Gay Marriage Issue
Looms Over New York's
Pride Parade
By SHADI RAHIMI,
NYTimes on the Web, June 26, 2005
New York City -- Though
rainbow flags were displayed more prominently than campaign signs at the city's
annual gay pride parade, politics were on the minds of many marchers and
spectators for whom same-sex marriage and equal employee benefits remain
decisive issues this election season.
Shrieking excitedly as lesbians in black leather roared past on shiny
motorcycles, gay police officers in crisp uniforms waved, and drag queens blew
kisses as they strutted down Fifth Avenue, Maureen Warren, 24, and her
girlfriend, Allison Hansen, 23, reveled in their first gay event in New York
City.
The women, who plan to marry in March, were visiting from Lawrence, Kan., and
said they had paid $300 each to change their plane tickets and stay in the city
for the parade -- whose theme this year was "Equal rights: No more, no
less."
They watched the noisy procession march south from the Upper West Side to the
West Village today while standing across the street from a small crowd of mostly
white and male gay supporters of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
Glancing at one of their purple and white campaign signs, Ms. Warren -- a
graduate student with curly brown hair who wore a black shirt that read, "This
is what a feminist looks like" -- shook her head and frowned.
"In the heartland, New York is like a bastion of equal rights," she said softly,
stroking her girlfriend's hand. "But there still isn't same-sex marriage
here of all places. It's really unfortunate."
At a news conference just before the colorful and clamorous parade carried the
sounds of house, reggaeton and hip-hop music from above 48th Street down toward
Eighth Street, Mr. Bloomberg repeated his position on same-sex marriage, saying
that while he supports marriage for gay and lesbian couples, existing city laws
must change before he can condone the issuing of marriage licenses.
In February, the city appealed a decision by a state judge in a suit against New
York City that ruled in favor of plaintiffs who contended that the city had
violated their constitutional rights by refusing them marriage licenses.
That ruling sparked a debate among lawmakers, city officials and gay advocates
over whether New York would follow the lead of Boston and San Francisco by
sanctioning same-sex marriages.
The debate has heated up this election season, with mayoral candidates like
Fernando Ferrer being criticized by gay rights advocates for his vote as a Bronx
city councilman in 1986 in favor of amending the city's landmark gay rights law.
His vote got the issue out of committee onto the floor.
Mr. Ferrer, a Democrat, drew hisses and some boos from voters at a candidates'
forum in April held at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community
Center. He flew back to New York today to attend the gay pride parade,
leaving a conference for Latino elected officials in Puerto Rico, where he plans
to return this evening, a spokeswoman said.
Although Mr. Bloomberg and his four major Democratic opponents say they are
comfortable with the concept of same-sex marriage, they have yet to inspire
Gilbert Dipiano, 24, a public safety officer who lives in the Bronx.
Mr. Dipiano, who watched the parade by himself this year, said he wanted one of
the candidates to "take a stand" for same-sex marriage.
"New York is such a diverse city, it's just weird that gay marriage isn't legal
here," he said. "Other things are important to me as well, like the
economy of the city, but I'm still searching for someone to vote for; someone
who will stand for us."
For others at the parade, like David Klotz, 40, gay rights issues are weighed
along with other political concerns. Mr. Klotz, a city health planner who
lives in Chelsea, said that while he does not favor all of Mr. Bloomberg's
policies, he plans to vote for him.
"I'm not a one-issue voter, and I understand his rationale on the gay marriage
licenses, it's a state-level problem," Mr. Klotz said. "I've lived in this
city my whole life, I've lived through the fiscal crisis in the 70's, the crack
and AIDS crisis in the 80's, and I am voting to keep our economy strong."
Susan Misra, a 31-year-old Brooklyn resident, watched the parade with one arm
wrapped around the hips of her girlfriend, Toisha Tucker, 25, who wore a
tank-top that read "Taken" in rainbow colors.
Ms. Misra said she "will not forget at the polls" Mr. Bloomberg's opposition to
a law passed to require companies that do business with New York City to extend
the same benefits they provide to the spouses of employees to employees'
domestic partners.
The "Equal Benefits Law" was appealed by Mr. Bloomberg, who repeated his
position today at the news conference that he does not want to use the city's
buying power to "advance social issues."
"That was just ridiculous," said Ms. Misra, referring to the appeal. "I
think we need political leaders today who won't wait for the laws to change to
approve marriage, and who will treat us equally."
As the temperature rose, parade spectators perspired more and cheered louder at
the sight of dancing flesh on glittery, feathery or papier-mâché floats.
On the blocks between 45th and 50th Streets, the crowd was several rows deep.
The parade typically draws hundreds of thousands of people from across the
country.
Standing silently behind the rows of smiling people waving rainbow flags at the
marchers were a few members of the Christian group Repent America. The
members held signs that read, "Even if you think you were born gay, Jesus said:
'You must be born again' " and "Jesus Said Marriage = One Man + One Woman."
In April, evangelical Christian ministers held a news conference in New York
urging voters to defeat anyone who supports same-sex marriage. At the
parade today, a small contingent of New Yorkers and members of Repent America
from other states spread out in groups of three to deliver a similar message.
The director of the Philadelphia group, Michael Marcavage, 25, carried a bull
horn and wore a camera around his neck. He said the group aims to show
people that "homosexuality is a sin and Christ sets you free."
Pointing at the street, where a drag queen in pink waved from the back seat of a
black car commemorating the 1969 uprising by patrons during a police raid on the
Stonewall gay nightclub in the Village, Mr. Marcavage added, "We are very
disturbed by this sexually perverse activity."
That event began the modern gay rights movement.
It is the perception of gays as "freaks," which is easily exploited by the news
media at such events, that makes it difficult for gays and lesbians to be viewed
and treated as equals, said Julie Blevins, 40, who was visiting from Indiana.
"We're showboated and sensationalized," she said. "Parades like this are
great, it's a celebration, but then we have to go home and everything is the
same."
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