Gay Pride!!…and Prejudice??

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The Empire State Building illuminated like a rainbow

It’s summer in NY and the wedding gowns are out in force. But this time its not just the heterosexual community that will be getting hitched. In a monumental piece of legislation passed by Albany on Friday June 24th 2011, New York became the 6th and largest state to legalize same-sex marriages. In an effort spearheaded by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (a Democrat), the Republican lead state Senate of NY voted 33-29 in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

While many hope this legislation in NY will be the start of a trend, the grim reality is that same-sex marriage is not a subject easily broached, even in more progressive states like California. And in states like Georgia it remains an elusive dream.  The interesting dichotomy between progressive and conservative viewpoints, compounded by the politics of the state are pretty well highlighted in two articles in the New York Times that can be read here and here.

Two days before the annual Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) parade in NYC, the decision could not have come at a more appropriate time (of course it may have been timed to do just that).  The city was out on the streets to celebrate …and how. Thousands thronged 5th Avenue to witness the outlandish, rainbow-colored spectacle and the raw emotion in the air was tangible; you would have to be a rock to not get caught up in the moment. A weight had been lifted off the collective shoulders of the community and scenes of unbridled celebration were visible everywhere you looked.

As someone who had never been to this parade before the emotions were overwhelming.  It feels great to be a part of history being created; to be able to say – “I was there when it happened”. Considering the jaded lives we live, the list of things that emotionally move us grows smaller by the day. Witnessing unadulterated happiness is a blessing…. and on that Sunday I felt blessed.

Below are some of the memorable shots I captured at the parade. I wanted to capture the sense of elation at the parade and even provide some context around the event itself. Because it was a slightly overcast day I experimented with some handheld pan shots to add to the mood. The colors of the flagrant costumes popped amazingly thanks to the cloudy conditions.

The presence of families, particularly children with their gay parents was incredibly moving. Gay parents marched proudly holding infants aloft and to my right twins adopted by gay parents stood proudly with their parents observing. Another gay couple to my left cheered all participants loudly. It was truly an incredible experience.

The signs on display were particularly telling. From signs expressing gratitude towards Gov. Cuomo to those against hate crimes to the downright funny slogans, each sign was memorable in its own right. Below are images of some of the signs

And then of course there were the costumes – from the bedazzling to the bizarre. The parade lived up to its promise of a wild display of extravaganza and unmatched revelry.

This was definitely a day of introspection for me, being at the parade with my wife. Though the question has never been directly been posed to me, I have always known what my answer would be if someone were to ask me my opinion on same-sex marriage. I support it with all my heart. Probably the most famous phrase in the US Declaration of Independence is – Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and in my mind there is no doubt that everyone has the right to choose their partners in their respective pursuits….regardless of color, religion and sex.

Hope you enjoy this post.

-S

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