Shirtless Join the Impact protest overtakes major cities.

Photos: Ken Knox

"Is this a protest or gay pride day?" quipped one protestor at today's Join the Impact protest in downtown Los Angeles. Indeed, with all the hot gay boys parading around with their shirts off, it was hard to tell exactly what kind of gathering was going on. Thank goodness for those picket signs, or who only knows what kinds of naughty shenanigans we might have gotten mixed up in?

Read the full story after the jump.

It's been over a week since a small majority of California voters passed Proposition 8, the divisive measure that bans same-sex marriage in California, but gays and lesbians and their supporters are still up in arms over it.Today, thousands of protesters converged on City Hall in downtown Los Angeles--as well as in major cities in 30 major cities across the U.S.--to continue to protests that have been taking place ever since the Nov. 5 election. Dubbed Join the Impact, the nationwide protest was a peaceful but clear message to the mainstream that gays and lesbians are people, too, and they will stand for nothing less than full equality under the law.

The mood was excited and triumphant, defiant yet peaceful, with the protesters getting along well with the police that paroled the area. Helicopters flew over the city as the march headed east on Spring Street, and it all came to a peaceful end around 2 pm. Before the march, several speakers commented on the passing of Prop 8 and how it relates to equal rights for all. One speaker spoke passionately about her experience being raised by two gay parents, while Reverand Eric Lee, the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Council of Los Angeles, spoke eloquently about the similarities between the fight for gay rights and the civil rights movement spearheaded by Council founder Martin Luther King Jr. Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center CEO Lorri Jean remarked on the deceptive campaign of the Yes on 8, adding that it is not the fault of any one group that the proposition passed.

"It's incredibly inspiring to see people from every walk of life, background, race, religion, creed, gathering here today to really send a powerful and purposeful and peaceful statement to the world," said Jonathan Weber, one of the organizer's of Join the Impact. "We have a very powerful message that's supported by a variety of people," he said. "The truth is, we are making a big difference in this issue right now. We're making tremendous progress in reaching out to hearts and minds of people across the country and gaining support from all walks of life."