Fresno gay marriage march

Cheering in downtown Fresno, Jess Moreno joins other gay rights activists in front of City Hall for a rally called “Meet in the Middle 4 Equality.”  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Actress Charlize Theron greets fans at the rally in support of gay marriage.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Robin McGhee, lead organizer of the rally who paid for many of the costs herself, becomes emotional while speaking to those gathered.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Marchers arrive in downtown Fresno and join the rally, which drew thousands.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Chip Garcia-Coakley, with a rainbow flag in hand, joins other gay rights supporters.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Garcia-Coakley joins others in a march from Selma to Fresno, where they participated in a gay rights rally.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Protesters sport shirts and carry signs declaring a right to equality.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

A varitey of pins with gay rights slogans were available at the Fresno rally.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

About 3,000 gay rights supporters gathered in an effort to reach out to conservative voters.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

One rally participant holds up a sign demanding equal marriage rights.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

National Guardsman Lt. Dan Choi, who was ordered discharged after he revealed his sexual orientation, participates in the rally.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Activists from the civil rights movement, the United Farm Workers and the gay rights movement march from Selma to Fresno, where a rally in support of same-sex marriage is planned.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Marchers make their way from Selma to Fresno. Between 3,000 and 5,000 people are expected to converge at the Fresno City Hall for an afternoon rally.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Fresno resident Chris Lynn, center, joins other activists in the 14.5-mile march from Selma to Fresno.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Sacramento resident Steve Hanson is among the march participants. Fresno was chosen as a rally site because voters there backed Proposition 8, the measure banning gay marriage, by more than 2 to 1 and will be crucial to a new campaign to win same-sex marriage rights.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Activists marching in support of same-sex marriage will gather at the Fresno City Hall for an afternoon rally. Supporters of a ban on gay marriage plan a counter-protest in Fresno and San Diego on Sunday.  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)