Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade Morphs into #ResistMarch

TheWrap Senior Reporter Itay Hod joined the march of resistence

Resist March June 11, 2017
Photo: Itay Hod

Every year, on the first weekend in June, the stretch of Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Boulevard which runs through the gay-friendly city of West Hollywood, is blocked off and transformed into a high-octane block party as the city holds its popular Pride parade.

But on Sunday, the annual pilgrimage took a decidedly serious tone as tens of thousands of people took part in what has been dubbed the “Resist March,” an anti-Trump protest which replaced this year’s local Pride festivities.

Instead of the dizzying array of colorful floats and elaborate costumes, protesters marched down a mostly quiet music-less route holding hand-made signs and chanting anti-Trump slogans.

“We have to do this or we might not have a parade next year,” protester Lorelei Leslie, an addiction counselor, told TheWrap.

Music exec Roger Widynowski said he thought “a march is better than a parade because it gets everyone involved.”

The change in plan drew some criticism from conservative members of the LGBTQ community, who felt it was inappropriate to allocate the Pride event — the only day of the year dedicated to celebrating the community  — to a political cause.

But organizers argued it was not only appropriate but necessary.

“This was not the year for parades,” said Stephen Macias, a spokesman for the event. “This was the year to take to the streets and march.”

The last few months have been somewhat of an a adjustment for the LGBTQ community, which enjoyed a period of historic political and civil rights gains under President Obama. Since taking the oath of office in January, Trump has rolled back protections for transgender students, and unsuccessfully tried to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, a lifesaver for many in a community still disproportionally affected by HIV/AIDS, one of the many pre-existing conditions covered under the law.

Event organizers made another noticeable change this year: extending the parade route. The event kicked off in Hollywood instead of West Hollywood, to give homage to the first ever LA Pride parade in 1970, an event so controversial back then, the city’s Police Commission tried to stop it. Participants gathered at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland, ending with a rally featuring House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Eric Garcetti, comedian Margaret Cho and RuPaul.

California congressman and ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff also took the stage, telling the crowd: “I’m proud to be here with you… this is year we are as proud as ever but we’re also mad as hell.”

And California Sen. Kamala Harris gave the event a shoutout on Trump’s favorite social media platform, tweeting out: “There’s nothing more powerful than a group of determined people marching and standing up for what we know is right. #ResistMarch.”

Here are some scenes from this Sunday’s march:

Basix waiter Brantley Beckwith shows support for #ResistMarch

Trans Pride flag #ResistMarch

“If anyone can figure out how to be pretty during a march, it’s the gay community,” film producer Bonnie Curtis says.

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