Last year for Pride, instead of waving flags of resistance and dancing in the streets, we stayed home, hidden behind masks and unsure of when we’d be able to be together again. For older generations of LGBTQ folks, it brought back shockwaves reminiscent of the frightening early days of the AIDS epidemic, when gay people were left to care for each other while no one else, including the government, would.
The mood for Pride is usually bright and cheery, but its origins are anything but. It commemorates a riot where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people fought back against a violent police raid on the Stonewall Bar in the late-night hours of June 28, 1969. At the time, raids by cops on the few gay clubs that existed were commonplace and antigay laws were on the books from coast to coast. The confrontations lasted for several more days with the crowds growing in size and ferocity.
The powerful six-part docu-series Pride, streaming on Hulu, shows the impact of the riots as it chronicles the LGBTQ civil rights fight in America from the 1950s to the present. Here’s the trailer.
Over the years, Pride has grown in size. More than 5 million people in New York City celebrated the 50th anniversary of Stonewall in 2019. That year an estimated 150,000 people marched with 700 groups in a parade through the streets of Manhattan that lasted for 12 hours. Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of events worldwide that were planned for 2020.
The good news in 2021 is that vaccination rates are moving faster than anyone imagined, with half of Americans having received at least one dose. It is a bright spot in what has been a dark time, but it comes a little too late for event organizers who need months to plan festivities. This means there will be few in-person activities this month for the millions of recently vaccinated people with pent-up queer energy bursting to get out.
This year, there’s still some uncertainty with the ongoing pandemic about who can and can’t go out. Luckily, there’s a lot of amazing stuff happening online that you don’t have to go out to experience. “We have something for everyone,” said Dan Dimant, who became media director for NYC Pride last September after serving for years as a volunteer. “Everything is listed on nycpride.org. There are events for youth, for families, for people who like to cook, for film enthusiasts. We’ve tried to hit on a range of different interests and segments of our community.”
Here’s a taste of the online glitter, glamour, and gloriousness planned for what will hopefully be the last pandemic Pride. Most of the events are free of charge.
June 10
Kicking off LA Pride is a free “Thrive with Pride” concert featuring pop sensation Charli XCX and up-and-coming LGBTQ artists. The performances will be presented by and livestreamed exclusively on TikTok, making it easy to join in the fun from your phone. For updates on the lineup, visit the LA Pride website. LA Pride also suggests you follow @tiktokforgood for updates.
June 15
I’ve been a fan of the world-renowned New York Gay Men’s Chorus and Youth Pride Chorus for years, so I am excited about the premiere of their new video “Outside Voice,” about the experiences of queer youth. It will be followed by a talkback session with composer Julian Hornik and artistic director Gavin Thrasher. You can watch live at 8 pm ET on their YouTube channel.
June 21–23
NYC Pride will present its fourth annual Human Rights Conference June 21 to 23. This year’s conference will feature a series of interactive Masterclasses with transformative experts in activism, fashion, culture, and queer history sharing their insights with guests through live seminars. You can sign up for the Masterclasses here. Tickets are approximately $5.
The symposium will offer free main stage open conversations on a diverse range of topics designed to connect communities including trans empowerment, mental health and wellness, and collective power for people of color. You can register for the free Mainstage discussions here.
June 26
NYC Youth Pride, a celebration of and for LGBTQ and ally teens, is back as a virtual gathering. For this year’s experience, NYC Pride has partnered with youth-focused centers, organizations, and programs nationwide to present the annual Youth Pride virtual event..
You can register for the free event here.