Revelers Celebrate Supreme Court Ruling At Gay Pride March
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Rainbows and good cheer were out in force Sunday as hundreds of thousands of people packed Manhattan's streets for the annual gay pride parade, just days after the Supreme Court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
Revelers were no longer marching in demand, but rather in declaration of their new freedom, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reports.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo made use of some newly granted powers by officiating at the wedding ceremony of a same-sex couple in Manhattan in front of the Stonewall Inn, where years ago gay bar patrons stood up to a police raid.
"To have a civil wedding with the Governor at such a historic spot on a historic weekend -- meant so much to us," said Peter Thiede.
PHOTOS: NYC Gay Pride Parade
State law did not allow Cuomo to officiate at wedding ceremonies until last week. The authority to do so was granted as part of a slew of legislation passed days ago.
"This is a proud day for America because it stands up to one of the principles that makes America so special," Cuomo said. "It says, 'Today we treat equal people, equally.' And that really is the fundamental promise of this country."
Sunday's exchange of vows took place between David Contreras Turley, 36, who worked as part of the coalition to pass the marriage equality law in New York state, and Peter Thiede, 35, a UBS analyst.
"I can't describe to you the feelings of this weekend for a person who is LGBT," Turley told WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola. "We woke up Saturday morning just feeling different -- more equal, more loved."
Turley said the governor offered to perform the ceremony. They were planning to be married in September at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine -- and they will go through with that ceremony as well.
About 22,000 people marched in the 2-mile marade and more than 2 million people were expected to attend.
The parade stepped off at noon at 36th Street and Fifth Avenue and winded its way through Midtown to Greenwich Village. Cuomo marched behind a banner reading "NEW YORK LED THE WAY," WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported.
Nathan Hancock of New York says the Supreme Court's landmark decision is fueling the celebration.
"We're celebrating love and all people and new rights," Hancock said. "Even more of a celebration than ever, everybody's overwhelmed, the emotions are kind of pouring out of everybody."
Carla came to watch the festivities and said she's thrilled with the recent developments.
"Happy that people who do want to get married and deserve to get married can get married without having to travel to another state, another country," she told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria.
A drizzling rain earlier in the day wasn't enough to keep the massive crowd away.
"It's great that people are starting to be accepted for who they are, and society's judging them a little bit less," one man said. "And it's a really good time. I think you should come to the parade if you're not gay or trans."
James Fallarino, parade spokesman, said before the march it just doesn't get better than this.
"Excited isn't even a good enough word to describe how much I'm looking forward to today," he said. "It's the perfect timing for us. We couldn't have picked a better time."
The grand marshals for the parade are openly gay actors Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi; New York artist J. Christopher Neal; and the mother of Uganda's LGBT rights movement, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)