WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - JUNE 14: LA Pride Festival Parade on June 14, 2009 in West Hollywood, California.

Today at 4:30 EST a protest is scheduled in front of Joe Biden’s DNC fundraiser at Fenway Park in Boston. LGBT activists and supporters will be demonstrating against the recently filed DOMA brief and the general lack of action on LGBT issues since Obama’s presidential victory. On Friday, more protests are expected at the high profile DNC fundraiser in Washington D.C. 77 members of Congress sent a letter to Obama demanding that he institute a moratorium on the dismissal of gay service members and both Obama and the GOP are meeting with gay leaders to discuss their outrage and demands (at least we hope demands are being discussed).

Oh, and for many cities, this weekend is gay pride.

This is a time of concerted efforts in the political arena and heightened visibility: an important combination. As images of the parades across the country hit newspapers, congressional and public support for gay rights will also be in the media. This gives two sides of an important story – the political inequality and the humanity and sheer numbers of the LGBT community.

But the strategy won’t work if this years pride parades are not expressly political. Places like Boise, Idaho have already had expressly political marches for pride month. But bigger cities, like New York, will garner more attention and potentially have a wider effect. We need signs that deman gay rights, but also chants, songs, rallies and meetings. Pride this year needs to achieve more than celebration and visibility.

So, I know we will all be looking forward to a weekend are parties, cute outfits and dancing and drinking with our friends. But check out a meeting or reception for your local gay rights group, bring a homemade sign demanding the rights your state has yet to grant. Yell at the cameras as they roll by.