'PARISIAN' THEME SEEN IN PARADE.Byline: Rick Coca Special to the Daily News WEST HOLLYWOOD West Hollywood A community of southern California northeast of Beverly Hills. It is mainly residential. Population: 36,600. - Led by Grand Marshals Paris Hilton  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. and her mother, Kathy Hilton, the 35th annual Christopher Street West Christopher Street West (CSW) is the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Pride Parade and Festival held in June in West Hollywood, California, USA.Named after New York City's famed Christopher Street, the site of the Stonewall Rebellion. Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday drew an estimated 300,000 people celebrating the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender transgender or transgendered adj. Transsexual. community. The parade, part of a three-day festival, focused on pride in the community, featuring Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa and actresses Dana Delany and Rose McGowan, as well as dancers, community organizations, high school students and mainstays like the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) has been a notable part of the Southern California performing arts community for over twenty-six years. Formed July 12, 1979 as a volunteer effort of 99 gay men from all over the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, GMCLA has . Sandie Crisp from Los Angeles, who has been to all 35 of the festivals, thinks they offer an opportunity to build bridges. ``I think people, straight as well as gay, have to unite,'' Crisp said. ``This planet has to house everybody. Instead of battling each other, we should be working together for unity and equality for everybody.'' Rodney Scott, president of Christopher Street West, said the need to encourage the community to have pride is more relevant now than ever. ``You grow up in an environment where you're told that you're less than everybody else,'' Scott said. ``You grow up in an environment where, not all, but some parents are embarrassed by you. Well, this weekend (at the festival), you're OK.'' Scott and others pointed to many issues facing the community, from drug abuse of crystal meth meth n. Methamphetamine hydrochloride. to equal rights for same-sex marriages. Jenifer Steiner and her partner, Diana Ramirez, have been a couple 12 years. They see the festival as a way to support their desire to marry. ``I don't care if churches don't want to marry us, but the states should recognize our rights,'' Steiner said. Rick Coca, (818) 713-3636 rick.coca(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Heiress Paris Hilton, grand marshal of Sunday's Christopher Street West Pride Parade in West Hollywood, waves to the enthusiastic crowd of 300,000. (2 -- color) Members of the Equality California organization, calling for the legalization LEGALIZATION. The act of making lawful. 2. By legalization, is also understood the act by which a judge or competent officer authenticates a record, or other matter, in order that the same may be lawfully read in evidence. Vide Authentication. of same-sex marriage, march in Sunday's parade. David Sprague/Staff Photographer |
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