Charles Schumer, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President Gail Brewer and city Public Advocate Letitia James. Other top officials walking Sunday included Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We had a big wedding," said Moore, adding that she and her partner later married under New York law. Laura Moore was "illegally married" already in 1998, as her parade sign said. "So there's a lot of pride in being a New Yorker in the Pride Parade." "I'm so proud to be the governor of the state that passed marriage equality," he said. Same-sex marriage in New York became legal on July 24, 2011. Waves of cheers greeted the governor, praised for pioneering marriage equality. New York state can end its three-decade HIV crisis by the year 2020, Cuomo said Sunday as he outlined an ambitious plan to deliver a knockout blow to the epidemic by boosting testing, reducing new infections and expanding treatment. Andrew Cuomo announced a major state initiative against HIV and AIDS. The parade started hours after New York Gov. "I campaigned for 20 years to achieve what we have today," said Knapp, noting that boys who say they're gay can join the Scouts, but not anyone over 18. Rights have come a long way since then, said David Knapp, holding up a parade sign that read, "88-year-old Boy Scout leader kicked out for being gay." There, they passed by the Stonewall Inn, where the nation's gay rights movement began in 1969 with an uprising against a police raid. Then the bands played on as marchers gay and straight, bisexual and transgender, young and old filled the avenue all the way to Greenwich Village - following a lavender line painted from midtown Manhattan to the West Village. Francis Xavier from marching in the parade with a banner that reads, "A Roman Catholic Parish in New York City."Īssuming that the "Gay is Great" sign will also read "The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights," one must wonder if Dolan will place a similar restriction on Donohue's banner.NEW YORK – Fifth Avenue is rarely as quiet as it was on Sunday just before one of the world's biggest, most boisterous gay pride parades stepped off under a burst of rainbow-hued balloons.Īwaiting the annual pride march, thousands of people suddenly hushed and the music stopped for a moment of silence to remember those who died of AIDS. For years, Dolan has banned the Church of St. We have thousands of straight people participating in the Pride March, including Catholic groups, who support LGBT youth, families and married couples."ĭonohue's participation could also spark his first conflict with one of his most ardent supporters: Cardinal Timothy Dolan. His group's presence affirms the need for this year's Pride theme, 'We Have Won When We're One.' Straight is great - as long as there's no hate," he said.Ĭhris Frederick, managing director of NYC Pride, added, "Straight allies are great.
#Gay pride nyc parade 2014 free
Donohue and his group are free to participate in the 2014 March. Patrick's Day Parade, and not be turned away because of who I am."ĭavid Studinski, march director of NYC Pride, said, "Mr. I look forward to the day when I can march openly with Bill in the NYC St.
GLAAD's president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, "As a fellow Irish New Yorker, I'm hoping Bill will march with me at NYC Pride.
So far, LGBT organizations have responded by warmly welcoming Donohue to the celebration. (The Guinness beer company also pulled their support of the event over the issue.)
The issue was reignited this year because Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a significant break with tradition, refused to participate in this year's parade because of the ban. (The press release also offers a litany of Donohue's previous anti-LGBT statements.)Īs GLAAD notes, Donohue said recently in an interview with EWTN's " The World Over," "If I wanted to get into their gay pride parade with my own float with big banners saying 'straight is great,' they would have a right to feel put-upon and I wouldn't do that to them."ĭonohue was responding to the decadeslong battle over the barring of gay and lesbian organizations from marching in the New York City St. He plans to march with a banner that reads, "Straight is Great."ĭonohue's plan was announced today on the website of GLAAD, the nation's leading lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy organization. Bill Donohue, the very vocal head of the Catholic League, has emailed organizers with a request to march in this year's New York City Gay Pride Parade.īut no, Donohue's inquiry is not a sign that he has had any kind of personal realization.