Thousands converge on Indianapolis for 年次の LGBT parade
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ― Tens of thousands of people converged Saturday on Indianapolis for an 年次の parade celebrating the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community only months after a stinging 審議 over Indiana's new 宗教的な 反対s 法律.
市長 Greg Ballard, who served as grand 保安官 of the Cadillac Barbie IN Pride Parade, joined his wife, Winnie, in waving from the 支援する of a streetcar to thousands of 元気づける people who lined the downtown parade 大勝する.
The 共和国の／共和党の 市長 was 招待するd to serve as grand 保安官 after he spoke out against Indiana's 宗教的な 反対s 法律, which critics called 差別的な against the LGBT community.
Parade 関係者s ride on a float as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Tami Meyers, a 41-year-old nurse, traveled from Huntington in northern Indiana to see the parade with friends and 元気づける on parade 関係者s, some of whom 棒 頂上に colorful floats, waving rainbow 旗s that are a symbol of LGBT pride.
の中で the many 旗，新聞一面トップの大見出し／大々的に報道するs carried by those marching in the parade was one which read "God Loves You. No Exceptions" and 刺激するd 元気づけるs and whistles of support as it was carried along the parade 大勝する.
Meyers, who is lesbian, said she was stunned when she heard about the 宗教的な 反対s 法律 共和国の／共和党の Gov. マイク Pence 調印するd in March. Although 国会議員s 結局 明らかにするd that 法律 after some companies banned travel to the 明言する／公表する and some 条約s 脅すd to 取り消す, she said the 法律 had 害（を与える）d Indiana's image.
If Indiana 国会議員s fail next year to pass civil 権利s 保護s for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 居住（者）s, Meyers said she and many others in the LGBT community may 選ぶ to move to more welcoming 明言する／公表するs.
"Why would I stay in a 明言する／公表する that doesn't support me? I could go to one that does. It's hard to give your money to a 明言する／公表する when they don't support who you are. And it's really 非，不，無 of their 商売／仕事. It just gets my 血 boiling," she said.
Nicole Short, a 29-year-old bank teller from Indianapolis who's one of Meyer's friends, said it's "決定的な" that 国会議員s 是認する civil 権利s 保護s and move on past any 審議s about the LGBT community.
"It's 2015. Things have changed and Indiana needs to get on with the change because love is love. Period," she said.
Saturday's parade was the culmination of the Circle City IN Pride Festival, which featured 16 events over nine days.
Last year's parade attracted about 40,000 people and festival 大統領 Chris Morehead said Saturday's parade may 最高の，を越す that. He said the festival's 9-day run is also 推定する／予想するd to match or 越える last year's 出席 of 96,000 people.
This year's festival is the first since same-sex marriage became 合法的な in Indiana last October under a U.S. 最高裁判所 決定／判定勝ち（する） that let stand two 連邦の 法廷，裁判所 判決，裁定s which 設立する that Indiana's gay marriage 禁止（する） was 憲法違反の.
During Saturday's festivities, Morehead said 10 same-sex couples 結婚する at an on-場所／位置 chapel 指名するd for Niki Quasney, a Munster woman who, along with her wife, Amy Sandler, 首尾よく challenged Indiana's gay marriage 禁止（する）.
Quasney died at age 38 in February a few months after the couple won in 法廷，裁判所.
Kimberly Saylor and Amanda Stumpf waive to the （人が）群がる after 存在 married with other couple on 行う／開催する／段階 as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Parade 関係者s 投げ上げる／ボディチェックする out candy as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Revelers 抱擁する on the sidleine of a parade as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Tess Etchison, 権利, kisses her wife Melinda Gann after 存在 married with other couple on 行う／開催する／段階 as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Parade 関係者s waive to the （人が）群がる from a float as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
The Pride of Indy marching 禁止（する）d 参加するs in a parade as part of Circle City Pride activities in Indianapolis, Saturday, June 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
