João Santos, a 1st year Communication and Media student at the University of Liverpool (pictured below), has provided a guide on how to celebrate Pride this June. Views are his own:
Pride month is upon us and just like the past 50 years, the month of June plays host to celebrations and events for the LGBTQ+ community all around the world.
However, with the current pandemic and social distancing measures, the traditional gatherings, concerts and the iconic parades can no longer take place.
But we shouldn’t let that dampen the spirit of Pride. Here are some events and documentaries that you can tune into and engage with from the safety of your own home.
Events
Global Pride
With a 24 hour live stream, Global Pride will not only provide musical and artistic performances from pop stars and drag queens but also the presence of public figures and world leaders. Different Pride organisations from all around the world will help assemble this content in order to celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.
Where: Global Pride 2020
When: Saturday 27 June at 10.30 am.
Dublin Pride
The event will include a fully interactive virtual Pride parade in the morning and a Pride concert later on the day. The parade will mix pre-recorded and live elements, while buildings across the city will still light up and Pride flags will be hung high.
Where: Dublin Pride
When: Sunday 28 June, from 9am-2pm.
Pride Inside, from Amnesty International UK
This online festival is a collaboration between Amnesty International, UK Black Pride, Stonewall and ParaPride. This consist of an online series of gigs, comedy shows, panel discussions and arts-based events.
Where: Amnesty International Pride Inside
When: Sunday 28 June – Sunday 5 July.
State of Pride
“…an unflinching look at LGBTQ Pride, from the perspective of a younger generation for whom it still has personal urgency.”
What to watch
In addition to these events, you could also take this time to learn more about the history of Pride and the gay rights movement. Pride first started with the Stonewall uprising in New York City, which took place within the context of broader civil rights movements. It feels especially relevant this year, in light of the Black Lives Matter activism that we are currently seeing across the globe.
Here are two of my personal suggestions of documentaries that explore how Pride came about and why is it still necessary to this day:
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)
This documentary re-examines the death of the black transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson. She was one of the leading figures on the Stonewall uprising in 1969, and an icon for the entire gay rights movement.
State of Pride (2019)
50 years after the original Stonewall uprising, this documentary explores the reality of Pride celebrations across big cities and small towns across the United States. It relates to personal stories and testimonies to portray different experiences in and out of the LGBTQ+ community.
Taking action, standing together
No matter what source of activism you chose or the events you attend, the most important thing to do is to remind ourselves that, we should never stop fighting for equality for every type of minority.
We should all stand together in the pursuit of a more accepting and progressive world.