(New York City) Gays will march in three areas of the country this weekend with walks in New York City and San Francisco to support same-sex marriage, and one in Mississippi to call on the next president to issue a stronger commitment on battling HIV/AIDS.

People living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones and other supporters will march from Jackson to Oxford, Miss., on Sept. 13 to demand that the next U.S. president take significant steps toward creating a national plan within 100 days of taking office to end AIDS .

The unprecedented 172-mile march will begin on Sept. 13th in Jackson and end in Oxford on Sept. 23, beginning three days of action in the time leading up to the first presidential debate between sens. Obama and McCain.

The march will recreate the historic 1966 “Walk Against Fear” that mobilized the black vote.

The march is part of Stand Against AIDS. Eight auto caravans of HIV/AIDS activists from across the country will convene in Oxford Sept. 23-26 to raise awareness about the need for increased funding and research to end AIDS.

Stand Against AIDS is being spearheaded by the Campaign to End AIDS, a national network of people living with HIV/AIDS. It is made up of a diverse cross-section of people - African-American, Latino and white; gay and straight; male and female.

On Sunday, several thousand people are expected to attend the fifth annual simultaneous walks across the Golden Gate Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge in support of marriage equality.

The twin events are sponsored by Marriage Equality USA and Marriage Equality New York

“This year has seen incredible progress for marriage equality coast to coast,” said Pamela Brown, Policy Director for Marriage Equality USA.

“Last year at this time, neither California or New York recognized the marriages of same-sex couples. Now, one year later, California is enjoying its fourth month of same-sex couples getting legally married in all 58 counties and New York is recognizing marriages of same-sex couples.”

In 2006, the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, ruled that same-sex couples do not have a constitutional right to marry. It said that the issue, however, could be taken up by the Legislature.

A bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry in New York passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly last year ,but Republicans who control the Senate have refused to consider the legislation.

Gov. David Paterson earlier this year issued an executive order recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples who were married in areas where they are legal. A challenge by Republicans was thrown out in court.

In New York City, marchers will gather at 11 a.m. EST at City Hall Park and proceed across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn. The event will end with a picnic and festival in Cadman Plaza.

In San Francisco, marchers will gather at 9:30 a.m. PST at the west end of Crissy Field to march across the Golden Gate Bridge and then return to Crissy Field for wedding cake and entertainment.

“We are well on our way to fulfilling this quest for basic fairness for all families. We want to recognize and celebrate how far we have come and ensure that this basic civil right is protected and extended to all Americans,” said Brown.

In May, the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on gay marriage and conservative groups began a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to bar same-sex unions.

The battle over same-sex marriage began in 2004, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Thousands of gay and lesbian couples were married before the California Supreme Court declared Newsom had acted illegally and nullified the marriages that resulted.

The debate over same-sex marriage in the state then moved to the courts, finally ending with the high court ruling.

Recent public opinion polls suggest that the proposed amendment to block same-sex marriage in California is in trouble.