PHOTOESSAY: NYC’s Dyke March, Queer Liberation March, All-Ages Party, and More (Not Corporate) World Pride - Autostraddle

World Pride took over New York last week in what was possibly the largest LGBTQIA+ event in history. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and we all danced in the streets we reflected on our history and stood up for the future we need. The corporatization of Pride is a conversation that is far too lengthy for this photoessay — but, essentially, we are tired of companies going rainbow for a few weeks in select cities and doing nothing else, and, in many cases, causing harm.

No Justice, No Pride - Argot Magazine

Corporate pride parades and festivals have long taken money from companies, organizations and individuals who discriminate against the LGBT+ community every other day of the year. They have often allowed law enforcement bodies and institutions of oppression paint themselves rainbow for a weekend without complaint or reprimand for their perpetuation of the marginalization of queers and trans folks. By participating in a corporate pride celebration, we are agreeing to not only accept the status quo, but do so in chorus with our oppressors. 

Standing Rock and the Path Forward - Argot Magazine

The protest at Standing Rock was born from the need to protect water and the environment from the Dakota Access Pipeline, which had been routed away from areas populated predominately by white people and through Native American land. While the protesters, or water protectors, are fighting for water, there are much larger issues at play—the most obvious being the treatment of natives and the disrespect of reservation land.

Both the U.S. government and White America have continuously broken treaties made with Native Americans. This is the breaking point. “Enough is enough,"  tribal chairman Dave Archambault II told ABC. "Respect our lands, respect our people, respect our rights.”

But the people taking a stand are also fighting for something that will affect all of us, whether we think we care about clean water or not.