Garry McClain, a.k.a. Marlena of the recently closed Marlena's Bar, will be a grand marshal at this year's SF Pride parade.
As we mentioned back in March, McClain was one of a dozen finalists nominated to be a community grand marshal at the parade. After a period of public voting, it was revealed on Thursday that McClain had won. Pride's board members also chose several community grand marshals of their own, including former Supervisor Bevan Dufty, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, San Francisco Bay Times editor Betty Sullivan, DJ Chili D, vocational nurse Veronika Fimbres, community leader Mario Benton, and Perry Lang and Kenneth Monteiro. In an odd twist, Army Private First Class Bradley Manning (of Wikileaks fame/notoriety) had also been named as a grand marshal. However, yesterday afternoon, Pride board president Lisa Williams issued a statement on the organization's Facebook page retracting that invitation, chalking it up to an error by a rogue staffer. "[E]ven the hint of support for actions which placed in harms way the lives of our men and women in uniform -- and countless others, military and civilian alike -- will not be tolerated by the leadership of San Francisco Pride," Williams wrote. Other honorees and celebrity grand marshals will be announced in the weeks ahead, all leading up to the parade and celebration on the last weekend of June. Congrats, Marlena!
As we mentioned back in March, McClain was one of a dozen finalists nominated to be a community grand marshal at the parade. After a period of public voting, it was revealed on Thursday that McClain had won. Pride's board members also chose several community grand marshals of their own, including former Supervisor Bevan Dufty, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, San Francisco Bay Times editor Betty Sullivan, DJ Chili D, vocational nurse Veronika Fimbres, community leader Mario Benton, and Perry Lang and Kenneth Monteiro. In an odd twist, Army Private First Class Bradley Manning (of Wikileaks fame/notoriety) had also been named as a grand marshal. However, yesterday afternoon, Pride board president Lisa Williams issued a statement on the organization's Facebook page retracting that invitation, chalking it up to an error by a rogue staffer. "[E]ven the hint of support for actions which placed in harms way the lives of our men and women in uniform -- and countless others, military and civilian alike -- will not be tolerated by the leadership of San Francisco Pride," Williams wrote. Other honorees and celebrity grand marshals will be announced in the weeks ahead, all leading up to the parade and celebration on the last weekend of June. Congrats, Marlena!
