Gay wedding planned for Rose Parade float draws criticism

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Jarod Gutierrez, 12, of Corona, prepares some sparkling cider while his mother, Susan, roasts marshmallows on Colorado Boulevard while camping out overnight. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Giant floral baby heads mask the humans who animate them on the Kaiser Permanente float, “First Step to Total Health,” being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteers work on the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” being readied at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Grooms Aubrey Loots, left, and Danny Leclair prepare for photos alongside the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. The couple will be married on the float during the Rose Parade. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Mendoza, 22, practices alongside the city of Torrance float, “Everyone Plays,” being prepared at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Nick Hellewell, a Cal Poly alumnus, works on the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” being readied at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Giant floral babies wave (Psst! There are real humans inside to animate them) from the Kaiser Permanente entry, “First Step to Total Health,” being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Katie Dominguez fixes a damaged portion of a Rose Parade float being readied at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A decked-out fan watches as last-minute preparations are made to the Cal Poly Universities float, “Bedtime Buccaneers,” at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Olivia Moore affixes irises to the Cal Poly Universities float, titled “Bedtime Buccaneers.” (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteers work on flowers for the Donate Life “Light Up the World” float at Rosemont Pavilion. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Bianca Cermeno, 14, prepares flowers for the city of Torrance’s float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Jacque Giuffre works on K9s 4 Cops float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Mildred Hood, left, and Tara Pleickhardt work on the SeaWorld float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Dana Hill, 19, of Long Beach works on the eHarmony float “Everlasting Love” in Pasadena. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteer Arlene Rodriguez, 46, of Los Angeles works on the Donate Life’s Rose Parade entry “Light Up the World.” (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

By Soumya Karlamangla

Dec. 30, 2013 8:40 AM PT

Organizers of the Rose Parade are defending the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s plans to hold a same-sex wedding on its float amid criticism and complaints posted online.

The float, titled “Living the Dream: Love Is the Best Protection,” was created to celebrate victories in 2013 for gay-marriage advocates, including Supreme Court decisions upholding the repeal of California’s Proposition 8 and striking down a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Foundation spokesman Ged Kenslea said the organization supports legally sanctioning same-sex marriage because it encourages more stable relationships as well as behavior that will prevent the spread of HIV.

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“We believe that marriage saves lives,” he said.

But the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. has received complaints from people opposing the wedding. Some took to the organization’s Facebook page to voice their anger, calling the wedding “unbiblical” and “highly offensive.”

“I can’t think of many things LESS appropriate for families and especially children,” one wrote. “It’s completely the wrong venue for a stunt like this.”

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A separate Facebook page has also been started called “Boycott the 2014 Rose Parade,” with more than 1,600 “likes” as of Sunday. A post reads: “Gay ‘marriage’ is still illegal in over 30 states. Why would the Tournament of Roses promote something illegal like that?”

In a statement released to the Los Angeles Times, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn. said it is “pleased” to have the foundation participate in this year’s event.

“It is the organization’s third entry in three years tied to their mission of delivering medical services and advocacy in fighting AIDS worldwide,” the statement says.

The foundation’s float will be one of the last in Wednesday’s parade. The wedding -- of Danny Leclair, 45, and Aubrey Loots, 42 -- will take place about 9:30 a.m.

Kenslea said the wedding is the perfect way to honor the parade’s theme of “Dreams Come True,” by showing the dream of lesbians and gay men realized.

Leclair said he can’t wait to be “legally married to the person I’ve committed my life to and been with for the past 12 years.”

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Twitter: @skarlamangla

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Times staff writer Kate Mather contributed to this report.