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People flooded the street of New York City on Sunday dressed in their boldest and brightest rainbow attire to march in the city's annual Gay Pride parade. But despite the day's festive spirit, Pride is more than just a celebration of LGBTQ identities — it's a protest, too. And photos from NYC Pride show the spirit of protest remains an integral part of today's Gay Pride events.
The roots of the annual Gay Pride parades that march their way through cities in states across America are, undoubtedly, heavily steeped in protests. Those that gathered for the country's first Gay Pride parades in 1970 came to protest discriminatory laws and social ideas that criminalized consensual homosexual acts and forced members of the LGBTQ community to hide their identity.
While Pride may have changed in more ways than one since the 1970s, the spirit of protest that birthed Pride was alive and well at this year's NYC Gay Pride parade. Amid the rainbow flags, vibrant costumes, and "Love Is Love" banners, a number of participants found ways to raise their voices in protest. While some protested Trump administration policies, others specifically targeted President Donald Trump, who for the second year in a row has refused to acknowledge June as LGBTQ Pride month.
Here's a sampling of how people protested at this year's New York City Pride parade:
Make America Gay Again
Some NYC Pride participants used the day to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump.
Las Familias Merecen Estar Unidas
One participant took aim at both the Trump administration's policy of separating migrant families at the border with a jacket inspired by First Lady Melania Trump's recent scandal. While the first lady's jacket read, "I really don't care, do u?" this Pride participant sported a different message: "Las familias merecen estar unidas," which translates to "Families deserve to be united."
Good Ol' Fashioned Poster Board
Others relied on good, old-fashioned poster board and markers to voice their protest at NYC Pride.
F*ck Trump
One Pride participant spoke out against Trump's treatment of transgenders with a simple message: F*ck Trump.
ACT UP Demands Accessible PrEP
A group of Pride participants with ACT Up New York protested the high prices of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug that can protect against HIV, while at Pride.
Our Identity Is Resistance
The New York City LGBT Center sought to remind everyone at Pride that, for the LGBTQ community, being proudly visible in their identity was a means of resisting those who might try to send them back into the shadows.
Let Us Never Rest
One Pride participant donned a sandwhich board opposing the Trump administration's policy of separating immigrant families apprehended at the border. "Let us never rest until those children are reunited with their parents," his sign read.
#NotMyPresident
Another participant carried a sign emphasizing Trump's failure to adequately represent him as a constituent. "I didn't come out of the closet for this sh*t," the sign read. "#NotMyPresident."
Abolish ICE
One participant carried a sign which roughly translated from Spanish to mean "f*ck the border police."
Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America
Members of the gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense In America were at a number of different Pride events in cities and states across the country Sunday, including NYC Pride.
No Bigotry, Hatred, Or Prejudice
Signs protesting bigotry, hatred, and prejudice were seen at New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority stations during Pride.
Rise Up
Members and supporters of GLSEN, an organization championing the rights and safety of LGBTQ students, sought to raise awareness about the vulnerability of not only LGBTQ students but also immigrant students under the Trump administration.
Impeach Trump
Someone brought a cardboard cut out to NYC Pride that would enable people to stand in as an officer helping Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrest Trump for a protest-fueled photo op.
Protests of Trump and his administration at Pride aren't without cause, as the Trump administration has shown itself to be no great supporter of LGBTQ rights. Earlier this year, President Trump called for a ban on transgender people serving in the military while his health department moved to roll back regulations aimed at protecting LGBTQ patients and health care workers. What's more, the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era policy extending protections granted under civil rights law to transgender workers.
So, while the Trump administration rolls out an agenda that appears to threaten the rights of the LGBTQ community, their spirit of protest remains strong.
