another eye opens

I've participated in the gay pride march for many years but not recently -- it had started to feel very been-there-done-that. But after Friday's gay marriage triumph, I knew the energy would be high, so I marched with Andy and Team New York Aquatics, the swim team.

There are many good reasons to march with the swim team. They get a lot of attention (and it's all about attention, right?), partly because most of them parade down Fifth Avenue in Speedos (see Andy and his bff Randall modelling the team suit)...

...and partly because they come armed with gigantic water guns and create pandemonium by squirting the crowds all along the route.

The turnout was indeed spectacular, the mood was ebullient. I realized that something I love about the march is that it's one of the few places where I get to see huge contingents of gay girls manifesting in public.

You see everyone in the parade, even three-month-old babies.

And of course fabulous creatures out of your dreams.

this pride of lions suddenly showed up somewhere along the way and positioned themselves between the swimmers and the truck from the sports bar Boxers.

a lovely day of community