Hillary Clinton marched in the New York Pride parade on Sunday, highlighting her support for same-sex marriage and national LGBT nondiscrimination laws.
Clinton, flanked by Secret Secret agents, stepped out of her motorcade near the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village neighborhood that was recently named a national historic landmark because it was the site of 1969 riots for gay rights.
Clinton was joined by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Actress Cynthia Nixon, known for her role on “Sex in the City,” joined Clinton, as well.
Clinton marching four blocks of the parade route was a logistical nightmare for the New York Police Department and the Secret Service, who rarely left Clinton’s side. Clinton, who seemed unfazed by the chaos, shook hands along the route and waved to the many well wishers.
Supporters, some of whom hung out of windows on Christopher Street, chanted: “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!”
Clinton has run for president in 2016 as a champion for LGBT rights, but — like other Democrats — evolved on her position on same-sex marriage, which she now supports.
As a presidential candidate in 2008, Clinton opposed same-sex marriage, supporting the civil unions instead. She did not proclaim her personal support for same-sex marriage until 2013, after she left her diplomatic position as secretary of state.
In 2015, as she kicked off her second presidential campaign, Clinton’s campaign announced that she believed same-sex marriage was a constitutional right.
Ahead of this parade, Clinton’s campaign released a series of videos touting her record on issues impacting the gay community.
“Marching with her during the gay pride parade, I encountered one of the most moving, emotional outpourings I’d ever seen,” former Rep. Barney Frank, a prominent gay politician, says in the video while talking about how Clinton marched in the 2000 New York Pride parade.
Clinton, at the time, was running for election as New York’s senator. Clinton also marched in the parade in 2006, when she was running for re-election.
