Dowell and her partner of two years, Diane Bower, plan to move out of the county, probably to St. Petersburg.

``It's freer over there,'' Dowell said. ``But I'm having to leave my hometown.''

Dowell and Bower were among more than 5,000 people who gathered in downtown Tampa Sunday for a Pride is Back march and rally. Marchers demanded the repeal of the county commission's recent decision not to acknowledge, promote or participate in gay pride events.

Sunday's march in Tampa coincided with gay pride parades in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and other cities. The annual parades commemorate the Stonewall uprising of 1969, a series of clashes between gays and police in New York City widely considered the beginning of the gay rights movement.

The crowd in Tampa gathered outside John F. Germany Public Library at 3 p.m., where two gay literature displays were taken down after the commission's July 15 vote. That decision followed the earlier removal of a similar display at the West Gate Regional Library.

Brian Winfield of Equality Florida, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights group that organized Sunday's rally, said the initial removal of the library display was shocking.

``It felt like a story from 50 years ago,'' Winfield said.

What came next was even more appalling to Winfield. He called the commission's decision reckless because it left ambiguity over how the policy would be enforced.

``It was so vague because none of the county agencies have any idea how it applies to them,'' Winfield said.

Much of the marchers' anger was directed at Commissioner Ronda Storms, who proposed the policy change.

``What right does she have to speak for all?'' Bower said.

Bower held her girlfriend's hand and gestured to the crowd gathered outside the library.

``We are part of the all,'' she said.

Marchers represented a diverse cross-section of the Bay area community, as straight parents and their children joined gay and lesbian couples, students and senior citizens.

Seventy-three-year-old Nancy Combs came to the rally from New Port Richey with her husband. Combs marched and carried a sign that read ``Straight, Not Narrow'' in support of her gay friends.

``When people push them back, we'll stand behind them,'' Combs said.

Only one man came out in opposition to the pride rally and march. While the Equality Florida organizers did not have a permit to march, 10 Tampa police officers, several of whom are gay or lesbian, volunteered to cordon off the downtown streets and direct traffic as marchers filled Zack and Morgan streets. Marchers walked from the library to the county commission building.

Maj. Jane Castor, the police department's liaison with the gay and lesbian community, said she wasn't surprised by her officers' response.

``Tampa police support all the residents of the city,'' Castor said.

The department said there were no reports of incidents during the parade.

Commissioner Kathy Castor - the only commissioner to vote against Storm's proposal - said the large crowd at the march showed the high level of support for the gay and lesbian community in the county.

``I don't think the commission's vote represents this very tolerant and inclusive community,'' Castor said.

The other six county commissioners did not respond to telephone calls. In the past, the commissioners who voted for Storm's proposal have said it is inappropriate for the county to promote gay pride.

``You can respect somebody's human dignity and treat them with courtesy, but I'm still not going to promote what you do,'' Storms said last week.

Among the marchers was at least one who wanted to thank the commissioners who voted against supporting gay pride.

``The best thing that ever happened to us was Ronda Storms,'' a man who identified himself as R. Zeke Fread said as he waved a rainbow flag. ``She got us all together.''

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter Julie Pace can be reached at (813) 865-1505.