Pride From Riot to Parade: Why Events Matter
During a time where the current administration is rolling back health care protections for transgender patients and Black trans women are dying at the highest rates for any population, the significance of Pride cannot be understated. There have also been huge wins from same-sex marriage to workplace protections; in many ways, this is due to the way Pride encourages being loud and proud, showing off that part of your identity, (even if just for a day or a few hours).
June is a time to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, recognize their contributions to society, reflect on the inequalities and oppression they face, and come together to continue the fight for true equity. From its inception, Pride has told a story of hard-fought resistance and resilience.
The History of Pride
Pride started with a riot, literally. June is Pride month to honor the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, led by Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman. This moment transformed history, as individuals became part of a community, a community that demanded equal treatment under the law. From there, the Pride movement was born and hasn’t stopped growing since!
The Stonewall Uprising turned into marches, which are now Pride Parades (since 1970!). Without that riot and the subsequent protests, we would not have Pride or our favorite rainbow-themed festivities!
Intersections: Identity, Community Organizing, and Events
Protests, riots, and movements demand attention by calling upon our elected officials and fellow citizens to recognize the injustices that are allowed within the law (there are still so many!).
Protesting is a form of community organizing, and if done well, can create meaningful, lasting change. Pride has followed many of the important steps of any effective community organizing campaign: create a community, seek a shared vision and voice, invite anyone that wants to join in, and apply pressure to those holding privilege and power. Go big, small, and everything in between: hold them accountable and don’t stop until you get what your community needs.
Significant change happens from the bottom up, from grassroots organizing, to local law changes, to state, and eventually federal. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon; there’s a reason why “all politics is local.” This is about changing the system and structures, and that will only come after an overwhelming majority of people demand that change. Politicians will act last, when we force their hands. Keep pushing and don’t forget to take care of yourself.
We think of Pride as a combination of community organizing and event planning. Events are opportunities to come together and focus on what connects us, whether that be a celebration of our shared qualities, or the change we wish to see in the world. This is especially true for us, as our philosophy is making meaningful moments through engaging experiences. When you organize and assemble passionate and like minded people to work towards a shared vision, you harness the power of community. United, we have much more influence and ability to enact change.
Throughout the years, there have been attempts from corporations to use Pride, to sell products and to align themselves with a positive movement, without committing to the work. Purpose can get lost when it’s co-opted by those who are insincere with intent. No Justice No Pride has highlighted the hypocrisy of a capitalist and exclusive pride, that focuses their attention on white cis-gendered males, over the identities of people who live in the (still marginalized) intersections, like Marsha P. Johnson. This materialistic approach to Pride is a sham to their core message: we will not be appeased by performative and shallow actions, we demand significant change, for everyone.
Pride’s future
So what is the right way to celebrate? Well to start, Pride is incredibly lucrative. Many companies make a lot of money off of rainbow commodities, but what is their money going towards? Instead of buying a rainbow t-shirt, donate that money to organizations doing the real work.
We encourage you to redirect your dollars where they are most needed: in community organizations actively filling in the gaps left by policy and government, such as:
GLITS Inc., which provides temporary housing to Black trans people recently released from Rikers Island and seeks to create a permanent place to house and support Black trans people in New York City. Huge thanks to @libbylivingcolorfully’s online fundraiser for bringing our attention to their important work (and for raising over $3k for their cause!).
Trans Justice Funding Project, a community-led funding initiative that gives grants to grassroots, trans justice groups run by and for trans people. Shout out to MeowWolf for highlighting this great organization (and others) in their fundraising!
There are SO MANY more! We encourage you to share your fav LGBTQIA+ orgs so we can find out more about them and amplify their messages!
Pride as Resistance
Never forget who started Pride, and why. Pride was an act of resistance and a rebellion against inequality. Bring that energy and understanding to every Pride celebration. When we’re planning events, we consider first and foremost:
Who is being amplified?
Who is your audience?
What is your message?
Who you are elevating, their message, their identities, and perspectives are critical, so ensure you’re bringing a diverse range of people and perspectives, and bring new people to the fold, as the same few people are repeatedly booked and promoted, while up and coming speakers with lasting impacts in their communities are not seen or heard (don’t worry, we have a speakers bureau to help you with that!).
Pride celebrations should be held to the same level of accountability! Look around: are trans women of color (specifically black trans women) being elevated and celebrated? Is your audience inclusive? Is your message authentic? Or is it simply a rainbow party? Don’t get me wrong, ELE loves a rainbow party, but Pride isn’t Pride without inclusion and resistance; all of this is connected!
The All Black Lives Matter parade in Los Angeles is an incredible example of understanding the importance of intersectionality. This year, with everything we have seen, Pride needed to shift. A movement started by a black trans woman can’t ignore that black people in the LGBTQIA+ community are being marginalized, attacked, and murdered. This realignment is exactly the activism and community organizing that is necessary to create long-lasting policy change.
As marketing experts, who plan events, we know that events are experiences with a purpose. These experiences are opportunities to organize a community, show your vision for the world, and implement strategies to create meaningful change. Pride is the perfect example of all of this by: harnessing the power of events and showing what’s possible in a completely new world with new rules and voices being elevated.
We are inspired by Pride, Ms. Johnson, and by the LGBTQIA+ community. As feminists, as Progressives, and as marketers, we seek to create spaces where everyone can be seen and actively work towards their common goals. We look forward to working with you to create lasting connections and meaningful moments with your community!