Protest Reaction: "I Am Not Alone or Unobserved"

Clearlyhere is a suburban gay/performing singer in the area, who wishes his boyfriend could have attended the protest with him

I attended the D.C. Protest against Prop 8. I had an audition in the morning, rehearsal for a show in the afternoon, and a performance of something different in the evening. Yes, this is my life. Some how I managed to shoehorn in a protest.

It started out as a sunny day in D.C. when the crowd gathered around the fountain in front of the Capital building. No one else I knew of was attending the rally so I braved it alone with my sign. I looked around at a crowd of people I didn't know. At first it felt like I was attending a concert alone. Shortly after arriving and trying to call a few friends who might have made it, we began the march. Dark clouds moved in swiftly. The rain started after three or four blocks and I was soaked in minutes but only on the front side. Most of the people around me were young gays in their twenties. A few girls were wearing straight against hate buttons. Many of the signs were rainbow and had a Marriage equality message of some sort, but the one that touched me most, much like the PFLAG float in the parade, said "Don't take away my son's right to marry." My mother was definitely not in the crowd. Overall, the crowd seemed young, probably due to the organizing the protest exclusively online.

The route took us down the mall past all the museums around the Washington Monument past the WWII memorial and up to the White House. People being tourist for the day watched on the side, most looking neutral, not approving or disapproving. Traffic was halted as we past by. Some people honked in support, others just looked ahead in annoyance at being stopped. It just seemed like a heightened reality as I waved my sign in the air and demanded equal civil rights. I've walked down the mall many times over the past 20 plus years. I've seen the Washington Memorial, the Capital Dome, and the White House more times that I can count, but it felt different as I marched in a column of people, united in one cause, screaming for my rights and the rights of Gay people across the country. I knew that we weren't the only ones screaming. Thousands of gay men and women and our straight allies were also marching. I hoped it would make a difference. I hoped that it was the beginning. I hope it is the beginning.

* Yes, I look like shit. A stranger took my photo with my phone after I was soaked and my sign was starting to fall apart due to wind and rain. Thank goodness I used duct tape or it would have been toast much earlier. The other side said "Value All Families." I felt I need to be less tongue and cheek with the other side.