Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk, J. Edgar) leads as the Grand Marshall of the gay pride parade in Salt Lake City, Utah, June 3, 2012. This past Sunday, upward of 300 current and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who identify themselves as “Mormons Building Bridges,” marched together with 5,000 members of the LGBT community in the city’s gay pride parade.
The event was noted in TakePart’s “Clip of the Day,” but deserves a closer look; so click forward through the gallery to see communities uniting for tolerance, acceptance and solidarity.
Mormons Building Bridges
Sporting Sunday church attire, the crowd of heterosexual Mormons proved that religious groups can be supportive regarding gay marriage and gay pride. Mormons Building Bridges’ Facebook page stated, “Each step we take will be an outward demonstration of our commitment to loving our neighbors.”
Hopefully, other religious groups can identify with and adopt this sentiment.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Equal Support
The Utah Pride Parade also received the more expected support of the Human Rights Campaign. Constantly campaigning for equality, the HRC has millions of supporters across the nation. The presence of the group’s yellow-equal-sign-on-blue-background logo symbolizes the support of HRC members who were unable to make it to stake out Salt Lake’s turf.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Partying Proud
In time-honored Pride fashion, a float passes by carrying a group of dancing men in underwear. Adorned with cages, disco balls and the gay-pride flag, this float celebrates the freedom of expression and spirit that Pride is all about.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Cardboard Champion of Change
Two women stick it to the man, literally, as they parade a cardboard cutout of the country’s most high-profile Mormon politician, Mitt Romney. If only the presidential candidate were present in the flesh. Romney showing support at Pride would be a statement all straight Americans could be proud of. Sadly, the candidate’s cardboard attendance won’t counter his vocal opposition to gay marriage. Brushing aside the question of religious conviction, Romney claims to believe that marriage should be restricted to a man and a woman for society’s benefit.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Moms of Pride
These two partnered moms, with their kids, are precisely the “threat” to society that Romney reasons makes gay marriages not viable. If American society has reached a point where it can be harmed by parents who love each other and by happy children who learn to be proud of their identity, then maybe Mitt is right. But maybe the U.S. melting pot is ready for more gay marriages, or at least more marriages of loving and tolerant people who will shape loving and tolerant generations to come.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
The Colors of Pride
Marchers carry, and wear, the colors of gay pride with these dragon-headed ribbons. The pride colors date back to 1978 when artist Gilbert Baker, after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and befriending Harvey Milk in San Francisco, designed the Gay Pride Flag. The different colors are meant to represent various virtues. From the original flag with its eight stripes: pink symbolizes sexuality, red—life, orange—healing, yellow—sunlight, green—nature, turquoise—magic and art, blue—serenity and harmony, and violet—spirit.
Photo: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
Wearing Color
This woman wears her identity and her pride on her sleeve, or on her head rather. This image of his vision decorating another person’s scalp would certainly make Baker proud. Rocking the LGBT colors, and fully embracing their meanings, makes participating in the Utah pride parade fulfilling and powerful.
