dramatic drag queens, but Sunday's gay pride parade featured marchers even more radical - married same-sex couples. Gay and lesbian newlyweds hoisting poster-sized reproductions of their marriage licenses had a starring role at San Francisco's 34th annual parade. They were joined by Mayor Gavin Newsom and others who helped promote same-sex unions in the history-making wedding march at City Hall earlier this year. Other cities holding crowd-drawing parades Sunday included Atlanta, Seattle and New York, where gay pride parade-goers danced down Fifth Avenue and waved rainbow flags in celebration.

Newsom, who helped push the marriage debate onto the nation's agenda shortly after taking office, received the kind of reception usually reserved for rock stars and matinee idols, with shouts of "We love you Gavin" and "Ga-vin, Ga-vin, Ga-vin" rising from the crowd as he passed. When Newsom left his vintage convertible and met the crowd, people pushed over each other to take his picture, get his autograph or give him a kiss.

"It took courage to be in office such a short time and take the stance he did," said Tony Sosha, who marched with his new husband, Ens Layante.

<snip>

"Today we're celebrating what makes San Francisco right, which is the diversity. It's a very empowering experience," said Newsom, a 36-year-old Democrat.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBWU82SZVD.html