 "Photo: Igor Studenkov")
The 39th Annual Chicago Pride Parade got off to a rousing start when a convertible with a large "Thank You, California" sign drove down Halsted Street. Robert Castillo and John Pennycuff, a Logan Park couple who have been together for seventeen years, held up their marriage license as the crowd cheered.
The recent legalization of same sex marriage in California reverberated throughout the parade. Many floats had signs acknowledging and celebrating the event. Countless banners proclaimed equal rights and support for same-sex unions. Other floats had larger displays. A float decorated with rainbow umbrellas urged the onlookers to support House Bill 1826 - a legislation that would establish civil unions for same sex couples in Illinois. Another float took a less serious approach, depicting Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street getting married.
Eric Alva, a gay US Army veteran, served as the Grand Marshal of this year's parade. He was the first American soldier to be injured in Iraq. In 2007, he went public with his orientation. Since then, he worked to persuade US Congress to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Fittingly, this year's parade featured a procession of gay veterans.
In other ways, the Pride Parade has not changed much from previous years. GLBT as well as straight businesses, dancing troupes, and community organizations appeared in full force. Many floats had scantily clad dancers, but this time around, they were a bit more gender-balanced.
UIC Pride made an appearance, as did Pride organizations from other Chicago area colleges. The Congregational United Church of Christ and the Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist Church, which are located in Arlington Heights and Palatine, respectively, made their Pride Parade debut. Both churches wanted to show their support while demonstrating that GLBT individuals are welcome in their congregation. Many politicians were represented as well. Republican officials received particularly hardy applause, as did the Log Cabin Republicans delegation. While Barack Obama did not attend the parade, his supporters blanketed the parade route, showering the onlookers with stickers and campaign literature. As usual, US Representative Jan Schakowsky was on hand, and her supporters handed out fans, to the relief of the heat-weary crowd.
Unfortunately, the event did not go off without a hitch. About half way through the parade, one of the dancers fell off the float and broke her leg, bringing the parade to a halt for almost an hour. During that time, at least one person fainted from a heat stroke. And as the wait dragged on, the weather took a turn for the worst, unleashing torrents of rain. The parade participants tried to cope with these problems as best they could. Actors from the Oriental Theatre used their float for an impromptu performance, continuing even during the severe downpour. As the performer who portrayed Elphaba from Wicked defiantly proclaimed, they were not about to let the rain keep them down.
As before, the parade attracted protestors. However, instead of staying at the corner of Belmont and Clark, they made a point of walking through the crowds before the parade, passing out leaflets and brochures.
As usual, public transportation was put under severe strain during the parade. The L trains were hampered by the ongoing three-track renovation. In deference to the parade, several CTA bus routes were redirected, leading system-wide delays. Route 77 suffered a particularly severe case of bunching. At one point, the westbound bus ran forty minutes behind schedule while eastbound buses continued to pile up. To the CTA's credit, they did a much better job of explaining the rerouting this time around. Every bus stop near the parade had a detailed description of where the buses were going to stop, and the descriptions on its official website were fairly comprehensive.
According to Chicago Pride Parade organizers, approximately 45,000 people attended this year's celebration - approximately 25,000 more than the previous year. In spite of rain and lateness, 39th Annual Chicago Pride Parade proved to be a resounding success.
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