An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people marched in DC this weekend at the National Equality March to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and to extend full marriage rights to same-sex couples. Many celebrities attended and spoke. Lady Gaga even performed a version of “Imagine” prior to Obama’s speech.
Here are some of the highlights:
Openly gay spoken word artist Staceyann Chin impressed the crowd with her powerful speech: “Equality is more than a word we lend to politicians to garner votes … I march today because I believe that change is not only possible, but that it’s inevitable.”
Out actress Cynthia Nixon also spoke: “We are gathered here today from all over the US … today is a national rally and when we walk away from here tonight, we need to walk away with a common national resolve.” Nixon also le marchers in singing “Going to the Chapel.”
Obama’s speech promised to end the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy but didn’t provide details about how or when it would happen. He said “My expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians.”
Prior to the president’s speech, bisexual singer Lady Gaga performed a rendition of the classic song “Imagine” with the lyrics changed slightly to reference 1998 hate crime victim Matthew Shepard.
Source: AfterEllen.com
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