NYC Celebrates Prop 8 Overturn

About 200 NYC activists gathered at the New York Supreme Court in downtown Manhattan last night to celebrate the overturn of Proposition 8 and to breathe renewed life into New York state's own battle for marriage equality.

Speakers at the rally included Marriage Equality New York head Cathy Marino-Thomas, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, state Sen. Thomas Duane, and Charlie Ramos, the 2010 state Senate opponent of evil homophobe Sen. Ruben Diaz.

Among the homorati in the crowd was rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker, Towleroad correspondent Corey Johnston, Gay USA host Ann Northrop, Latino activist Andres Duque, Queens activists Brendan Fay and Brandon Brock, World of Wonder blogger Wayne Anderson, New Civil Rights Movement bloggers David Badash and Caleb Eigsti, Fire Island News reporter Michael Lavers, Advocate reporter Julie Bolcer, and safer sex activist/blogger Eric Leven.

After the speeches were concluded, attendees each took a single white flower across the plaza to lay on the steps of the Supreme Court building. While I expected to find a larger crowd, it was great to run into so many of New York's equality champions on such a celebratory day. The last few times we all gathered, it was with anger and disappointment in our faces. Last night was a different story. For once. Full-screen versions of the below slideshow are here.