San Jose, CA – On June 20, 200 members of the LGBTQ community and allies gathered at Saint James Park for the third annual San Jose’s People’s Pride. People’s Pride is a grassroots-organized event meant to celebrate community and fight back against the current attacks transgender people are facing from the Trump administration. Unlike some other Pride events in the Bay Area, Peoples Pride does not have any corporate sponsors, recognizing the rampant pinkwashing by corporations that are complicit in human rights abuses.

Throughout the festival portion of the event, small business vendors sold queer art and goods. Bands and DJs brought people together to dance and celebrate queer culture. This People’s Pride was the first year hosting a drag show, featuring Diane and Nikky Nicole.

People’s Pride also featured a silent auction with donated items from vendors. Items included art prints, jewelry and more. All of the proceeds went to compensate the performers, completely supplanting the need for corporate sponsors.

Along with the festivities, local organizations tabled. One such organization, South Bay Queer Solidarity, currently has a letter writing campaign to local hospitals that have not reinstated gender affirming care to youth after Trump threatened to punish hospitals that provided life-saving treatments to trans youth.

After the festival, attendees took to the streets of downtown San Jose. They marched from Saint James Park to Post Street, gathering support from onlookers along the way. Together, the protesters shared one common goal: to defend the queer community from Trump's anti-trans agenda.

Lyla Salinas of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “Attacks on trans healthcare have taken center stage in Trump’s anti-LGBTQ agenda. While 27 states have already enacted laws to limit gender affirming care for trans youth, Trump intends to ban this healthcare nationwide.”

Salinas continued, “This was never about protecting children. Attacks on trans youth chip away at the bodily autonomy of all trans people.”

Protesters chanted, “Trans rights are human rights, that's why we must fight!” as they marched through the streets. Em Tran, a member of Students for a Democratic Society at San Jose State University, stated that permission is not needed to stand against the transphobic attacks levied by the Trump administration, saying, “That’s why Pride is important. Pride started as a riot. Do you think Marsha P. Johnson asked for permission to start Pride?”

Tran continued, “It's not called the Stonewall ‘Wait-for-Permission-To-Do-It,’ it's called the Stonewall Riot.”

Tran further emphasized the importance of young people in this fight, saying, “I think it’s important especially for young people, for students, for us to stand united together against what the Trump administration has been doing against our queer siblings. Against our queer classmates.”

The event ended with cheers and a call for those interested in getting organized to get involved for next year.

#SanJoseCA #CA #Pride #LGBTQ #PeoplesStruggles

Minneapolis, MN – On June 28 Taking Back Pride (TBP) took to the streets ahead of the Twin Cities Pride (TC Pride) parade. The activists were demanding TC Pride cut ties with cops and with the corporations that profit from climate change, racism and the genocide in Palestine, and instead use its huge platform to stand against the massive wave of legal and physical attacks upon LGBTQ people, especially trans people.

TBP says TC Pride ignores the radical legacy of Pride and needs to continue fighting for LGBTQ liberation. Protesters want more than a rainbow State Fair that mainly appeals to corporate sponsors and conservative elements.

This year, TC Pride coordinated with the violent and homophobic Minneapolis Police Department and also hired two private security firms to try to prevent the Take Back Pride march. After meetings last year with TC Pride stating that they “respected” the protest, their security tried to block this year’s protest. They tried to add barricades in front of marchers, attempted to hold the barricades closed, and then drove golf carts at protesters to try to block and intimidate them.

Police hired by TC Pride dangerously grappled a motorcyclist between two of their vehicles leading to injury and damage to the bike. The security hired by TC Pride also harassed at least one bicycle marshal, damaging their bike as well. Several protesters were pushed, shoved and knocked down by security.

One security head for the firm Sequeerity had previously told TBP protest leadership she would, “ride behind you to keep you safe.” Instead, she rammed her motorcycle into a protester’s motorcycle from behind. She then joined in assaulting protesters trying to get on the parade route. Unstoppable, the protesters made their way into the street anyway, where the outrage caused by the security firms’ violence invigorated the crowd.

As in previous years, Taking Back Pride protesters stopped at the TC Pride parade’s grandstand. There they read off the names of trans people murdered during the last year and held a die-in and a moment of silence to honor them. Jae Yates of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) announced to the crowd, “Hecklers will be punished with additional delay of the parade!” There were no hecklers.

Despite attempts to block them, Taking Back Pride marched the entire parade route, giving speeches and handing out pamphlets to the crowd along the way.

At the end of the parade route is a festival with hundreds of booths in Loring Park. Protesters stopped and occupied the space in front of the Salvation Army booth for over an hour. Several speakers made statements denouncing the Salvation Army's history of homophobia and transphobia. They explained how Salvation Army policies and lobbying harm the LGBTQ community. Onlookers joined the protester’s chants enthusiastically. The Salvation Army response was to throw packages of Oreo cookies.

Protesters then marched to the Marathon Fuel booth to denounce the environmental damage that the oil giant causes. Activists called for a stop to the violence and oppression inflicted on Native American peoples when pipelines are built through their lands and communities. Marathon Fuel packed up their booth and left as protesters were approaching. Another victory for Taking Back Pride.

Several days after the TBP protest, Sequeerity made a social media post stating they were “really proud of how [their] team managed the incident”. It also read, Sequeerity is “owned and operated by queer and poc womxn,” with a stated goal to “create and maintain safe spaces for everyone, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community.”

The security firm falsely claimed in their social media post that they were just trying to keep vehicles off the route, that they didn’t hit anyone, and painted some TBP protesters as violent instigators. But Sequeerity failed to mention in the post how they blocked, assaulted and threatened TBP pedestrians and bicyclists.

Instead, Sequeerity suggested in the post a comparison between queer protesters and right-wing terrorists saying, “No one wanted another NOLA drive through, and there was a number of people in the parade that was listed on the murder manifesto.” This is irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric.

Sequeerity employees and TC Pride leaders know the organizers of Taking Back Pride and know that the group approaching the barriers was hosting a family and community-friendly demonstration. Giving examples of right-wing terrorism confuses people about who their enemies are, while simultaneously doing their dirty work for them.

The experience of protesters this year speaks to the need for community control of police through an all elected civilian police accountability commission (CPAC). TBP’s view is, “We keep our communities safe.”

At Taking Back Pride, the tactical team and marshals kept protesters and the community safe because they are part of the community and accountable. The private security is only accountable to TC Pride that hired them, and in turn the corporate sponsors such as 3M, Wells Fargo and US Bank.

Taking Back Pride will continue to fight to get cops and corporations out of Pride. Pride should be an event that honors the legacy and sacrifice of the queer activists who made such an event possible. TBP promises to bring the spirit of radical grassroots organization to Pride until their demands are met.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #LGBTQ #TBP #Pride

New York, NY – On June 29, upwards of 2500 New Yorkers gathered at the AIDS Memorial for the 7th annual Queer Liberation march which was organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition. The Queer Liberation March is organized to reclaim pride and honor its militant history. It is organized to counter the annual Pride March which takes place on the same day but has become a stage for corporations, cops and liberal politicians to whitewash the legacy of the struggle for queer rights.

To start the rally, several speakers from the Reclaim Pride Coalition talked about the militant history of Pride, giving the Stonewall riots as an example. They also spoke on Trump’s attacks on healthcare, especially gender affirming care for transgender children. Other speakers highlighted how the struggle for queer liberation needs to unite with other struggles such as the Palestinian struggle, the struggle for immigrant rights, the struggle for Black liberation and many other struggles that are taking place. The speaking section of the rally ended with a recital of the queer liberation national anthem.

People then marched down 7th Avenue for 40 city blocks in scorching hot weather. Marshals wearing pink vests were handed out water to keep people hydrated. Queer flags, Palestinian flags and other oppressed nationality flags proudly waved. Marchers held signs denouncing Trump’s attacks on trans rights, the genocide in Gaza, and the whitewashing of queer history.

Several organizations led contingents with banners with slogans such as “Stonewall was a riot!” or “Resist! Reclaim! Rejoice!” or “No pride in genocide!” Chants such as “When trans rights are under attack! What do we do? Stand up fight back!” or “We will not be fucking quiet! Stonewall was a fucking riot!” were being loudly yelled by the people marching. In addition, there were several other activities taking place throughout the march, such as people dancing on cop cars, a large marching band performing songs, and a collective flipping off of the New York Times building.

The march ended at Lenape Circle. The city calls the area Columbus Circle after Christopher Columbus, who the organizers rightfully refuse to acknowledge because of his history of enslaving, raping and killing indigenous Americans. The circle is named Lenape Circle to honor the Lenape people who are indigenous to Manhattan but were ethnically cleansed from the land.

When people arrived at the circle, many gathered to listen to the final speakers of the action while others scattered throughout the park to cool down and rest.

#NewYorkNY #NY #LGBTQ #Pride #Queer

Appleton WI – On Friday, June 27, 100 community members gathered at Houdini Plaza in bustling downtown Appleton for Hate Free Outagamie’s rally to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

This action, cosponsored by Diverse and Resilient, the Green Bay Anti-War Committee and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, focused on the significance of the uprising, and the lessons it teaches us about the present moment.

As the crowd gathered, chants of “Deny existence, expect resistance!” echoed through town as attendees toured organization tables, accessing literature and resources.

Mary Bogen, chair of Hate Free Outagamie, spoke of the LGBTQ movement in Wisconsin. She cited the Black Nite uprising of 1961, the historical occupations of the capitol building in Madison and the development of safe spaces throughout the Fox Valley area. Bogen told the crowd, “This state was called ‘the gay rights state’ not because of politicians, but because we fought for it.” Bogen ended her address by saying, “When we realize Hate Free Outagamie isn't just a name, it’s a demand. That’s Stonewall.”

Lana Ksionek, chair of the Green Bay Anti-War Committee, spoke next. Ksionek spoke of Sylvia Rivera’s experience in New York, Rivera’s gender expression was illegal, and she was unhoused. Ksionek then spoke on her experience as a trans person and the connection to Stonewall, stating “while these are precarious times, I’m not getting arrested for dressing femme, I have a car and a legal job. This is not a ‘be grateful for what you have’ narrative, the point is our material conditions are much better than 1969, Slyvia walked so we could run.”

This was the first of its kind event in the Fox Valley and as the movement continues to grow amidst the second Trump presidency, we are sure we will see more commemorations to come.

#AppletonWI #WI #LGBTQ #Pride #HateFreeOutagamie #AWCGB

Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, June 28, more than 60 people gathered at Cathedral Square Park in the light of downtown Milwaukee, to commemorate the Stonewall Uprisings and the Black Nite Brawl.

The Black Nite Brawl is a crucial piece of history from 1961, before the Stonewall Riots, where when four individuals chose to go to the Black Nite Bar with the intentions of causing trouble at the locally known gay bar. The bashers were not prepared for the pushback they were to receive. There were countless gays, lesbians and trans people ready to defend themselves, and make it clear that they were ready to fight for their right to exist. The night had quickly escalated, ending with a fight to defend the bar and its patrons.

“This act of resistance predates the more widely known Stonewall Riots and highlights the early involvement of the queer community in standing up against systemic oppression. The brawl has since become a symbol of queer struggle and solidarity, amplifying the role of intersectionality in the ongoing fight for queer liberation,” said Robby Knapp, an SDS member.

The rally featured a handful of speakers, from Students for a Democratic Society Milwaukee (SDS UWM) and the Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM), the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee (MAC), the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Endorsing groups included Hate Free Outagamie and Society of Indigenous Students @ UW-Milwaukee. Each of the speakers brought an important piece of pride and how it’s interconnected to their own work as organizers.

A member of MAC, said, “Pinkwashing ignores that both Israel and the United States are themselves violently anti-LGBTQ, as we can see with our current administration as it gleefully attempts to slash LGBTQ rights one bill after the other.” Their speech highlighted the fact that while Israel claims they care for LGBTQ people in the Middle East, the bombs they are dropping on Palestine do not discriminate for the queer people that live there.

Lauren Forbush, from RJAM stated, “Our community is still experiencing the same oppression as our predecessors. The violence hasn’t stopped. We mourn Jonathan Joss, brutally murdered – Infront of his husband. We mourn Sam Nordquist. We mourn Amyri Dior, a vibrant 23-year-old trans woman from Milwaukee, stolen from us. These are not isolated incidents. They are a part of a relentless pattern of violence targeting our trans siblings, our queer family, especially people of oppressed nations who are black and brown, and those facing economic hardship.”

RJAM and SDS UWM had four key demands: “Cops and corporations out of Pride – no more rainbow-washed oppression; Pride was born from resistance, not policing or profit! Keep gender affirming care accessible – trans healthcare is healthcare, no bans, no barriers! Protect trans youth – hands off their healthcare, sports, schools and futures! Healthcare for all! Full access to gender affirming care and trans inclusive services!”

“We cannot stop showing up. We cannot stop fighting! We may have achieved hard-won rights like gay marriage and legal protections for the LGBTQ community, but the Trump administration has proven how easily these rights can be taken away. The overturning of Roe v. Wade, attacks on trans youth, healthcare restrictions for LGBTQ+ communities; we must keep fighting and we will win!” Said Patricia Fish, chair of SDS UWM.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #LGBTQ #RJAM #Pride #SDS #MAC

Denver, CO – On Saturday, June 28, over 200 members of Denver's queer and trans community, along with supporters, gathered at Cheesman Park for a People's Pride March on the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

The march was planned by several organizations, including the Bread & Roses Legal Center, Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, in response to the official Denver PrideFest celebration, which has been becoming an increasingly commercialized event.

Protesters marched from Cheesman Park to the Colorado State Capitol, the site of Denver's annual PrideFest. On the way, the crowd chanted “We will not be quiet; Stonewall was a riot” and “Fuck your assimilation, we want trans liberation” while blocking intersections. At these intersections the crowd listened to speeches from organizers about, among other things, the increasing commodification of Pride.

“Pride has been co-opted and sold back to us by big businesses that make rainbow cups and call it Pride,” said Salem Chadwick, a rank-and-file Teamster speaking on behalf of FRSO. “Enough with corporate Pride and rainbow capitalism.”

The crowd marched onwards to Denver PrideFest, the official celebration organized primarily by The Center on Colfax, the region's largest LGBTQ community center. The Center has come under heavy criticism for its cooperation with corporate sponsors, such as Chevron and JPMorgan Chase, that are contributing to the genocide in Palestine.

The protesters, although initially blocked by event security, were able to take the main stage at Denver PrideFest and delivered several speeches to the crowd before the microphone volume was reduced to barely audible levels.

“We are here today on the 630th day into the genocide in Gaza”, said Alex Borenstein of Jewish Voice for Peace. “And some of the sponsors of this festival are financing that genocide.”

The crowd appeared very supportive of the action, and the march nearly doubled in size as it made its way back onto the streets and back to Cheesman Park for a brief social gathering before the crowd dispersed.

“It was really cool seeing how supportive the crowd at PrideFest was of our message, and how many of them joined us,” said Katherine Draken after the event. “It shows that queer and trans folks want more than rainbow merchandise, we want real community and real resistance. We should absolutely do this again next year.”

#DenverCO #CO #LGBTQ #Pride #PeoplesPride #FRSO

San Jose, CA – On Saturday, June 21, around 280 people rallied at Saint James Park in downtown for the Second Annual People's Pride, a march and celebration spearheaded by community organizers of San Jose to return LGBTQ Pride Month mobilizations to their radical and militant roots.

Romaine Charite, a San Jose transgender and nonbinary activist of the San Jose People's Pride organization, emceed. They started by leading chants such as “Donald Trump has got to go” and “Trans rights are here to stay.”

In a statement read at the protest by Charite, the organizers cite Trump and his administration's posture on transgender people, stating, “His executive order, ‘Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism,’ legally erases trans, nonbinary, and intersex people by defining gender as male or female, and inseparable from sex. And recently, cut over a billion dollars in funding for HIV prevention programs.”

Charite also stressed that 900-plus bills that would negatively affect trans and gender non-conforming people are being considered nationally, a trend that Charite says is not just policy but “a blueprint for erasure.” This year's theme for the Pride protest was “Smash Trump's Trans Bans.”

In solidarity with other popular movements in San Jose, a program of speakers started with two representatives of the Silicon Valley Immigration Committee, Colin Garcia and Jessica Aviles, who provided speeches in both English and Spanish, respectively.

The immigrant rights organization demands “No deportations and no separation of families” as they work to advocate for victims of brutality and detention in the wave of ICE raids and arrests initiated by the Trump administration. SVIC is involved in the campaign to free Ulises Peña Lopez, a Sunnyvale father who they say was “brutally and unlawfully arrested by ICE and is being held at the Golden State Annex.”

Garcia tied together the fight for immigrant rights and trans rights, saying, “Racism, anti-immigrant and anti-transgender bias all work together, often with devastating results in the lives of Latino transgender people. The Trump administration has increasingly increased their attacks on both the trans, queer and immigrant community.”

Tim Phan from the San Jose State University chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, the national progressive student activist organization, spoke on attacks on trans athlete Blaire Fleming, a former student volleyball player. After a class action lawsuit against the NCAA in which Fleming was outed as transgender by her teammate, Phan said, “Death threats were sent online, she was getting harassed from right-wing transphobes everywhere she went, there were entire teams that dropped out just because they feared her existence, and her daily life was disrupted.”

Public support was built by students, who stormed her games with signs to counter hecklers, and a decision by a U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Colorado, who won Fleming the right to play in the tournament, in response to an injunction initiated by rival teams to sit her out. However, once in office, Donald Trump withdrew the Biden-era Title IX policy within the Department of Education that expanded protections against sex discrimination to transgender people and launched an investigation against San Jose State University as part of his executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports.”

Shaena Reyes with San Jose Against War stated, “Often as an out and queer person, when I say, 'Free Palestine' I am met with a 'Well you wouldn’t be free if you lived there' or 'You know they hate queer folks over there'. To that I say, liberation is not conditional.”

Lyla Salinas recited a statement for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization on the legacy of the Stonewall uprisings, saying, “Pride began as an uprising against a brutal police raid, in New York City, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. When bigoted police threw down the gauntlet, the inn’s patrons threw back the brick.”

Salinas added “Our Pride must honor Stonewall’s legacy, celebrate our identities, and struggle tooth and nail to defend our civil liberties. The best way to do this is to build a united front against Trump.”

The first half of the program speakers wrapped with chants like “Stonewall was a riot, we will not be quiet!” and attendees marched towards the heart of downtown into San Pedro Square, where the city of San Jose held a Pride shopping event. Onlookers watched and cheered in support as hundreds of protesters flooded the alley shouting, “It's a trans revolution!” The march paused at the Qmmunity District, a patch of San Jose's downtown known for its LGBTQ-owned businesses and the community's staple gay bar, Splash.

A second round of speakers, like Sera Fernando, a trans rights activist and manager of Santa Clara County's Office of LGBTQ affairs, added her experiences as a “Trans Filipina” growing up in San Jose.

The march ended with a return to the park, where local LGBTQ talent, like DJ headbdead and rock band Friendship Games, performed live music. Tacos from Silicon Valley Immigration were distributed, and safe sex resources were handed out from the table of Alyssa, Sex Educator and Doula.

Charite highlighted, “This is not a festival, it’s a mobilization and celebration for existing in spite of every attempt to exterminate us.”

#SanJoseCA #CA #LGBTQ #Pride

New Orleans, LA – On the evening of June 14, around 30 community members and organizers gathered outside of Louis Armstrong Park to protest Shell Oil’s Pride sponsorship and march ahead of the New Orleans Pride parade.

“If Shell gets to roll through our streets with a police escort, then we are going to march. You don’t get to attack us and expect us to play nice,” said Molly Frayle from the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP).

Heavy thunderstorms threatened to shut down both the parade and the protest, but the rain eventually receded, and the parade was only delayed by an hour. Chanting, “We refuse to be silent, Stonewall was a riot,” the protesters jumped into the street and began marching in front of the parade’s police escort to denounce Shell’s corporate greed.

Police attempted to hinder the march when the parade route turned into the French Quarter. Two police vehicles blocked the right side of the road where protesters attempted to turn, and officers threatened to escalate if the march tried to get through. Undeterred, protesters marched onto the sidewalk and moved around the police cars, chanting “Bottoms and tops: we all hate cops!”

The march continued down Royal Street while demonstrators chanted, “Gave half a million to the right, Shell’s not with us in this fight!” and “Queer people know the time, it’s time to stand with Palestine!” Paradegoers cheered in support.

As the march ended back at Louis Armstrong Park, Blu DiMarco of QTCAP closed out by saying, “Shell likes to pretend they care about LGBTQ people. But they use their politician dogs to attack us year ‘round. We’re not fooled by their little ‘ad-on-wheels’ [parade float] at Pride. We know what they are: the enemy of LGBTQ people in this country and around the world.”

Organizers with QTCAP will be holding a People’s Pride event on the anniversary of Stonewall this year – Saturday, June 28 – to honor the historic uprising and a long legacy of queer resistance. The rally and march will begin at Washington Square Park, near the city’s Marigny neighborhood, at 5:30 p.m.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #LGBTQ #QTCAP #Pride

Tallahassee, FL- Tallahassee SDS hosted its annual pride talent show at The Bark on June 12. Members of the community were encouraged to share their talents in celebration of Tallahassee’s diverse queer community.

Queer community members came together to show solidarity in a state where the LGBTQ community has been increasingly under attack by the state government’s Republican supermajority. Several bills have been passed and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, including bans on gender-affirming care, removals of classes deemed “woke” due to the inclusion of LGBTQ history, and restrictions on the discussion of LGBTQ identities in the classrooms.

Community members shared their art through music, poetry and dance, showcasing their creativity. And while the event was a jubilant celebration of creativity and community, it also served as a reminder of the need for continued activism and advocacy.

Tallahassee stands at a crossroads as continued attacks against the LGBTQ community, both on the state level and now on the national level from the Trump administration, continue.

Even locally in Tallahassee, which is often considered a “progressive” city, the attacks have taken a toll. In February, Florida State University attempted to silently axe its LGBTQ housing program, a lifeline to queer students who could potentially face discrimination or even violence if placed in other housing.

It was only due to the swift action of student groups like Tallahassee SDS, TCAC, and the Pride Student Union that the decision was reversed. In what was a true testament to the power of the people – even before a planned protest, the sheer public response was so negative that the university administration was forced to reverse its decision. LGBTQ housing at FSU began only due to the work of local activists, and it was ultimately the work of other activists that would maintain it.

The Pride talent show was also a time of reflection and mourning, as attendees recognized the ninth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Over 49 were killed and 53 injured at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando after it was targeted by a shooter in a horrific act of hate and violence. The gay night club was specifically targeted, and most of the victims were LGBTQ and Latino, as the shooting occurred on “Latin Night” at the nightclub.

As attacks continue against queer people, solidarity has become more critical than ever. The Pride Talent Show, while not a protest or rally, was a great place to build community, to come together, to celebrate and to remember the past.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #LGBTQ #Pride #StudentMovement #SDS

Pride month this year starts with Trump attacking the LGBTQ community every chance he gets. No matter how desperate and unbearable the attacks from reactionaries become, we must remember that our resistance and history is greater than anything the Trump Administration or any other enemy can throw at us. Pride month is a reminder of our courageous history, of our struggle to win our democratic rights.

Pride began as an uprising against a brutal police raid, in New York City, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher street. When bigoted police threw down the gauntlet, the inn’s patrons threw back the brick. Pride celebrations started with that rebellion, and must continue to honor its spirit. It was the revolutionary attitude of LGBTQ people fighting back against police repression in the street that started our liberatory movement.

This fight back was a united one. Patrons were Black, Puerto Rican, gay, trans, and working class. All of those patrons knew the police officers who threatened them for who they loved and how they dressed were their enemies. The movement that they sparked forged community through struggle, and taught those facing political repression an important lesson: united, they could win and overcome even the most repressive laws and violence.

Today, anti-LGBTQ attacks are surging, and the corporations that used to wave the rainbow flag are cowering. But the people’s movements are still growing and developing in spite of all the pushback. Our Pride must honor Stonewall’s legacy, celebrate our identities, and struggle tooth and nail to defend our civil liberties. The best way to do this is to build a united front against Trump. Pride shouldn’t be seen as the isolated issue of one community. If you recognize LGBTQ people’s revolutionary potential to help tear down this rotten system, now is the time to stand with them.

Solidarity with the LGBTQ community is vital for all movements fighting for liberation, whether it be those fighting to end police brutality, fighting to end the deportation and mistreatment of immigrants, or fighting for working class people to have political and economic power.

Join local Pride Actions being put on in your community – any Pride month rallies, marches, or events being hosted. If your community already has a large LGBTQ movement or consistent organizing, take part in advanced actions that honor Stonewall’s revolutionary legacy. Unity is critical, and moving people forward with a fighting spirit is the next step. We need to prepare people for the upcoming fight against repressive LGBTQ legislation, and rally those who have become politically conscious and engaged to struggle against the heightened repression of the Trump presidency.

#LGBTQ #Pride #FRSO #Statment

Mandeville, LA – On Saturday, June 7, over 1000 protestors gathered in Mandeville to celebrate the second annual Northshore Pride. The streets were closed along the Mandeville Lakefront for the determined protesters to march carrying signs and flags in 100-degree temperatures. Supportive crowds from diverse Northshore communities lined the route, creating a buffer between the marchers and small groups of Christian-fundamentalist counter-protesters.

Large signs towards the front of the parade carried messages such as “We march not just for joy, but for justice” and “We will not be silent. Will you raise your voice with us?” Behind the main banner for the parade, flag holders carried the flags representing different communities in the LGBTQ+ umbrella. In the center, a Palestinian woman flew the flag of Palestine to show solidarity amidst the genocide being carried out by Israel with the support of the U.S. government.

The Northshore is a string of small suburban towns 40 minutes north of New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain, and the area is politically dominated by wealthy conservative Republicans. After facing longtime barriers from local politicians and reactionaries, organizers were able to successfully host the first Northshore Pride in 2024.

This defiant step was significant because it was taken during the first year of MAGA Governor Jeff Landry’s repressive administration. Landry has been a reactionary leader of anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice attacks in Louisiana, even before becoming governor, when he served as attorney general. In his first year in office, he has taken every opportunity to pass anti-LGBTQ legislation such as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill and attacks the inclusion of LGBTQ people in public life.

March attendance doubled from last year for the second annual Northshore Pride in 2025. The event also received growing support from the local community, with many rallying in opposition to attacks from the Trump administration. This year, organizers chose the theme “Protesting with Pride” to capture the broad anti-Trump movement’s spirit of solidarity and resistance.

The march featured solidarity with Palestine prominently despite pushback from local Zionist groups. The organization Northshore for Palestine led a contingent with members of New Orleans groups Queer and Trans Community Action Project and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports. The contingent carried on the militant legacy of Stonewall as it led the crowd in radical chants while most other contingents danced to music on stereos. The crowd was fired up by a chant quoting the Stonewall hero Marsha P. Johnson, “Not one of us is free, until all of us are free!”

#MandevilleLA #LA #LGBTQ #Pride #Trans #NorthshorePride

Minneapolis, MN – For the seventh year running, community members disrupted the Twin Cities Pride parade, June 30, to protest the inclusion of cops and corporations. Their inclusion comes at the expense of queer community members who want the event to honor the spirit of radical resistance Pride came out of and to continue the fight for LGBTQ liberation. This year, more than 1000 protesters marched with the Taking Back Pride Coalition for not only LGBTQ liberation, but especially for Palestinian liberation.

TC Pride is one of the largest such events in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of people. Taking Back Pride, a coalition initiated by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J), took the street in protest ahead of the corporate-sponsored parade.

The first Taking Back Pride protest focused on demanding an end to police presence in the parade and the festival, but organizers soon expanded their demands to address Pride’s failure to address the needs of Black, brown and indigenous community members, especially trans folks. They have long called on Pride to break ties with the corporations that dominate the parade and festival.

As TCC4J organizer Loretta VanPelt put it, “These corporations funnel millions of dollars into conservative campaigns and laws, they pollute the planet, they support war and genocide. Then once a year they throw a rainbow on their logo and think we’ll just forget all that. But we remember and we want to remind people that our rights as LGBT people are far from secure and that these corporations only care about us when we’re profitable.”

The first Pride march was held in New York City in 1970, marking one year after the Stonewall rebellion, when LGBTQ folks fought back against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar. The confrontation lasted five nights where, with bricks and molotov cocktails, the community fought back against police terror. This was the time when the LGBTQ liberation made strong connections to other movements, from the Black liberation movement to the movement to end U.S. war in Vietnam. Cities across the country continue to celebrate Pride, but most of these events, including in Minneapolis, have devolved to a party for tourists instead of a political event commemorating the Stonewall uprising against police brutality.

Hundreds of anti-trans bills are set to pass in the next year. Black and brown people continue to be brutalized and killed by police. 40,000 Palestinians have been murdered since October 7. Taking Back Pride Coalition organizers say TC Pride is complicit in these injustices, through silence, inaction and even making space for the FBI, the National Guard, and weapons manufacturers to participate.

A statement by organizers said, “We refuse to allow this disgusting pinkwashing of genocide to continue unchallenged. We march for a free Palestine and an end to all imperialist occupations, for substantive accountability for those impacted by police brutality through community control, for our queer and trans siblings who have been stolen by violence, and for true queer liberation. We march to honor the legacy of Black and brown trans women and nonbinary people who fought for the rights and acceptance of all LGBTQ people.”

Led by Bikers Riding Against Police Brutality (BRAPB), a social justice motorcycle group, and Fury du Nord – a queer and trans motorcycle riding club, protesters marched the same route as the corporate parade, to the beat of the Yalla Drum group and the Unlawful Assembly Marching Band. The corporate parade was delayed, as protesters stopped every few blocks for speakers and performance. One powerful stop was a die-in, where the names of trans people killed in the last year were read aloud. Parade organizers and security complained about delays, but most onlookers were supportive, joining in many of the chants. Some even left the sidelines and joined the march.

The protest ended with multiple actions inside the massive Pride festival at Loring Park. First, protesters took over the Stonewall Stage. Organizer Jae Yates explained the reason for the protest, and then Levi Lake spoke in tribute to Liara Tsai, a trans DJ who was killed just the week before.

Smaller groups broke off to disrupt problematic festival vendors. The FBI and the National Guard both had booths, aiming to recruit from the LGBTQ community. Protesters blocked their booths with massive banners and addressed the crowds of people about their role in oppressing people’s movements at home and abroad. Another group disrupted the Target corporation photobooth, by displaying images of Palestinian martyrs as a protest of the U.S.-backed genocide.

In addition to TCC4J, the Taking Back Pride Coalition includes Anti War Committee MN, Bikers Riding Against Police Brutality, Climate Justice Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, MN Abortion Action Committee, MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, MN Workers United, People’s Pride, UMN Students for a Democratic Society, Unlawful Assembly Marching Band, and Women Against Military Madness.

#MinneapolisMN #TakingBackPride #TCC4J #WAMM #AntiWarCommitteeMN #Pride #LGBTQLiberation #StandUpFightBack #FreePalestine #MIRAC #SDS #UMNSDS #TwinCitiesPride #TwinCities #Stonewall

Tallahassee, FL – On June 30, two days after the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, students and community members gathered at Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society’s annual pride talent show, one of the longest-running non-corporate pride events in the city. 

SDS organized the talent show to celebrate the historic victories that queer people have won through mass struggle, keeping the spirit of Stonewall alive while resisting rainbow capitalism.

Students enjoyed a wide range of performances from their queer classmates, centering the focus on the real heart of Pride - popular struggle, by and for the queer community, against oppression at the hands of the capitalist system. There are no Chase logos or Raytheon employees here – the students are standing up to corporate co-opting and carrying Stonewall’s torch of liberation.

The event was hosted by local drag queen Hahina Hollywood,who recounted their experiences as an organizer with SDS through the years from the fight against Florida’s anti-queer legislation to the movement for divestment from Israel. Their introduction was followed by music, poetry, comedy and dance.

The SDS pride talent show is one of Tallahassee’s largest Pride Month events, as the city government’s pride events are held in the spring academic semester to maximize profits and disconnect Tallahassee from the global queer movement. SDS presents an alternative for Tallahassee, a beacon of authentic queer culture and resistance. As SDS organizer Joelle Nunez said before her performance, “It is our duty as queer and trans people to know our roots and resist oppression everywhere.”

In July, Tallahassee SDS will be sending a contingent to the March on the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For more information on the march, go to marchonrnc2024.org. To join or support the Tallahassee contingent, reach out to @tallysds on Instagram.

#TallahasseeFL #TallySDS #Pride #TakeBackPride #SDS #MarchOnTheRNC #Stonewall #LGBTQLiberation

Tallahassee, FL – On June 29, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) along with other activist organizations held a rally in remembrance of Stonewall, the 1969 queer uprising that led to the creation of the current LGBTQ rights movement that exists around the world.

Around ten attendees joined together to talk about the history of the Stonewall Riot and the progressive movements that represent the spirit of Stonewall that exist today.

“Stonewall is about real solidarity, solidarity with the majority of oppressed people around the world, solidarity with Palestine, a solidarity that criticizes the politicians that pretend to stand up with us,” said Delilah Pierre, president of TCAC.

Organizations pointed out the pinkwashing used to disguise and dismiss the oppression of Palestinians in particular. Cas Casanova, who spoke for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, talked about pinkwashing at Pride. “Pinkwashing still exists in our movements,” said Casanova. “There needs to be a conversation about how to fight back against organizations that say they support queer people but try to betray the radical foundation of our movements, and ignore how the struggle for queer liberation is connected to Palestinian liberation.”

“Stonewall may have been the spark for the queer rights movement, but we will be the flames,” said Kingsley Early, the speaker for Students for a Democratic Society. Participants stated that they would continue fighting for queer, Palestinian and Black liberation.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #LGBTQ #Pride #TCAC

San Jose, CA – On Saturday, June 22, around 200 people gathered in Saint James Park to celebrate the first San Jose Peoples’ Pride.. The event focused primarily on reclaiming the radical militant origins of Pride.

Drusie Kazanova of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization emceed the event and started the program by saying, “We are here today to take back the radical, militant origins of pride. We do not align with the corporations and politicians who try to co-opt our movement while they enable the genocide that Israel is committing against Palestinians.” She emphasized the importance of calling out mainstream Pride celebrations’ ties with genocidal politicians and corporations, such as Lockheed Martin and Nancy Pelosi.

Kazanova added, “Pride is a commemoration and celebration of the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Stonewall was a response to police violence, state repression, and systemic homophobia and transphobia.”

Kazanova finished by drawing parallels between the struggle against police brutality, for the full equality of LGBTQ people, and for a free Palestine, saying, “The oppressed peoples of this world have a common enemy in U.S. imperialism. Our struggles are interconnected. Every blow against our common enemy weakens U.S. imperialism and brings us closer to our collective liberation.”

Tarentz Charite, Haitian-American and member of Students for a Democratic Society, closed the program by speaking about the similarities between the struggles of Caribbean nations and Palestine in fighting against imperialism and neo-colonial foreign policy. “The Dominican Republic receives military training and violent border technology from the Zionist regime of Israel,” Charite stated, emphasizing the direct role that Israel plays in the national oppression of not only Palestine, but other nations as well.

The event was organized by a coalition made up of Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Silicon Valley Immigration Committee, along with other organizations

After the program, San Jose Peoples' Pride continued for several hours with live DJs, bands, resource tables and vendors. Organizations present included the local San Jose Brown Berets Chapter, Food Not Bombs, and Justice for Palestinians. Amigos de Guadalupe, a local immigrant’s rights organization, sold tacos to fundraise for their campaign to update and restore immigration registry (HR 1511).

Organizers plan to hold San Jose Peoples’ Pride annually in order to build the popular movement for LGBTQ liberation and create a people-powered, community-oriented pride that prioritizes LGBTQ liberation over the corporate interests.

#SanJoseCA #CA #LGBTQ #Pride #FRSO #SDS #BrownBerets #FoodNotBombs #AmigosDeGuadalupe

Denver, CO – On Sunday, June 23, the Colorado Palestine Coalition (CPC) organized a protest at Denver’s annual Pride Parade to draw attention to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people and the complicity of companies like Lockheed Martin in that genocide. Denver’s Pride Parade was sponsored by several arms contractors that sell weapons to Israel, like Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. The protest was attended by about 500 people.

Starting at 8 a.m., protesters gathered in a contingent at the beginning of the Pride parade route. Demonstrators held signs and chanted “From Stonewall to Gaza, globalize the intifada!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” As the crowd grew larger and larger, eventually protesters marched onto the street to join the parade, ignoring the growing line of riot police from the Denver Police Department. Effectively becoming a large contingent in the parade, the protesters continued to march the route to Civic Center Park, stopping to give speeches along the way.

“We gotta unite and fight! We need to build a fightback here at home just like the fightback at Stonewall! Just like the fightback in Gaza!” said Paul Nelson of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Along the march, the vast majority of onlookers supported the protest, raising their fists or even joining in on the march.

Once at Civic Center Park, the crowd marched through security with no resistance and onto the main stage at the Civic Center Park amphitheater. Now having the opportunity to address a much larger crowd of everyday LGBTQ people attending Pride, protesters gave several more speeches.

“The tide is turning, and we have people power! We are in the belly of the beast, and it is our duty to rise up, to reject this in every way we can, however we can, because America is the aircraft carrier from which this offensive is launched!” said an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and a third-generation anti-Zionist Jew.

After exiting the stage, protesters gathered in a grassy area for more speeches. In a victory for the demonstration, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, anticipating the backlash they would receive, had already pulled their tables from Pride after the protest was announced.

Despite the presence of dozens of riot cops and an armored police vehicle, the protest faced minimal repression and no arrests were made.

#DenverCO #CPC #SDS #PRIDE

Los Angeles, CA – On June 16, in the heart of Boyle Heights, a neighborhood known for its Chicano culture and activism, hundreds gathered for Orgullo Fest. The yearly festival brings together different communities and allows participants to celebrate both their Chicano and LGBTQ identities in an important cultural and social celebration.

Orgullo Fest was born out of a grassroots effort by local activists and leaders who recognized the need for an inclusive space. Juarez, an events organizer from the neighborhood, managed this year’s celebration.

Boyle Heights, with its strong history of Chicano activism dating back to the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, provides a fitting backdrop for this unique festival.

The festival is a lively mix of cultural events, including a parade, live music, dance performances, art exhibitions, mariachi bands, folklorico dancers, and contemporary artists. This blending of cultural and sexual identities creates a more inclusive environment, encouraging solidarity and mutual respect. This historical context enriches the festival, providing attendees with a profound sense of pride.

Orgullo Fest has had a significant positive impact on Boyle Heights. It provides a platform for LGBTQ Chic