if you were anywhere in St. Petersburg on Saturday evening, chances are you saw the traffic and the crowds.
St. Petersburg police said 30,000 people came together to celebrate acceptance and love for the LGBTQ community.
The St. Pete Pride Parade is the largest in Florida, and this year’s festivities saw something that's never been done before.
A TransPride March was held for the first time in 15 years. It was also a first in the country.
The transgender community says it was a historic win that was a long time coming.
Trans marches are usually held separately from the Pride parade.
“Normally the trans community is not really represented, but today we're going first,” says marcher Jennifer Gulley.
Gulley calls it a huge victory.
Her boyfriend is transgender. She's seen firsthand the hardships hes faces being accepted in society.
“I think it's harder to make that change in the community for some reason,” says Gulley. ”Sometimes you feel discrimination in your own community, which is crazy to think, but you do feel a little of that. So, it's nice to come out here and have our own march.”
Among the glitter and lights of the festival floats, one float was silent, mourning over 200 transgender people who were killed for just being themselves. Some from the Pulse nightclub massacre.
St. Pete police reported zero arrests at the parade.
