I fell asleep at my computer on Friday night. At 1:30 AM, I was awakened with cheering on the streets. I heard someone say something about gay marriage. I flipped open my laptop and hit the bookmark for the New York Times. There it was – live front page news- an all-caps, six-column headline: NEW YORK PASSES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, BECOMING LARGEST STATE TO PASS LAW.

Wow. That really is big news. This late Friday night passing of this law is a watershed event. That evening, there was late night celebration at the Stonewall Inn at 53 Christopher Street. On Sunday, the annual Gay Pride parade was held. The timing of the passing of the same-sex marriage law with the annual parade was perfect – the march became a celebration of this historic event for the gay community. Paraders held signs proclaiming “Thanks Governor Cuomo,” “Promise Kept,” “Marriage Now,” “I DO support marriage equality,” and “Our Next March Down the Aisle.”

An opinion piece from the New York Times says:

New York State has made a powerful and principled choice by giving all couples the right to wed and enjoy the legal rights of marriage. It is a proud moment for New Yorkers, thousands of whom took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate this step forward. But this moment does not erase the bigotry against gays and lesbians enshrined in the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and allows any state to refuse to recognize another state’s unions.

There are many gay couples who have long term committed relationships. They have, however, had to settle for living in the margins and alcoves of society. I have had family members, employees and friends who were gay, as I am sure many of you have. Most speak of the tremendous stress and pressure of living a lifestyle which requires secrecy and obfuscation. Even in New York City, complete openness about being gay is limited to times and places. You will only on rare occasion see gay couples walking hand in hand. And there still is opposition to gay marriage. Most major religious institutions do not sanction homosexuality.

Same-sex marriage is legally recognized nationwide in 10 countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden. In the United States, couples can marry in six states (Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York) and Washington, DC.

The New York State Marriage Equality Act became law on June 24, 2011 and will take effect in 30 days – July 24. The New York law has no residency requirement. New York also recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries where same-sex marriage is legal.

There is a business side to this also. According to Bloomberg News:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to unveil a campaign to sell the most populous U.S. city as a gay-wedding destination after thousands marched to celebrate the state’s legalization of such marriages. The “NYC I Do” campaign “will create millions of dollars in additional economic impact to the city’s $31 billion tourism industry,” Kimberly Spell, a spokeswoman for New York & Company, the city’s marketing office, said yesterday in an email. Bloomberg will unveil more details in coming days, she said.

On Friday night, June 24, 2011, it certainly was Extra! Extra! Read All About It.

Related Posts: They Are a-Changin’, No Red Faces, Time Has Come, Buddies, Steal the Show, Pride March, Dyke March, Gay Liberation Monument, Gay Pride Parade

(see Part 1 here)

This is Part 2 of the 2011 Mermaid Parade. See my complete gallery of photos here.

Previous Mermaid Parade Posts: Mermaid Parade 2006 P1, Mermaid Parade 2006 P2, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 1, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 2, Mermaid Parade 2009, Mermaid Parade 2010

This is the 5th year I have attended and photographed the annual Mermaid Parade on the boardwalk by the ocean at Coney Island. It is becoming larger and a little more difficult to negotiate through. This year, I spent my time at the exit area for paraders. An entire city block is closed off and with paraders milling about, it is much easier to mingle with and photograph parade participants. My favorite parade – highly recommended.

See Part 2 here.

Previous Mermaid Parade posts: Mermaid Parade 2006 P1, Mermaid Parade 2006 P2, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 1, Mermaid Parade 2007 Part 2, Mermaid Parade 2009, Mermaid Parade 2010

NYU students held a “You are Loved” Glowlight Vigil in Washington Square Park on Sunday night, October 3, at 9PM. In the wake of six recent suicides nationwide* provoked by anti-gay acts, the vigil was organized by the NYU chapter of a national fraternity created by gay men, Delta Lambda Phi, and NYU’s LGBTQA Office to honor ‘all of those we have lost due to hatred and bigotry.’

The latest suicide was that of Tyler Clementi, an 18-year old Rutgers University freshman who jumped from the George Washington Bridge on September 22 after an intimate encounter with another man was streamed via hidden webcam to the Internet. Tyler’s Facebook page on the day of his death said: “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry.” Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, and another classmate, Molly Wei, have been charged with invasion of privacy.

The glowlight vigil segued into the 2nd annual ‘You-Are-Loved Chalk Messaging Project’:

The You-Are-Loved Chalk Message Project is an annual, nationwide suicide-prevention awareness project that combats hateful rhetoric toward the LGBTQ community through the use of positive, uplifting chalk messages.
Words are powerful. Speak with love.

The legal issues, culpability, and appropriate punishment in regards to this incident of anti-gay cyberbullying of Tyler Clementi are very troublesome – I recommend this article by John Schwartz of the New York Times. I will not recount the details of this event, as there are better sources than this website for those interested. My condolences to all those affected by the tragedy, and thanks to NYU students for the vigil.

*The six who have died from suicide as a result of anti-gay bullying are: Asher Brown (age 13), Seth Walsh (age 13), Justin Aaberg (age 15), Billy Lucas (age 15), Tyler Clementi (age 18), and Raymond Chase (age 19).

Other Vigils on New York Daily Photo: Virginia Tech, Pawns, Can’t Argue With That, Free Laura and Euna

When it comes to a celebratory occasion, nothing seems to do the job like a good dousing. And when it comes to a good dousing, nothing does the job like a fountain. So it was natural that post-World Cup revelers would take their revelry to the fountain in Washington Square Park.

There is something a little gratuitous about a public water fountain, which suits a post championship triumph just fine, since, inevitably, something as monumental as Spain’s first victory in the World Cup will necessitate some over-the-top behavior.

This celebration caught me by surprise, since I was not aware of the final championship game results. A group worked their way from Fifth Avenue into the park and were joined by others. Soon the park’s central plaza became a sea of red and yellow, with chanting, flag waving, and water play. See my photo gallery here.
There are celebrations which are primarily excuses to party – often the completely disinterested find it a perfect opportunity to engage in orgiastic debauchery with intoxication at its core. This was not one of those times. Extreme inebriation was the exception, not the rule, and the focus on the meaning of this event was obvious to all.

Outside the United States, winning a soccer cup takes on a significance unparalleled here – these are international championships in the world’s most popular sport that take place only once every four years. It has been said that winning a cup can uplift the spirits and even boost the economy of an entire nation.
It is a joyous time for the victors, and here in our fountain, there and everywhere, Spain’s cup runneth over 🙂