The National Equality March in Washington DC brought 200,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and straight people to the streets to march for full equality in all matters of civil law. The speakers at the rally included Lady GaGa, Cynthia Nixon, Michelle Clunie, Billie Myers, Julian Bond, Judy Shepard, Dustin Lance Black, Cleve Jones, the Broadway cast of Hair, Stacy-Ann Chin,and other celebrities, politicians and activists alike.
Starting from the VIP Executive and Steering Committee Reception at the Madison Hotel the evening before the march, through the march and the entire rally, here are photos from backstage at the National Equality March.
Cleve Jones thanking all the committee members during the reception.
Judith Light and Ellen Parkhurst
Texas Aggies came to DC for the march!
Many youth activists lead the march holding the Equality Across America banner.
Preparing to take off and begin the march!
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Tea baggers for gay rights!
Cleve Jones arrives at the march starting point.
Lt. Dan Choi and Cleve Jones just before the march began.
That's Robin McGeHee, co-director of the National Equality March, in the green shirt!
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The first part of the march group was joined at this point by a couple other contingents, including Broadway Impact
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Rachel Wood and Boo Jarchow at the rally site just before the marchers arrived.
The rally stage in front of the capitol building.
Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard, and Boo Jarchow backstage.
The marchers can be seen approaching from a couple blocks past the end of the parked cars.
The march officially arrives at the rally destination.
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The people continued to pour in, and we had just found out the unofficial, preliminary police estimate for the start of the march was 150,000 people!
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Cynthia Nixon, and family, check in to the backstage area.
Cynthia Nixon
The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC preforms, and Cynthia Nixon walks behind the stage.
Cleve Jones, Sherry Wolf (on Cleve's left in blue) and volunteers watch as the crowd spills into areas surrounding the West Lawn, since the number of people is more than three times the area's capacity!
Photo from the stage during introductions of the people who put the march together!
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Billie Myers backstage before singing at the rally.
Cynthia Nixon speaking about the importance of equality.
Billie Myers
Robin McGeHee talks to Michelle Clunie before she goes on stage.
Advocate.com's Ross von Metzke and Billie Myers talking backstage.
Billie Myers decided to get on Ross' shoulders, then Ross thought he ran her head into a tree branch. This is him trying to put her back on the ground....
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Cynthia Nixon wanted to talk to Lady GaGa while she waited to go on stage.
Cynthia Nixon and Lady GaGa
Lady GaGa and Cynthia Nixon. Kiss kiss!
:-D
Lady GaGa has the "most beautiful gay fans!"
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Billie Myers sang "America the Beautiful"
Billie Myers and Dan Choi
Volunteers and security escorting Lady GaGa out, Billie Myers watches.
Dustin Lance Black walking to a shady spot backstage.
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Dusting Lance Black practicing his speech.
Cleve Jones
The Broadway cast of Hair singing "Let the Sun Shine"
Dustin Lance Black
Stacy-Ann Chin chatting backstage.
Winner of the Equality Idol contest, Julie Clark, sings her winning song as the closing act of the National Equality March rally.
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