Wedding option energizes teenagers at Youth Pride rally

The 10th annual Gay-Straight Youth Pride rally yesterday was a little more than the usual array of rainbow-colored flags, pink triangle buttons, and the picture of unrestrained teen spirit.

This year, there was enthusiasm like never before.

"Everyone is just so happy about gay marriage," said Herve Tennessee, 21, of Somerville. "It's really about time."

Early tomorrow, Massachusetts will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. And, even though many of the young people at yesterday's rally are unlikely to get married soon, they said the move to legalize gay marriage will help them to be more comfortable with who they are.

By midday yesterday, Copley Square was filled with balloons, confetti, and teenagers chanting: "I'm here. I'm queer. And my parents think I'm studying!"

Hundreds of gay pride flags punched the air as the youth began to march down Boylston Street, snake along Berkeley and Beacon streets, to the Charles River Hatch Shell, where they danced, played Frisbee, and enjoyed the sunshine. Organizers estimated the crowd at more than 1,000.

The crowd was occasionally boisterous and often colorful: Some men wore fishnet stockings and pink tennis shoes while a few women wore rainbow-colored streaks in their hair or wore the rainbow gay pride flag as a dress.

"There's just something in the air," said Rose Gardina, one of the event's coordinators. "We are just two days away from gay marriage. We have more people here than we did last year, and you can feel that people are just so excited."

The teens agreed.

"I never cared about gay marriage before because I never thought it would happen," said Tennessee, who was wearing a cut-off T-shirt that read: "Love is a Battlefield."

Tennessee plans to travel to New York and reunite with his high school sweetheart, he said.

"I'm going to propose," he said. "I don't see why people have a problem with that. It's not like we're hurting anyone."

This was the first time Alexis McAuliffe, 17, had attended Boston's gay youth celebration. With gay rights in the Massachusetts spotlight, McAuliffe said she had to come out and show solidarity.

"I am nervous and at the same time very excited," said the high school junior from Quincy. "I mean, I came out of the closet a while ago, but here I feel like we are really out. It's really cool."

Other teens expressed the same sense of freedom.

"It's really hard to explain," said Josh Kentzel, 18, who was draped in a rainbow flag.

"This is the only time of year where we can be in a crowd of people who share the same ideas," he said. "Here, you can be yourself and not worry about what the person next to you is thinking. And with gay marriage in two days, it's very important to be seen. It's kind of overwhelming."