First transgender fire fighter leads New York LGBT Pride parade
NEW YORK – JUNE 28: Frances Goldin, who has two lesbian daughters, holds a sign while watching the Gay Pride Parade on June 28, 2015 in New York City. The parade is being held two days after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision siding with the right for gay marriage in the U.S. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)
Tens of thousands have turned out on the streets of New York to celebrate pride.
The 48th annual pride march attracted people from across the city under the banner “We are proud.”
This year the march was led by Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender woman to work as a firefighter in the city.
The 29-year-old fire fighter said she was shocked to be asking, telling organisers, “Is Laverne Cox busy?”
Organisers favoured the trans trailblazer over high-profile celebs like Sir Ian McKellen that have led the march in previous years.
Ahead of the parade, Guinan said: “I’ve marched with the FDNY for seven years, and the grand marshals have always been so inspiring.
“If one person’s inspired by my participation, that would be my ultimate feeling of achievement.”
The New York march’s other grand marshals included the American Civil Liberties Union, which was chosen for its history of litigation defending gay rights, and Geng Le, a gay rights activist from China.
More than 350 groups marched in the celebration, with more than 80 floats parading down the stunning Fifth Avenue.
It was also the first pride to be broadcast live, with ABC7 carrying rolling footage.
President Donald Trump was a focus of this year’s march.
The 45th POTUS has made no public ackowledgement of the LGBT Pride Month, while his daughter Ivanka Trump was widely mocked for her tweet in support pride.
Many New Yorkers carried “resist” signs, while others had placards condemning the Republican leader and masks of his face.
“Pride this year is showing that we are here, we are queer, and we are not going to sit down for anything less than full rights, full equality,” said Austin Anderson, a 28-year-old pride-goer told Reuters.
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Among the Trump protestors was Chelsea Manning, who celebrated her first pride parade as a free woman.
The US soldier, who was jailed for providing confidential documents to WikiLeaks, joined thousands in the streets of New York for the pride parade.
Manning later took to Twitter, writing: “honored to represent the @aclu at this years @NYCPrideMarch ???? lost my voice from screaming so much ❤️ thank you”
honored to represent the @aclu at this years @NYCPrideMarch 🌈👭👫👬 lost my voice from screaming so much ❤️ thank you 😍https://t.co/qZIBuyrNRq pic.twitter.com/3C6xVZQquV
— Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) June 25, 2017
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Manning was driven through the city’s streets in a red convertable sports car with other supporters.
She was at the LGBT celebration to represent The American Civil Liberties Unions (ACLU), a non-profit advocacy group who provided her legal representation.
