Courtesy of Cristina Schreil
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Around 500 NYU students marched with thousands in Washington, D.C., yesterday as part of the National Equality March, holding signs reading "full equality for all" and chanting: "Let mama marry mama."
The event was organized by Equality Across America, an LGBT rights group aiming to get Congress to extend civil rights legislation to the gay community nationwide.
"This march is the LGBT community's Rosa Parks moment," Gallatin sophomore Adam Wexelbaum said. "We are through with sitting at the back of the bus."
The protesters aimed to garner equality for the gay community in all aspects of life.
"This march is not just focused on marriage laws, it's for all equality. It's really important to remember the other pressing issues," said second-year law student Sylwia Wewióra, who is also co-chair of NYU OUTLaw.
She added: "This march, and what it stands for, touches so many aspects of so many peoples lives."
Second-year Steinhardt graduate student Gina Sartori said that gay marriage laws set by states aren't what the community is looking for.
"We want change on a federal level," Sartori said. "The LGBT community wants to be adopted into the civil rights legislation of the '60s."
Sartori and Wexelbaum organized the group of NYU students that attended the event.
Among the thousands of activists at the march were many celebrities.
"Its amazing to see all the celebrities mixed in with the protesters," Tisch freshman Adam Carey said. "Cynthia Nixon and other stars are here with Broadway Impact, and it's such an inspiring sight."
The march culminated in a rally on the U.S. Capitol West Lawn in the afternoon.
"We're on the lawn in front of the capitol building, where Obama was inaugurated," Carey said. "It just reminds me of what we can do with the leadership we have now. It's just awesome."
Sartori said that such a protest has not happened in decades and the effort for equal rights will continue.
"We're going to make our voices heard. This is not the end," Sartori said. "This is the beginning. This will be an inspiration to continue the fight."
Wexelbaum was proud of his involvement.
"We're making history in the LGBT movement," he said. "I'm going to tell my kids that I was there when it happened."
Kaelin Taylor
Oct 13, 2009
2:57 p.m.
I hope that the L.G.B.T community succeds in our quests to be equal in the eyes of the rest of the community, as well as all of the religous oppositon that comes with them.
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