Celebrating its 5th anniversary, Sept. 14's Annual Wedding March gives New Yorkers the opportunity to stand in solidarity to support gay marriage and bridge the gap in the civil inequality. In New York City beginning at 11am that Sunday, participants are invited to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and then join Scott Nevins and The Gender Offenders for a picnic with performances at the end of the march in Brooklyn. Sponsored by The Center, PFLAG FCA NYC, Stonewall Democrats, The Loft, MCCNY, Out Astoria, and Queerty. Interested? Register here. The Wedding March will also take place simultaneously in Albany. Visit Marriage Equality New York for more information.

In the photo at right, our favorite homo figure skater is waving as he shows off a sneak preview of the Heatherette Spring 2007 collection. We hear it's all about birds. And glamour. And sparkles. And Tori Spelling.

Just kidding, except about the Tori Spelling part. That outfit is his "swan costume" from a while ago. But Johnny Weir will be making his debut on the catwalk in September as part of the Heatherette runway show during New York Fashion Week. We assume he will be wearing pieces from the menswear line, but when we consider his upcoming spread in Blackbook that features him in some frou-frou Chanel dresses, we can't really say for certain.

Ready to Weir [New, Now, Next]

If you have never been to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, you should run (don't walk) and do so the next time you venture into New York City. It's housed in the breathtaking Andrew Carnegie Mansion on 5th Ave. (at 91st St.) and is the only museum in the nation to focus solely on historic and contemporary design. We've seen a couple great exhibitions there: one on utilitarian textiles and one on the influence of color in fashion through the ages.

And after a hard day of walking around the museum, the shop is actually a pleasant reward. It's not filled with dinosaur-shaped pencil erasers and ceramic paper bags, but instead cases of attractive glassware, an impressive collection of art books, modern watches and accessories, and an ever-changing roster of art multiples.

Now for the news: you can visit the shop online in their new web store.

The Shop at the Cooper-Hewitt [Official Site]
The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum [Official Site]

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Our kid sis MollyGood has some exclusive video clips from Madonna's Confessions tour that's hovering over Manhattan right about now. And lucky for you, she's willing to share 'em. If you've got tickets to see her show in the coming weeks, perhaps it's not worth ruining the surprise – if there's any surprise left, that is, given all the photos posted all over Flickr – but otherwise feel free to take a peak at Madonna's opening number, above.

Molly's coverage comes in two parts, here and here, and includes Madge's performances of both new and old.

MollyGood Exclusive: Madonna At MSG [MollyGood]
MollyGood Exclusive: Madonna At MSG, Part II [MollyGood]

New York Giants' defensive end Michael Strahan isn't going to great lengths to defend against rumors of his being gay, despite his ex-wife's claims. The trouble began last March when Strahan filed for divorce from his wife Jean, who then proceeded to file a domestic violence complaint against him (which was quickly dismissed). Fast forward to last week to divorce court when Jean claimed Michael lived an "alternative lifestyle." But, as the New York Daily News' Michael O'Keeffe notes, Strahan didn't take the typical route of a professional athlete denying he's gay (read: He's not Mike Piazza, who held a press conference to announce his heterosexuality).

The New York Giants' defensive end didn't hold a hastily organized press conference to loudly proclaim his love for the ladies. He didn't head to a trendy nightclub and pose for the paparazzi with the finest-looking women he could find.

Instead, Strahan went to a gym in the West Village, the birthplace of the gay rights movement. He went to dinner at a Meatpacking District hotspot with Ian Smith, the TV doctor Jean Strahan had suggested was his lover (Smith, who is married, says he is not gay). He told a New York radio station that he had many friends who were gay or bisexual and that he was cool with that.

"This is New York City," Strahan said during a brief phone call to the station. "If you can't accept people for being people, then you have no business being here."

Cue the requisite debate over whether professional sports are becoming more tolerant toward gays in their midst. Is one professional athlete – who still holds the small possibility of not even begin gay – having a more rational reaction to homosexuality going to change the industry? Certainly not. But a move like this could certainly be Giant.

Strahan's handling of `gay' tag a breath of fresh air [NYDN]

• Marc Jacobs seems to be back with rent-a-boyfriend Jason Preston, at least for now. The twosome were spotted at Therapy in New York with, of all people, porn star maestro Michael Lucas. [Page Six]

• When it comes to celebs coming out of the closet, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vin Diesel are, not surprisingly, at the top of the list of gambling odds. [Gambling 911]

• Jennifer Lopez made good on rumors she'd be the surprise guest at Dance On The Pier. [Perez Hilton]

If there was ever an unofficial grand marshall of New York City's Gay Pride Parade this year, it was Kevin Aviance. New York's storied drag queen – gay bashed earlier this month – made a grand public appearance atop HX magazine's float, showing no signs of victim — just pride.

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It's been one hell of a month celebrating gay pride, whether it was this weekend here in New York, across the country in L.A., or anywhere in between. We'll be coming at you all day with gay pride photo and video updates all submitted by your fellow Queerty readers. Up first is our own account of New York City's gay pride parade, which was the coolest (when it came to temperature) we'd ever been to. Our favorite marching troop all afternoon: the gay men and women of the NYPD and FDNY.

After the jump, a photo montage with pictures submitted by Queerty love child "Boss Tweed" and other contributors.

CONTINUED »

A new ad campaign is hitting New York City, and it's not the one where Gay.com takes over phone booths and bus stops. This campaign, "Silence = Meth," is the latest effort to bring attention to deadly crystal meth use in the gay community. Yesterday morning, NY1 explored the new awareness effort (a take on the 1980s' "Silence = Death" campaign) as part of of a series of programming devoted to gay pride. Even more fitting – given meth users' proclivity for anonymous, bareback sex – as we usher in the 25th anniversary of HIV/AIDS. Now, is anyone going to give a shit?

The same night that Kevin Aviance was brutally attacked near the Phoenix Bar last weekend, there were two other gay-bashings in Queens a few hours later. Whether it's a backlash to Pride as often happens during June, or just a reflection of the current American culture war, we don't really care, but we agree with those at the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project when they say enough is enough.

There will be a march tomorrow afternoon at 2pm. Here are the details:

When: Saturday, June 17

Where: Where: Gather at NE Corner of 14th Street and First Avenue at 2PM; march at 3PM to Christopher Park (Christopher & West 4th Streets)

Some folks are advising gays to carry razor blades for self-defense, but we're a bit squemish about that idea. Blades make us uncomfortable anyway and the prospect of introducing a razor blade into an already heated situation with some crazy-ass gaybasher seems like asking for trouble. We'll leave that up to you all, but please go to the march tomorrow.

March and Rally this Saturday [NYCGLAVP via ELH]

Who woulda thought the very same place Colin Farrell heads for lap dances would be the same place we might find Alan Cumming at .. for a lap dance. Scores, the den of upscale naughty, is hosting a gay party for the first time — and it's all for a good cause.

FOR one night only, Scores West is transforming itself into a strip club that even man-loving "Sopranos" mobster Vito Spatafore would love. The jiggle joint is hosting its first-ever gay party, "Bada Bang," on June 18. The boys-only bash is expected to draw 500 kinky revelers celebrating Folsom Street East, the leather festival and street fair that's shutting down West 28th between 10th and 11th avenues that day. Guests include gay porn stars and go-go boys. Proceeds benefit the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and the LGBT Center of Chelsea.

While Michael Lucas is undoubtedly at the top of the guest list, if you drop in for this "historical" event, do point us to your Flickr page, okay kids?

BOYS GO BANG [Page Six]

Kicking off Pride season in North America is the sometimes-overlooked New York City borough of Queens. There were no big-budget floats from Mac, but there is arguably more character in this smaller parade, that had a very strong lesbian contingent, and we're not just talking about City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (pictured below at the march).

There were also representatives from the folksier side of the gay universe, including chimneysweeps and bagpipers:

Plus there was meat on a spit! Manhattan Offender took some great photos and videos of the day, which you can peruse as you spray on your fake tan in preparation for your own local Pride! Get excited, everyone.

Get ready to rainbow [Manhattan Offender]

Tomorrow is a big day for gay couples in New York. At 2pm, the Court of Appeals will hear four cases regarding same-sex marriage, which could finally settle the matter throughout the state (though, certainly, many predict legislators will have the final say).

The couples, represented by the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, will face off against New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, the Democrat vying for the governorship. What's a little perplexing is how Bloomberg, who just announced his support for blocking the anti-gay marriage constitutional ammendment, can still logically back the "no gay marriage" position he's long maintained.

Messrs. Bloomberg and Spitzer both say they will support changing the law if the court sides with them.

"The city cannot go and issue licenses when this is all up in the air," Mr. Bloomberg told reporters before marching in a Memorial Day parade in Queens yesterday.

"If the courts decide that gay marriage is permitted, as the chief of the city, I will direct our city clerk to issue licenses," Mr. Bloomberg said. He said that even if that happens, he will stick to his pledge of not personally officiating at marriages of anyone other than former mayors and his own children.

Fine by us — we'd rather not have an old stiff dampening our soirees, anyhow.

Final Hearing Set Over Gay Rites in New York State [NY Sun]

We just might forgive the New York City government for the outrageous price of parking tickets after the love we got from the mayor this weekend. In his Memorial Day address, Mike Bloomberg came out strongly against the proposed anti-gay-marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution and promised that New York City would perform gay marriages as soon as they are legal. It's nice to hear these words, even from a (fake) Republican, especially since Russ Feingold and Eliot Spitzer seem to be the only Democrats willing to verbalize their support for samesex marriage rights. We still don't love you, Mayor Bloomberg, but thanks for making our Memorial Day a little happier.

Mike vows he'll honor gay marriage [NY Daily News]

• More perverts in the Catholic Church, this time in Vermont. [Rutland Herald]

• The Playboy company may start creating gay content for television in the UK. This could mean Brits will be able to see two big, tan guys with no pubes pretending to hump each other on a show other than Big Brother. [The Times via GMW]

• The Roxy managed to escape the NYPD during a rash of drug-related shut-downs over the weekend that included Splash Bar, Spirit, and Avalon. [WNBC via Virtual Matter]

• Anti-gay Prime Minister of Australia John Howard says he is not anti-gay, he just thinks homosexuals should not have the same rights as straight people. [365 Gay]

• Brokeback Mountain is now banned in the Bahamas. The government cited "extreme homosexuality, nudity and profanity" as the reasons for the action. We agree that the movie was extremely homosexual, but where was the nudity? We definitely could have seen more of Jake. [Washington Blade]