Thousands March In New York Pride
On the last day of Pride month, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Big Apple to celebrate and commemorate the protestors who pioneered the movement for LGBTQ+ rights.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Ending Pride Month on a high note, people traveled from near and far to celebrate LGBTQ
00:07plus freedom and equality in a place where it all started, New York City.
00:12I think it's really fun as a community to be able to express our individuality but together
00:17as a group.
00:18And I'm really excited to see all the fun floats and everything today.
00:22Among the crowds at this year's New York Pride, Taiwan had a special contingent, led by Taiwanese
00:28drag queen Nymphia Wind, the latest winner of RuPaul's Drag Race.
00:32She says representing Taiwan in the event in New York is a monumental moment for her.
00:37I'm very excited because this is my first ever New York Pride and I'm walking with Taiwan.
00:46The Big Apple is the birthplace of pride, but the colorful joyous event seen today didn't
00:51come easy.
00:53It started when patrons of a local gay bar fought back against a police raid in 1969,
00:58one in a long series of raids.
01:01The violent confrontation lasted multiple days and became known as the Stonewall Riots.
01:06Marchers say they're here to commemorate the people who took part in those protests and
01:11spawned the LGBTQ plus rights movement.
01:14We've really come a long way.
01:16I still think though there's a lot of discrimination in a lot of different places and I still feel
01:21that we're still hated in some way.
01:24But today we have to be here to celebrate that liberation that our Stonewall veterans
01:29succeeded for us.
01:33Since the first parade in 1970, the event has morphed into a platform for diverse civil
01:38rights and social justice causes.
01:41Crossover between LGBTQ plus and issues like indigenous land justice and Palestinian liberation
01:47could be seen throughout the march.
01:49Politicians were also there to voice their support for equality and freedom of speech.
01:54Happy Pride everybody!
01:58For some international attendees, the atmosphere gave them hope that the rights and safety
02:03of their communities would also be protected back at home, as the far-right and anti-LGBTQ
02:08plus forces gained power in some of their countries.
02:11We came here exactly two years ago and for us it was important to come back, especially
02:18when we link up with what's happening in France, tolerance is important and it's
02:25a daily fight and we want to lead it, including here in the United States.
02:30With a growing number and diversity of voices speaking out and marching together, there
02:34is hope that New York Pride can bring more awareness to issues impacting marginalized
02:38groups.
02:39All while staying in the same fun celebration that draws out massive crowds each year.
02:44James Lin and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.