GAPA Celebrates Marriage Equality at Chinese New Year Parade

Historic Gay Wedding Cake Float and Contingent Cheered by Over 250,000 Spectators.

The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) along with a broad coalition of friends and families showed their support for same sex marriage at this year's annual, "Chinese New Year Parade: Year of the Cock" held on Saturday, February 19, 2005 in downtown Chinatown, San Francisco.

GAPA Board Member Wilson F. Fang shouted out, "Those of you who have marched in Pride Parades should know that this crowd may not be as friendly. But remember, this is a cause we believe in, and this is a cause worth marching and fighting for...Girl, girl! Boy, boy! Gung Hay Fat Choy!"

The GAPA float featured a gigantic three-tiered, rainbow wedding cake. Standing alongside was two sets of same sex couples, Jeanne Fong and Jennifer Lin, and John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney. All four were married at San Francisco's City Hall last February when Mayor Gavin Newsom surprised the world when he legalized gay marriage in the city of San Francisco.

"Just seeing everyone, from young kids to people in their 60s, cheering us on made it all worth it," said Gaffney, the son of an interracial Chinese and American couple who were initially prohibited to marry because of anti-miscegenation laws prevalent at the time. "There was not one heckler or negative reaction from the spectators."

The couples wore traditional, Chinese ceremonial wedding attire. The float was surrounded by dozens of marriage equality marchers dressed in festive, red jackets emblazoned with Chinese characters that show support for marriage equality. Large coffee cans on strings were dragged and a "Just Married" sign was displayed on the rear of the float.

"GAPA made history back in 1993 when we were first invited to participate at the Chinese New Year Parade," said GAPA co-chair Joe Mendoza. "Well, we are here making history once again, this time supporting marriage equality and showing that we are at the forefront of this civil and human rights issue."