As pride month comes to a close, let’s highlight not only the numerous celebrations from around the country (and the world!) this past month, but also recognize that many of these celebrations were a simultaneous act of protest. To exist loudly as a queer person, to demand visibility and acknowledgement, especially in an environment that does not wish to recognize you, is a protest in and of itself. And remember, the first pride was a riot against police brutality and corruption, led by trans women of color. Queer rights are continually under attack in the US and beyond. So as we celebrate pride, keep in mind why we do so: to honor our queer roots and history, and to continue to fight for rights, visibility, and acceptance for ourselves and our queer siblings around the world.
NYC Pride Parade - I was leaving the city yesterday after the parade and though I was unable to attend it, it was wonderful to see rainbows all around me on the subway and on my bus back to Philadelphia!
St. Petersburg, FL Pride Parade. A pride parade anywhere in Florida is a protest. St. Pete is both an hour outside of Orlando, where the Pulse Nightclub shooting took place seven years ago, and an hour outside of Sarasota, where FL governor Ron DeSantis is currently taking over a small liberal arts college hailed for its inclusivity and acceptance to turn it into a conservative institution simply for political gain.
Istanbul Pride March, which went on despite pride celebrations being banned in Turkey for nearly a decade. The march ended abruptly with the arrests of 50+ attendees at the hands of Turkish authorities, with some people receiving injuries at the hands of the police. You can read more about Turkey's silencing of LGBTQ+ people here.
Manila Pride March - In the Philippines, a bill promising equality has been stalling in their congress for over 20 years, yet Filipinos remain hopeful that change is coming.
Paris Pride March, called "La Marche des Fiertés LGBT", where this year there was a noticeable absence of floats in an attempt to make the parade more environmentally-friendly. In the marcher's sign in the top-right corner of the picture, you'll see that they wrote "protect trans refugees" in French, utilizing newer gender neutral grammar in this instance to refer to refugees.
Yet just because pride month is ending doesn’t mean the celebrations are! Several pride marches, parades, and protests are to occur in the coming weeks and months, so be on the lookout, take to the streets, stay educated, and celebrate love!