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Equality Virginia will march in 2014 Inaugural Parade

Posted at 11:18 PM, Jan 09, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-09 23:21:49-05

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR)– Equality Virginia and more than 50 of its supporters from around the commonwealth will march in the 2014 Inaugural Parade on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Equality Virginia was invited to participate in the parade by the Terry McAuliffe Inaugural Committee.

KEY WEST, Florida Keys -- A portion of 2,000 flag carriers reach the harbor in Key West, Fla., Sunday, June 15, 2003, as they dip one end of a 1 1/4-mile-long rainbow flag in the Gulf of Mexico. The mammoth banner, that stretched from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean (top of photo) was created by Gilbert Baker and commemorated the 25th anniversary of the gay and lesbian icon that Baker, a San Francisco resident, conceived in 1978. The flag required 17,600 linear yards of fabric, weighs more than 5,000 pounds and was a highlight event of the PrideFest Key West celebration that ended Sunday. (Photo by Andy Newman/fla-keys.com)

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — The flag required 17,600 linear yards of fabric, weighs more than 5,000 pounds and was a highlight event of the PrideFest Key West celebration that ended Sunday. (Photo by Andy Newman/fla-keys.com)

“We are honored to be part of the celebration and happy to welcome Terry McAuliffe as Virginia’s next governor,” said James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia.  “To march in the inaugural parade next to other organizations representing the diversity of the commonwealth is a landmark moment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Virginians and reflects that achieving LGBT rights is on the horizon.”

Throughout his campaign, Terry McAuliffe actively supported LGBT Rights.  He has publicly expressed his support for marriage equality and said that his first executive order will be to protect LGBT state employees from discrimination in the workplace.

“Equality Virginia looks forward to working with Governor McAuliffe and other elected officials to ensure that Virginia will soon be a welcoming place for all families to live and work,” Parrish said.

Look for Equality Virginia, they will be carrying a 25-foot portion of a 1.25 mile long “Sea to Sea Rainbow Flag” that was originally used in Key West in 2003.

The 2014 inaugural parade will be held immediately after the Inaugural Ceremony at Capitol Square.

For more information, go to www.inauguration2014.com.

CBS 6 will broadcast the inauguration on its 6.3 channel, and will also livestream the event here, on WTVR.com.