Advocates Launch Largest Gay Rights Protest in U.S. History Over Prop. 8

Gay rights activists marched on Washington, D.C., last Saturday to protest the narrow passage of California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state. Fifty-two percent of Californians supported the measure.
A colorized American flag flies in front of the Capitol before the protest: Click the image to see a slideshow of the event.
Organizers at the event said dozens of similar protests were going on that day across the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The organizers said the combined protest was the largest gay rights protest in U.S. history.

The planned route began at the Capitol reflecting pool and headed down the National Mall toward the Washington Monument, then turned up 14th Street Northwest toward the White House and ended at Lafayette Square.

Attendance reports varied: The Washington Blade, a weekly newspaper aimed at the Washington gay community, estimated that 5,000 people attended the Washington protest, while The Associated Press estimated the number to be 500. The protesters filled an area from the Capitol reflecting pool to the Washington Monument, a distance of about a mile, suggesting the number was closer to the Blade's estimate.

“We came out here just to be visible. It's really important that the American public see who we are and whose rights were taken away in California, and who are the families and couples and allies that continue to ask for full equality under the law,” said Cathy McElrath Renna from Mt. Pleasant, who was there with her partner, Leah McElrath Renna, and their daughter Rosemary.

“Families headed by lesbian and gay parents are American families. Marriage rights are American civil rights. We are American citizens, we pay our taxes, and we deserve equal rights,” Leah said.

Groups from local universities also showed up to protest Proposition 8. A group from Georgetown coordinated by GU Pride, the campus' lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organization, marched together to the staging area, shouting slogans through bullhorns and carrying signs.

“We came out here today just because we thought it was so important. We've been paying attention to the election, and we were so excited about Barack Obama, then this [Proposition 8] was such a horrible thing,” said Leslie Gordon, a student at Georgetown University from Pittsburgh, Pa.

Several protesters were seen wearing T-shirts picturing President-elect Barack Obama. Obama has publicly opposed Proposition 8, and attended a conference with other Democratic presidential candidates during the primaries about gay rights issues.

“Unfortunately I'm not a fortune teller, but I would hope that with the resounding election of [Obama] across the entire country that it's an indication of the change that is coming and that people realize that these other things like ... gay marriage bans and anti-gay feelings are a thing of the past,” said Hannah Tesman, who was wearing an Obama shirt.

The weather was cold and windy, and tornado warnings were issued for the area. The skies opened up as the march neared the Washington Monument and it began to downpour, but that did not deter the protesters. The downpour ended quickly, and the march continued on under a rainbow, a traditional symbol for the gay community.