Gay Pride Focuses on Religion, Marriage*

Monday June 25, 2007 2:31 AM

By KAREN MATTHEWS

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Religious groups led the city's gay pride parade on
Sunday, lending gravity to an often outrageous event that also featured
a jumble of drag queens in feather boas, marching bands,
motorcycle-riding lesbians, rugby players and samba dancers.

``We stand for a progressive religious voice,'' said Rabbi Sharon
Kleinbaum of New York City's Congregation Beth Simchat Torah. ``Those
who use religion to advocate an anti-gay agenda, I believe, are
blaspheming God's name.''

The annual parade, one of dozens around the world, commemorates the 1969
Stonewall riots in which patrons at a Greenwich Village gay bar fought
back against a police raid.

At San Francisco's festival, the wife of Democratic presidential hopeful
John Edwards marked the occasion by splitting with her husband over
support for legalized gay marriage.

``I don't know why someone else's marriage has anything to do with me,''
Elizabeth Edwards said at a news conference before the parade. ``I'm
completely comfortable with gay marriage.''

Kleinbaum, who heads the world's largest predominantly gay synagogue,
and the Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church,
were the New York parade's grand marshals, waving from hers-and-his
convertibles.

The march took place days after the New York State Assembly passed a
bill legalizing same-sex marriage, which Gov. Eliot Spitzer supports.
Although the bill is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled state
Senate anytime soon, parade-goers said they were cheered by the
Assembly's action.

``This is one very important step toward full equality for all New
Yorkers,'' Kleinbaum said.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, one of the nation's most prominent
openly gay elected officials, said she could not predict when the Senate
might approve same-sex marriage.

``All conventional wisdom in New York state on gay marriage is out the
window,'' she said. ``I think we are really doing better than anyone
would ever have thought we could be doing on this.''

As in past years, exhibitionists were also on display as the parade
inched down Fifth Avenue and into Greenwich Village. Some revelers
gyrated in bikini briefs and pranced in spike heels.

But the placement of the Christian, Jewish and Buddhist religious
organizations near the head of the march - ahead of AIDS service groups
and political advocacy groups - gave them unaccustomed prominence.

A Buddhist group carried signs that said ``Construct Dignity in Your
Heart'' and ``Don't Block Your Buddha.''

``We're all Buddhas,'' said Hortense De Castro, a teacher from
Manhattan. ``It's just a matter of letting it come out.''

The gay Catholic group Dignity had a float and a giant rainbow flag.
Jeff Stone, secretary of the New York chapter, said he was hopeful the
church would someday change its stance opposing homosexuality.

``We see that the opinion of ordinary Catholics is changing,'' he said.
``Eventually what happens at the grass roots percolates up in the church.''

Mayor Michael Bloomberg marched with Quinn and other elected officials,
including Lt. Gov. David Paterson.

Toni Cinanni of Perth, Australia, said she was surprised at the
prominence of the church groups.

``I thought the religious groups had hijacked the parade,'' she said.
``I couldn't put it together, religion and sexuality.''

New York's parade featured contingents of gay police officers and
firefighters, as well as ethnic gay groups including South Asians,
Haitians and American Indians. An Argentinian and Uruguayan group
featured an Eva Peron impersonator in a flowing gown.

Tens of thousands of people attended the march. Spectators lining Fifth
Avenue included gay people sporting rainbow flags and curious tourists.

Andrew Stanley of Shrewsbury, England, said the march was ``very colorful.''

``I've never seen one before,'' he said, ``but I think it's a good idea.''

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Associated Press writer Paul Elias in San Francisco contributed to this
report.

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On the Net: http://www.nycpride.org/