55 years ago on the last weekend of June, disparate factions of New York’s LGBTQ+ community united to square off against the homophobic NYPD in the historic Stonewall Riots. This conflagration of queer empowerment was sparked when Stormé Delarverie, the Stonewall Inn’s biracial lesbian bouncer, physically resisted arrest during a police raid. Various gay men swiftly joined her along with many drag queens, street hustlers, and trans women such as Marsha P Johnson, who iconically shoved a brick into her purse, shimmied up a street lamp, and threw it down onto the windshield of a police car. This raucous event forced the queer community out of the closet and into the spotlight of American consciousness. Over five decades later, the legacy of Stonewall was exemplified in this year’s New York Pride theme of “Reflect. Empower. Unite.”
“Now more than ever, it is imperative for members across our community to unite behind the mission of the LGBTQIA+ cause: simply the opportunity to love, and to be able to live as you desire,” said Kazz Alexander, NYC Pride co-chair.
This year’s New York Pride weekend provided Gotham’s diverse queer communities with a myriad of opportunities to unite across the city. Jake Resnicow’s Planet Pride party showcased queer talent and allies Betty Who and Kesha, while the LadyLand festival treated audiences to an appearance of the queen of pop herself- Madonna.
“Aside from my birthday, New York Pride is the most important day of the year,” the Material Girl joked. “Thank you all New York City. Without you I am nothing.”
The bacchanalia crescendoed on Sunday with the annual New York Pride Parade sashaying down 5th Avenue, garnering a crowd of approximately 2.5 million spectators. This year’s event featured grand marshalls DaShawn Usher, Miss Major, Raquel Willis, Eshe Ukwell, Baddie Brooks, and Michelle Visage.
“To say I’m honored to be chosen as the Grand Marshal of NYC Pride is an understatement,” beamed Visage. “This is a momentous occasion for me as a Jersey girl who moved to NYC when I was 17 to chase my dreams.”
For those who missed this year’s opportunity to reflect, empower, and unite at New York Pride, we’ve snatched together some of our favorite queer lewks on display by Gotham’s LGBTQ+ community.
Photography by Mike Ciriaco
