Gay Pride Parade 2014: Nation’s Biggest Cities Celebrate Gay Rights Like Never Before

A number of gay pride parades, large and small, took place throughout major cities in the U.S. on Sunday as the gay community, including the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities, celebrated and partied.

The parades had an extra spring in their step this year, mainly due to the fact that same-sex marriage has been permitted by law in some states, for the first time.

In New York, Fifth Avenue turned into a rainbow as thousands hit the streets to show their support. There were also some big names at the event, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as well as a whole host of celebrities.

The gay pride parade also marked the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots which took place back in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, which ushered in the way for the gay rights movement.

Over in Chicago, an estimated one million paraders were expected in the North Side district of the city and was the first parade of its type since Illinois legalized gay marriage.

The famous couple who were the first to tie the knot, Charlie Gurion and David Wilk, were, of course, at the parade to show their support.

Gurion said to reporters: “I think there is definitely like an even more sense of pride now knowing that in Illinois you can legally get married now. I think it is a huge thing and everybody’s over the moon that they can do it now.”

The gay pride parades 2014 also extended as far as San Francisco, where a hoard of motorcyclists, know as “Dykes on Bikes,” kicked off the festivities noisily and partied hard thorough the day.

Tim Cook, the chief exec of Apple Inc., who recently came out as gay, greeted around 4,000 employees from the community and that parade drew more than 100,000 participants and paraders.

However, one attendee in San Francisco, Larry Petit, didn’t agree, that the gay pride parade 2014 was better than previous years and even complained, saying:

“There’s less partying” than when he attended the parade 40 years ago. “There’s less sex. Everyone’s interested in politics and no one is having sex.”

Seattle also saw thousands of people who gathered downtown for the city’s 40th official annual gay pride parade.

Other states and cities which held events Minneapolis, Houston, Augusta, Georgia, Floyd, and Virginia, not to mention international pride parades in the U.K., France, Spain, Mexico, and Peru.

[Image credit: Benja Aquila’s Blog]