The 2013 Gay Pride Parade in Minneapolis was similar to
previous years I have attended with gay and lesbian bands marching, people in
quirky customs, and liberal politicians all making their way down Nicollet
Avenue. Minnesota companies who
celebrate their GLBT employees set up booths and hand out freebies. Men walked around in speedos. However, this year offered a new set of
venders – wedding planning services for gay couples since same-sex couples will
be able to marry starting August 1st.
I was very much affected by the
environment of joy following political and social victories. In November, Minnesota voters said, “No” to a
constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a
woman. In May, the Minnesota senate and
house passed legislation which legalizes same-sex marriage. I know this is not the end of fighting
homophobia, and that marriage is not the end-all be-all for many gay and
lesbian couples, but I think it is an important step.
Minnesota Vikings player Chris
Kluwe was the Grand Marshall of the parade after being very vocal in the past
year about supporting gay rights. He
quit writing his column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press after they decided to
support the Constitutional Amendment.
I
remember doing my first report on same-sex marriage during eighth grade. I wrote about the struggles in Hawaii and
Vermont to legalize gay and lesbian marriage, and how those had backfired into
the Defense of Marriage act. George W.
Bush was elected during that year, and it seemed state after state was changing
its constitution to make same-sex marriage nearly impossible. I remember thinking I would be an old woman
before any American gay or lesbian couples were married.
But it
happened! I could not stop tearing up during the parade. The crowd was cheering on the people in the
parade, and the people in the parade were having so much fun. Couples held hands, kissed, and pushed their
babies in strollers. My cousin walked in
the parade with his gay fraternity, and walked around with my friend and my
mother.
Mommmm
Ariella and I
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