The Supreme Court’s Prop 8 decision brought jubilation to West Hollywood. And traffic too. The TV and radio traffic reporters started telling people of the traffic tie up in West Hollywood around 3 p.m., suggesting people take alternate routes unless they had to be in the area.
Even at midday, Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny Drive and La Cienega Boulevard was moving especially slow. Many drivers seemed to be slowing down just to look at what, if anything, was happening in the Boystown area. Indeed, the crowd at the Abbey about 5 p.m. was significantly larger than most Wednesday afternoons. The same was true with Rage and Fiesta Cantina. Said one person grabbing a drink at the Abbey before the rally, “It’s a day to celebrate! We’re starting the party early!”
The city recommended people park in the library parking deck, but despite signs indicating there were spaces available, it was completely full by 4 p.m. Some drove to the top of the deck only to find no spaces open, then moved on to look for parking elsewhere. Others sat in their cars in the aisles, waiting for a car to exit to grab the space. One person who was lucky enough to get one of those spaces said he waited 20 minutes for the space.
Oscar Delgado, the city’s director of public works, said the city wasn’t going to enforce the nighttime parking permit zones promptly at 7 p.m. to accommodate people wanting to attend the rally; they’d wait until later in the evening to start giving out tickets. However, the city didn’t send out an announcement to that effect, so some people didn’t risk getting a ticket and skipped the rally entirely.
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The heat was on for the rally. While people were excited, the temperatures were soaring to the mid 80s. The sun and the heat proved too intense for many, so they sought refuge in the shade. Prior to the rally’s start, many gathered under the large trees in the park, others in the shadow of the buildings that surround West Hollywood Park.
The stage was set up facing south on San Vicente Boulevard in front of the sheriff’s station, just at the entrance to the park. Even after the rally started, many chose to stay in the shade of the buildings. Unfortunately, none of the sound speakers were pointed to the area behind the stage, where at least a quarter of the rally attendees were standing. Consequently, the people taking advantage of the shade could barely hear what was being said on stage.
As the sun began to set and the shade extended further into the park, more people wanted to move about to hear the speakers and catch up with friends. The stage setup on San Vicente just at the entrance to the park created a huge traffic jam. Many people were standing to the side stage listening to the speakers. So, people who wanted to get through the crowd either had to elbow their way through or find alternate routes to get to the other side of the rally. One man, anxious to connect with his boyfriend who was standing in front of the stage, said he ended up walking through the alley behind the Santa Monica Boulevard businesses and reentered the park on the Robertson Boulevard side to get to where he wanted to go.
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A longtime supporter of gay rights, WeHo Jesus was on hand for the festivities. He was seen holding up an Equality sign and waving tiny Equality flags throughout the rally.
“I’ve been waiting for this since the day Prop 8 was enacted. I support equality for all,” said Jesus, also known as Kevin Lee Light. “It’s exciting to be here. I see celebration. I know this is a better atmosphere than when we were here about five years ago when Prop 8 was enacted.”
Playing Jesus, Light attracted a large number of people asking to have their photo taken with him. As always, he happily obliged. But it turns out there was one person that Light wanted to have his photo taken with – Perez Hilton. The gossip website owner was in the crowd with his infant son strapped to his chest in a baby bjorn.
Turns out, Hilton reported on Weho Jesus years ago, when Light was first getting started doing Jesus. So, Light wanted a photo of the two of them together.
Hilton said he’d attended all the Prop 8 rallies over the years and was excited by the Supreme Court’s decision.
“It is great to be here at the rally and actually celebrating, instead of being here out of anger and frustration,” said Hilton. “It goes to show that we have successfully educated America that same-sex marriage isn’t a religious issue, it’s a civil rights issue.”
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Activity continued in the park even as the rally went on. Many people were seen walking their dogs. The regularly scheduled volleyball game in West Hollywood Park Auditorium went on as planned, albeit with a smaller group than on most Wednesday nights. And in the children’s play area, toddlers were swinging on the swings.
Meanwhile on the two basketball courts at the northern end of the park, a pickup basketball game went on, seemingly oblivious to the rally happening 200 feet away. When a reporter asked one of the players if he knew what was going on with the rally, the player said he had no idea.
does anyone give a hoot about mario, i mean perez hilton, anymore? i mean reeeeeallly. she’s been a has been since she starved herself into pseudo-hotness.