PRIDE 2012 photos

PRIDE 2012 photos

by Kristoffer Tigue

Photos by Kristoffer Tigue

If you missed today’s annual Gay Pride Parade, we’ve got you covered (kind of). The streets were blocked off from the public, limiting the shots.

With President Obama backing same-sex marriage last month and our state’s own Marriage Amendment, banning same-sex marriage coming to vote in November, this year’s Pride Parade was a particularly charged one.

Opponents to the amendment swarmed downtown Hennepin Avenue, gathering signatures, asking for pledges and even financial donations to fight the upcoming bill. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and MN Governor Mark Dayton both made personal appearances at the parade, receiving huge cheers from the crowd (unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any usable photos of them).

But there were plenty of other highlights in the parade, including drag queens, foam machines and as always, lots and lots of skin. Enjoy the photos and don’t forget to vote NO on the Marriage Amendment in November.