Gay rallies become anti-Trump protests

TENS of thousands of people waving rainbow flags lined streets for gay pride parades across America amid fears of new threats to gay rights in the Trump era.

In San Francisco, revellers wearing rainbow tutus and boas held signs that read, “No Ban, No Wall, Welcome Sisters and Brothers,” while they danced to electronic music outside City Hall.

Frank Reyes said he and his husband decided to march for the first time in many years because they felt a need to stand up for their rights.

The couple joined the “resistance contingent” which led the parade and included representatives from several activist organisations.

“Things are changing quickly and we have to take a stand and be noticed,” said Mr Reyes’s husband, Paul Brady.

Activists have been galled by the Trump administration’s rollback of federal guidance advising school districts to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice.

The Republican president also broke from Democratic predecessor Barack Obama’s practice of issuing a proclamation in honour of Pride Month.

At the jam-packed New York City parade, some wore “Make America Gay Again” hats, while one group walking silently wore “Black Lives Matter” shirts as they held up signs with a fist and with a rainbow background.

Still others protested against potential cuts to health care benefits, declaring that “Healthcare is an LGBT issue”.

There were scattered counter-protests and a few disruptions, including a small group in New York urging parade-goers to “repent for their sins”.

But most attending were united in celebration and in standing up against a presidential administration they find unsupportive.