Pride will be less party and more protest this year
As Pride season approaches, some events will be ditching the partying for more sombre protests this year.
Leading the pack, Los Angeles Pride has thrown out much of its traditional celebrations, with a large ‘resist’ protest set to take place instead of a parade.
Christopher Street West, the nonprofit group that organises the annual LA Pride Parade, confirmed that in place of the usual annual event, a resistance-themed protest will be held rallying against opponents of LGBT rights.
Speaking to the LA Times, organiser Brian Pendleton said: “We’re getting back to our roots. We will be resisting forces that want to roll back our rights, and politicians who want to make us second-class citizens.”
The shift in tone appears to be a response to attacks on transgender LGB rights from the Trump administration, though the LA march does not call out the President by name.
Pendleton said: “It’s not a red thing or a blue thing… it’s about marching for human rights, which are a Republican concept and a Democratic concept.
“We’re changing the format this year to let people know we care about human rights, whether you’re a woman, a Dreamer, or an LGBTQ person.”
The group also outlined a number of community-focused initiatives to be rolled out.
It said: “Given the current political climate where divisiveness and discrimination continue to be part of mainstream dialogue, CSW is determined to make the LA Pride brand a unifying force for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies across all of Los Angeles.
“To accomplish this goal, the organization is introducing several community-focused initiatives to continue LA Pride’s long-standing history as a voice of and for the entire LGBTQ+ community.”
The Pride festival is also likely to be smaller than in recent years, due to construction in its usual venue, West Hollywood Park.
Other Pride events are expected to follow suit.
