gaygroups
06-20-2005, 06:20 PM
It's Gay Pride Week (http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=51628&search_result=1&stid=200), and events to celebrate kicked off Sunday with a rally in Bryant Park. NY1 will be highlighting those events all week long, and as Cindi Avila explains in the following report, AIDS education and equal rights were both a major focus of the day.
"I'm a famous lesbian comedian," said Karen Williams, just one of the entertainers who kicked off Gay Pride Week in Manhattan on Sunday.
The annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rally spotlighted gay performers. There was even some educational entertainment, like a reminder to have safe sex, and a group of drag queens passed condoms out to the crowd.
“We're a reminder that AIDS is still here and we have to deal with it,” said a safe sex advocate who goes by the name Daisy. “But we're a fun reminder, we're not a horror show. We want to keep it light. We don't want it to be a downer."
While AIDS education was a big theme at the rally, the theme of the week is "Equal Rights, No More, No Less."
“We're just human beings who want to have the same rights as everybody else," said rally organizer Michelle Irimia.
Gay Pride Week started 36 years ago. Organizers say things have obviously come a long way, and they hope 36 years from now there will be a whole lot more progress.
“Well, hopefully it will be a complete celebration instead of a half-celebration and half-protest,” says Irimia. “So hopefully we'll be 100 percent and have all the same rights as my parents have these days."
Brian Ellner, a Democrat running for Manhattan borough president, is fighting for gay rights. He used the rally to get his message out too.
“I'm an openly gay candidate, and we're trying to make history,” said Ellner. “We've never had an openly gay [candidate] elected to citywide or borough wide office in New York before. It's the kickoff to Pride, and I'm proud and I'm running for office."
There are still a lot more events to come this week. It all culminates Sunday, June 26th with a street fair and a march in Manhattan that's expected to draw thousands.
"I'm a famous lesbian comedian," said Karen Williams, just one of the entertainers who kicked off Gay Pride Week in Manhattan on Sunday.
The annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rally spotlighted gay performers. There was even some educational entertainment, like a reminder to have safe sex, and a group of drag queens passed condoms out to the crowd.
“We're a reminder that AIDS is still here and we have to deal with it,” said a safe sex advocate who goes by the name Daisy. “But we're a fun reminder, we're not a horror show. We want to keep it light. We don't want it to be a downer."
While AIDS education was a big theme at the rally, the theme of the week is "Equal Rights, No More, No Less."
“We're just human beings who want to have the same rights as everybody else," said rally organizer Michelle Irimia.
Gay Pride Week started 36 years ago. Organizers say things have obviously come a long way, and they hope 36 years from now there will be a whole lot more progress.
“Well, hopefully it will be a complete celebration instead of a half-celebration and half-protest,” says Irimia. “So hopefully we'll be 100 percent and have all the same rights as my parents have these days."
Brian Ellner, a Democrat running for Manhattan borough president, is fighting for gay rights. He used the rally to get his message out too.
“I'm an openly gay candidate, and we're trying to make history,” said Ellner. “We've never had an openly gay [candidate] elected to citywide or borough wide office in New York before. It's the kickoff to Pride, and I'm proud and I'm running for office."
There are still a lot more events to come this week. It all culminates Sunday, June 26th with a street fair and a march in Manhattan that's expected to draw thousands.