Pride Month Looks Different This Year But is Not Cancelled
Typically June is filled with pride parades, drag shows, events at gay bars and lots of rainbows. Due to the pandemic things are different this year but we can still unite virtually to celebrate pride together.
Typically, June is a month filled with pride parades, drag shows, events at gay bars and lots of rainbows. However, everything has been different this year and that includes pride month. Due to the coronavirus pandemic most people aren’t able to travel or have large groups of people meeting up. However, thanks to virtual events we are still able to unite to celebrate pride, differently than most years, but together nonetheless.
On June 27th world leaders, celebrities, and stars will be joining together as a part of a 24 hour live stream Global Pride event being put on by hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations around the globe. Some of the notable guests include Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Kesha, the Dixie Chicks and the Pussycat Dolls. This virtual event is expected to attract up to 300 million viewers. At the center of this massive celebration is the Black Lives Matter movement.
The New York Pride march has been a notable celebration for the past 50 years, it looks a little bit different this year but it is still happening virtually on June 28th. The Pride Broadcast Event includes many organizations and individuals including: Dan Levy, the Ali Forney Center, Yanzi Peng, Victoria Cruz and Margaret Cho. In addition on June 26th there will also be a virtual pride rally.
The Los Angeles virtual pride parade will be airing on June 27th as a 90 minute tv special on ABC7. There are numerous acclaimed guests including: Bob the Drag Queen, Erika Jayne, Jake Borelli, Shea Diamond, the Pussycat Dolls, and Leslie Jordan.
All throughout the United States many larger cities are putting together their own version of virtual pride parade celebrations. However, it doesn't stop there there will also be celebrations across the globe including in Ireland and the UK. Be sure to check out The New York Times Pride event calendar for more events and details.
Happy Pride month!!
Report: Rebecca Vanderkooi
Spotify Celebrates Pride Month 2020 With LGBTQIA+ Curated Music and Podcast Playlists
Spotify has announced its Unlike Any Other global campaign for Pride Month 2020, spotlighting LGBTQIA+ creators for fans all around the world.
Spotify has announced its Unlike Any Other global campaign for Pride Month 2020, spotlighting LGBTQIA+ creators for fans all around the world.
According to a press release, Unlike Any Other will be launched in 38 countries where Pride is celebrated. The campaign aims to support LGBTQIA+ creators, empowering them to celebrate their uniqueness and connect to a global audience through music and podcasts. It shares Daniel Quasar’s Progress Flag which features five additional stripes to the orthodox Pride rainbow, better including trans and non-binary individuals, marginalized communities of color, the people who have fallen to AIDS and those living with HIV within queer representation.
The campaign features both music and podcast playlists. Spotify teamed up with Pose runway choreographer Twiggy Pucci Garcon for The House of… Ballroom playlists, which include selections from Jason Ozzie, Byrell The Great and more. There’s also the flagship queer playlist Out Now: Unlike Any Other that stresses the energy of both rising and established queer voices in music, along with a number of Pride-themed playlists for a number of genres like Pride Classics, Latin Pride, Alternative Pride, Queer as Folk and Disco Fever. Finally, the campaign’s official podcast playlist features shows from Patrick Hinds (True Crime Obsessed), Em Schulz (And That’s Why We Drink) and Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers (Las Culturistas), followed by the launch of curated podcast playlists by Gigi Gorgeous and Benito Skinner.
Report: Amanda T Lou
Living Your Truth at Any Age
“Reject the notion that they’re disposable if they’re not a mini version of you,” said Union.
Growing up we’re told not to do certain things or we’d get into trouble. We’re told not to smoke, drink, do drugs, etc. Then at a certain age, we’re supposed to have the sex talk with our parents and for most parents, this talk has always been supported by a man and a woman because that’s what they knew and for some, it can’t change.
Since most parents grew up in a time when same-sex couples were taboo, that’s what they instill in their children. Now that same-sex and multiple gender identities are more common and accepted now it can be a troubling topic for some, especially with younger children who ask questions. A lot of parents can be thrown off or displeased when these issues occur in their own home to an older child.
Over the years many parents have become displeased to learn their own child identify with a different gender than what they’re born with or have romantic attractions for the same sex.
Television actress Gabrielle Union recently spoke about how she and her husband NBA star Dwayne Wade navigate having a ten-year-old son Zion who now identifies as a girl and goes by Zaya. Union recently went on The View and encouraged parents who have similar stages within their families to love, listen, and accept their child.
“Reject the notion that they’re disposable if they’re not a mini version of you,” said Union.
She then goes on to express what every parent preaches to children of just being a good person and guiding them as best you can.
Every parent wants their children to be better than they were and they think that being gay or transgender means that they have failed their child in that mission.
“Creating more of you in every kind of way isn’t the solution. Allowing them to be who they are and guiding them to be loving, passionate, and open-minded.”
Many people live their lives hidden from who they really are to please others and it doesn’t come out until after they’re gone leaving a family with regret that they didn’t fully accept it.
Every person no matter what age should be allowed to be who they are no matter what sexuality or gender identity and let it lead them to be a good person and doing more good.
Be the parent you needed at your child’s age, embrace them for who they are when they open up to you. Have open dialogue and build a stronger bond.
Report: Josephine Coiscou
Clothing New York City's Homeless LGBTQ+ Youth
In the present year of 2020, the coronavirus has scourged the world, and among those most vulnerable are New York City’s homeless youths, 20%-45% of which identify as LGBTQ+. Deeply sympathizing with their plight, the founders of the menswear fashion label Private Policy sought to aid this downtrodden population.
In 1990, the documentary Paris is Burning spotlighted the New York City drag ball culture, which was pioneered by the city’s black and Latino LGBTQ community. The documentary was filmed during the AIDS crisis, and many of the drag performers were homeless people who had been disowned by homophobic and transphobic families. Amazingly, members of a historically marginalized group’s profound sense of togetherness resulted in the creation of such an impactful contribution to the fashion world, as well as the mainstreaming of drag performances.
In the present year of 2020, the coronavirus has scourged the world, and among those most vulnerable are New York City’s homeless youths, 20%-45% of which identify as LGBTQ+. Deeply sympathizing with their plight, the founders of the menswear fashion label Private Policy sought to aid this downtrodden population. Collaborating with the Ali Forney Center, the largest homeless shelter for LGBTQ+ youth, designers Siying Qu and Haoran Li created the project #LoveAli. Private Policy is selling their own version of the traditional “I Heart New York” t-shirt for $80, with the proceeds going towards the aforementioned Ali Forney Center. A prestigious fashion label like Private Policy, which provides genderless clothing for both men and women, showing solidarity with the LGBTQ community is reflective of the social progress made since Paris is Burning. The film’s introduction of drag culture was integral to humanizing gay and trans people, as well as properly crediting them with their fashion innovations. Now, while there is still progress to be made, three decades of activism have led to outright, unabashed support from a plethora of public platforms.
Report: Nia Hunt
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.