Ten Years After Obergefell v. Hodges: Alameda Marches Forward

Next Friday, the City of Alameda will host the 48th Annual 4th of July Parade, which is the longest 4th of July Parade in the whole darn country—3.3 miles, over 170 entries, 2,500 participants, more than 60,000 spectators. Woohoo! As someone who’s lived here for nearly 30 years, I’ve seen and participated in many parades with the Alameda Children’s Musical Theater, the AUSD LGBTQ Round Table, and now the Foodbank Players. And while there are several moments I shall never forget—the year of the fabulous Belly Dancers, getting to ride in a hot convertible when I was Poet Laureate—there is a single, historical moment I treasure that deserves telling.

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Ten years ago I had the heartfelt good fortune of being in the parade with members of the LGBTQ Round Table and the larger gay community of Alameda. The parade took place eight days after the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges ^[3] that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry. The joy and buzz felt by all was palpable as we gathered on Lincoln Avenue to bike and skate and walk the route. And the reception by the people lined up along the streets was remarkable—cheers, shouts of “It’s about time!” and applause resounded.

This was in sharp partial contrast to the previous year, when the same group took part in the parade, holding rainbow flags, wearing rainbow socks, and sporting rainbow ribbons. That year, 2014, the response of the crowd was inconsistent, with clapping in many places from many people, but also areas where there was absolute silence, and one moment where someone yelled something inappropriate directed at a younger member of the group. Her moms were there to comfort her right afterward.

It’s difficult to say whether a year and a court decision had changed people’s minds and feelings, or perhaps the ruling freed those who had long supported gay marriage to proclaim so on that day, but the difference was noticeable and extraordinary. Maybe the popularity and ubiquity of the “Everyone Belongs Here” signs had helped too.

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And now, a decade later, the 4th of July Parade is where this community will take another step forward in its commitment to inclusion and celebration of diversity. Jeramie Andehuson, founder of Alameda Pride, will be the Grand Marshal ^[5]. The organization he founded is responsible for the annual Pride in the Park (to be held this year on Saturday, October 11, at Chochenyo Park) and the Queer Teen Alameda Center ^[6] (QTAC). Alamedans take pride in so very many things, most of which are on display at the 4th of July Parade. The military entries get cheered, the bands from AHS and EHS are applauded, our favorite merchants are acclaimed, and even the oddball groups—like last year’s Henry’s 9th Birthday, Sidecar with Cocker Spaniel, and a mini 1927 Chevrolet go kart—get to strut in the sun. But this coming parade will be special, because of who’s leading it, what happened 10 years ago, and what all of this says about who we’ve become, a place where everyone does indeed belong.

Gene Kahane is the founder of the Foodbank Players ^[7], a lifelong teacher, and former Poet Laureate for the City of Alameda. Reach him at [email protected] ^[8]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Gene-Kahane ^[9].