This past weekend, cities around the world celebrated LGBT pride with parades, festivals, and demonstrations.
Barcelona, Lima, Mexico City, Paris, Toronto, Chicago, and San Francisco all raised the rainbow flag. But few cities could compete with the jubilant atmosphere and sheer size of New York City's annual Pride March.
The first March was held in 1970 to commemorate the riots at Stonewall Inn. The year before, police raided the Greenwich Village watering hole, which had become a central location of NYC's underground gay community. Fed up with the ongoing attacks, patrons fought back, stirring a riot and launching the modern day LGBT rights movement.
The March has since expanded to include recognition of the battle against AIDS and to celebrate the progress that has been made.
This year's NYC Gay Pride Parade commemorated the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots, which are credited with launching the modern gay rights movement in 1969.
The parade route began at 36th Street, blazed down Fifth Avenue, and ended in the West Village, outside the Stonewall Inn.
An hour before the parade started, street vendors parked on almost every corner to sell rainbow flags, bandanas, leis, and other colorful memorabilia.
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