Photo by KrisD Mauga from last year’s Pride Parade
10:00am | The Press-Telegram reported today that the Long Beach Pride Parade has named their 2010 Grand Marshals, openly-gay councilmembers Gerrie Schipske and Robert Garcia. The parade is held in mid-May.
The Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade is one of the largest annual events in Long Beach and attracts tens of thousands of people during its three days of events. Last year’s Grand Marshall was San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Press-Telegram columnist John Canalis points out in his article that Garcia proposed a recently-adopted plan to enact an Equal Benefits Ordinance that encourages the City of Long Beach to conduct business with companies that provide benefits to same-sex partners as well as married couples. Schipske also supported the ordinance and Canalis quotes Long Beach Pride co-president Sergio Macias saying that the ordinance’s passing was one reason that the councilmembers were selected.
“We don’t always have a local political grand marshal, but we really thought it would be good to honor them because they are elected officials and openly gay candidates,” Macias said. “And they`ve been doing a good job on the council, regardless of what the issue might be.”
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