In recent years, the conversation surrounding same-sex marriage has continued, despite the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling a decade ago. While the Respect for Marriage Act remains in place, ongoing debates persist about which LGBTQIA+ marriage rights will endure.
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has long stood at the forefront of these issues, serving as both a champion for LGBTQIA+ rights and a pillar of support for the community. A powerful example of AHF’s activism occurred during the 2014 Rose Parade, when a same-sex couple, Aubrey Loots and Danny LeClair, were legally married atop AHF’s float by Reverend Alfreda“Freda” Lanoix. Above them hung the words ” Living the Dream, a testament to the progress and visibility the moment represented.
The float, themed “Love is the Best Protection,” also featured longtime couple Mina Meyers and Sharon Raphael, who had been together for over 42 years and had legally wed in California in 2008. Both women served on the AIDS Hospice Committee and played a key role in founding the Chris Brownlie Hospice.
This groundbreaking event allowed parade-goers and television viewers alike to witness the significance of marriage equality. It also reinforced the message that marriage can be a protective factor against HIV transmission among gay men—demonstrating, quite literally, that love is the best protection
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