sharon gless and lt. dan choi in the miami pride parade
photo credit // miami herald
Miami, FL -
Early signs of pride season were visible Saturday in Miami Beach, Florida as gay activist Lt. Dan Choi and actress Sharon Gless led at least 30,000 revelers down one the city's most picturesque streets, the Miami Herald reported.
Last year's inaugural event drew 20,000 merrymakers – surprising organizers who had planned for 5,000.
Miami Beach's parade kicks off a long – and becoming longer – gay pride season that hits its stride in June.
Co-grand marshals Choi and Gless helmed the parade from the backseat of a vintage Rolls Royce.
Choi is the 29-year-old Iraq war veteran whose military career was put on hold when he outed himself last year on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. The Army responded with an official discharge, which Choi is fighting. Since then, the 29-year-old has become the most visible and outspoken critic of "don't ask, don't tell," the military policy that bans gay troops from serving openly.
Emmy- and Globe-winning actress Gless is best known for her portrayal of Debbie Novotny on HBO's groundbreaking gay drama Queer as Folk. Gless' first starring role as a lesbian came in last year's Hannah Free.
Last year's parade marked the return of gay pride in Miami-Dade County after a decade-long absence.
"It was fun. People supporting other people," 12-year-old Dania Valdes of Miami told the paper. "I was in the parade. It was cool."
Last year's inaugural event drew 20,000 merrymakers – surprising organizers who had planned for 5,000.
Miami Beach's parade kicks off a long – and becoming longer – gay pride season that hits its stride in June.
Co-grand marshals Choi and Gless helmed the parade from the backseat of a vintage Rolls Royce.
Choi is the 29-year-old Iraq war veteran whose military career was put on hold when he outed himself last year on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. The Army responded with an official discharge, which Choi is fighting. Since then, the 29-year-old has become the most visible and outspoken critic of "don't ask, don't tell," the military policy that bans gay troops from serving openly.
Emmy- and Globe-winning actress Gless is best known for her portrayal of Debbie Novotny on HBO's groundbreaking gay drama Queer as Folk. Gless' first starring role as a lesbian came in last year's Hannah Free.
Last year's parade marked the return of gay pride in Miami-Dade County after a decade-long absence.
"It was fun. People supporting other people," 12-year-old Dania Valdes of Miami told the paper. "I was in the parade. It was cool."
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine
