(Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of my pictures are posted here. Standard disclaimers about lighting, people jumping on the bench while I was trying to take a pic, and so on.)

Crowd estimate = 250,000. If that's true, we had 1 in 8 Houstonians show up at the Pride Festival and Parade. Houston has a lot to be proud of and our elected officials as well as the citizenry showed up for the parade. No fewer than one dozen - that's 12! - local politicos marched in the parade. Obviously, we need more of them but this was more than I expected at a time of 75% votes to ban gay marriage in Texas.

I already loved our mayor for the impressive job he did handling the influx of Katrina victims and the way he led the Houston response so our fellow Americans finally got the help and welcome they had every right to expect. He didn't just ride in a car in this parade - he marched. Way to go, Bill!

We have not one but two openly gay elected officials, Controller Annise Parker and At Large City Councilwoman Sue Lovell. Yes, they are both elected by the entirety of our city; these are not candidates elected in niche districts. Never once in the election did I hear the sort of slander I'd expect when a candidate is a lesbian. I'm so proud of our city.

Also marching were our city departments: police, fire, Health & Human Services...all the way down to the Houston Humane Society. The big corporations were present; I'm adding to my list of businesses I want to support. Wish that British Petroleum sold gas here in town as they were singled out for mention as earning a 100% rating on GLBT issues. Shell, JP Morgan Chase, and UT Medical Branch also had huge presence in the parade. We are close to the Bible Belt and I admit to being surprised at the number of churches and faiths represented. My favorite was the priest who had chosen not to conduct any hetero weddings until the ban on gay marriage is lifted.

We may not be San Francisco or WeHo, but this city proved itself as diverse and tolerant as I'd grown up thinking we were.

ETA: Obviously, I had a blast. That was due in large part to the company I kept: msjudi & her husband, vibrant_daphne, and my friend of mumble-dy years, Amy. Thanks for making my Saturday fabulous!