Marchers press for gay rights

WASHINGTON — Impatient and discouraged by what they see as a certain detachment by President Obama on their issues, gay-rights supporters took to the streets of the capital Sunday in the largest gay-rights rally here in nearly a decade.

Unlike previous marches promoting civil rights for gay people, the rally was primarily the undertaking of a new generation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocates who had grown disillusioned with the movement's leadership.

Known as Stonewall 2.0 or the Prop. 8 Generation — a reference to the galvanizing effect the repeal of California's same-sex marriage law had on many young people — this group of activists, in their 20s and 30s, is at odds with advocates who are urging patience as Obama grapples with other pieces of his domestic agenda, such as the health-care overhaul and the economic recovery.

"I think this march represents the passing of the torch," said Corey Johnson, 27, an activist and blogger for the gay-themed Web site Towleroad.com. "The points of power are no longer in the halls of Washington or large metropolitan areas. It's decentralized now. You have young activists and gay people from all walks of life converging on Washington not because a national organization told them to, but because they feel the time is now."

The rally Sunday and a black-tie gala hosted Saturday by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay-rights advocacy group, made for a glaring dichotomy. The crowd at the dinner rose to its feet as Obama reiterated his pledge to end the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and declared his commitment to gay rights "unwavering."

But at the rally, demonstrators gave the president's speech low marks for lacking anything new and failing to acknowledge several major issues confronting the gay movement. In the words of Billie Myers, a musician who spoke to an eager crowd of tens of thousands that gathered on the west lawn of the Capitol, "I'm sorry, but I didn't like your speech."

The president did not lay out a timetable for repealing the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, nor did he voice support for any of the battles going on at the state level to allow same-sex couples greater recognition under the law.

Obama also made no mention of the march.

The Human Rights Campaign, which helped organize the last gay-rights march on Washington in 2000 but had virtually no involvement in Sunday's event, stirred up some controversy over the weekend after its president, Joe Solmonese, wrote a letter to supporters urging them to take Obama at his word. "It's not Jan. 19, 2017," he wrote, referring to what would be the last day of Obama's presidency if he wins a second term.

While generally supportive of the president, many marchers said they felt Obama had not delivered on campaign promises he made to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.

"I think he has a lot on his plate," said Rachael McIntosh, 25, from Worcester, Mass. "But I'd hoped we'd be a priority." McIntosh raised a sign that read "Nobel Peace Prize. Earn It!"

Organizers of the march encountered considerable opposition from within gay political circles, from those who argued that the march was hastily planned and would divert resources from campaigns at the state level.

Rep. Barney Frank called the march "emotional satisfaction" for its organizers and said of their intention to pressure the Obama administration, "The only thing they're going to put pressure on is the grass."

Organizers were rating the march a success, saying at least 150,000 people had attended, though authorities gave no official estimate. Most media sources placed the number in the tens of thousands.