Gay Band to March in Inauguration Parade (First Time Ever)

[KittyWampus]

Gay Band to March in Inauguration Parade
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

For the first time, a gay and lesbian band will be marching in a presidential inauguration.

Barack Obama’s Presidential Inaugural Committee has chosen the Lesbian and Gay Band Association, with members from across the country, to march in the inaugural parade in Washington on Jan. 20.

“We are extremely pleased to announce that the Lesbian and Gay Band Association will be included as a marching contingent in the Inaugural Parade,” says a message on the band’s Web site. “This is the first time that an LGBT group will be represented in a Presidential Inaugural Parade, truly our chance to make history.”

The Washington Blade, a gay newspaper that was the first to report the news, said that Bill Clinton allowed gay groups to perform their music on the sidewalk during his inauguration but not to march in the parade.

There were a record number of applicants to march in this year’s parade — nearly 1,400 — with only a few dozen being selected.

During the last inaugural, in 2005, about 340 bands applied to march and 47 were selected.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/gay-band-to-march-in-inauguration-parade/