It was supposed to be a banner year — the 50th anniversary of the first Pride marches in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. And then the pandemic happened. Now, more than 500 Pride parades and festivals around the world have been called off.
Instead, 2020 will be the first time that the LGBTQIA+ community won’t march in the streets or crowd into clubs in the world’s major cities to celebrate together. But Pride 2020 is not canceled.
“The idea of a year without Pride was unacceptable,” Cathy Renna, of the National LGBTQ Task Force, told The Washington Post.
It just looks a whole lot different.
Festivities have moved online, via Zoom, Instagram, and Facebook Live. And in the wake of the massive uprising for black lives and against police brutality, Gay Pride festivities have aligned with racial justice movements, with renewed energy and purpose.
Here’s what Pride 2020 looks like:
As it was in the beginning
What we now celebrate as Gay Pride month began as a protest — for gay rights and against police brutality, stemming from the Stonewall Riots in New York City on June 28, 1969.
“The first march in 1970, they were anchored in anger,” Michael Bronski, author of A Queer History of the United States, told The Los Angeles Times. “This was really a political march. There were no corporate sponsors. Nobody had signs on buses and trains with rainbow flags for Levi or Subaru. … The first gay pride march and Stonewall was a recognition that gay men and lesbians were in fact oppressed by a larger society.”
In Los Angeles
In that same spirit — of protest and solidarity — Los Angeles Pride, which had canceled this year’s march to West Hollywood, called a protest march on Sunday, June 14, in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. (The march has since been handed over completely to Black Lives Matter, and is known as the All Black Lives Matter March).
“Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera bravely started a movement at the Stonewall Inn in 1969,” the group said in a statement. “They stood up to systemic racism and bigotry. We must acknowledge and recognize the many tireless years of service and action by Black LGBTQ+ people. The LGBTQ+ community must extend its support to unite against oppression, police brutality, racism, transphobia, and the many other disparities disproportionately impacting the Black community.”
The previously scheduled online event — the first-ever virtual pride parade, a 90-minute prime time broadcast on the local ABC station — will air on Saturday, June 13, 2020.
In New York City
Typically, New York City Pride welcomes more than 5 million people to celebrate in the city where it all started. This year, we all celebrate in place — whether that means joining the virtual rally and call to action on June 26, via Facebook Live and YouTube, or watching the NYC Pride Broadcast Event on the local ABC affiliate from noon to 2 p.m, on June 28, co-hosted by Carson Kressley and featuring Dan Levy, of Schitt’s Creek, as one of the four grand marshals. The event will include performances from Janelle Monáe and appearances by an array of notable names, including Billy Porter and comedian Margaret Cho.
An alternative virtual event, the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality, is also planned for June 28.
In San Francisco
S.F. Pride goes virtual this year as well. On June 27 and June 28, S.F. Pride will host day-long virtual celebrations, featuring speeches and performances from DJs, celebrities, drag queens on the main stage as well as “community stages” that reflect the diversity within the LGBTQIA+ community. For the history-inclined, the photo exhibition “50 Years of Pride” can be seen online at the GLBT Historical Society’s website and will later be viewable in person at City Hall.
In Chicago
For the first time ever, Chicago Pride has been postponed, with some events tentatively scheduled for Labor Day weekend.
In Idaho
In places that are further along in the re-opening process, there will be in-person festivities — Priddaho, in eastern Idaho, for one, marches on.
Global Pride
To see what Pride looks like around the world, InterPride, the organization behind Global Pride, is hosting a worldwide 24-hour livestream event, linking Pride celebrations in 350 spots around the globe, featuring pop stars, queer icons, and elected leaders, alike. Check out globalpride2020.org on June 27.
On Instagram
On Monday June 22, community platform them. is hosting Out Now Live, a star-studded livestream event via its Instagram page featuring a veritable who’s who in the LGBTQIA+ community — including Hayley Kiyoko and Shangela — plus allies such as Naomi Campbell, Judith Light, and Whoopi Goldberg.
On Facebook
Pride 2020 Drag Fest, featuring more than 100 drag performers, will stream live on the evenings of June 19, 20, and 21 on the GLAAD and NYC Pride Facebook pages.
