New Yorkers hit streets louder than ever to march in 2017 Pride Parade

New York Daily News – by ERIN DURKIN, LEONARD GREENE

A rainbow of New Yorkers hit the streets with more pride than ever Sunday, celebrating the city’s LGBT community with a spirited parade, the first in the new era of President Trump..

With multi-hued banners, and multi-faceted backgrounds, the city’s annual pride parade sauntered along Fifth Ave., carrying with it a message of fortitude honed by the fire of prejudice.  

“This is a moment where we have to really be there for each other in this city and in this country,” said Mayor de Blasio, whose white shirt stood out like a beam of light in the prism of pride marchers.

“The LGBT community contributes so much to this city. It’s part of what makes New York City great. But I want to be real. There’s been an uptick in bias incidents, even bias attacks. People are feeling pride, but they’re also worried about the atmosphere that’s been created over the last year or so in this whole nation. This is why this pride takes on a special meaning. It’s about being there for each other, protecting the whole community.

“We’ve got more work to do. There’s always work to do on reducing discrimination and on fighting bias.”

Gov. Cuomo echoed the mayor’s sentiment, backing up his LGBT support by touting the confirmation of Paul Feinman, as New York’s first openly gay judge to the court of appeals, the state’s highest court.

“This is the state that passed marriage equality,” Cuomo told the colorful crowd. “I was the governor who was honored to sign that bill. And I think that made a difference all across the country. And I think this appointment of an openly gay person to the court of appeals is another sign of that progress and that acceptance. And at a time when this nation seems to be getting angrier and more fearful and talking about building walls, New York is still talking about building bridges and bringing people together.”

Grand marshals for the pride march included Brook Guinan – the first openly transgender woman FDNY firefighter, and Geng Lee, a leader for LGBT rights in China.

Guinan, 29, spoke of the need to speak out in the face of discrimination.

“Visibility has always been one of the most influential tools that we have to combat the ignorance and hatred and violence that our community faces,” Guinan said.

Mikaela Barish, 28, of Bushwick, who held a sign that said “Two moms make a right,,” said she was at the march to support her sister — and her sister’s wife, who are trying to have their first child.

“I’m here to march for my sisters, who are the most amazing, wonderful couple in the world,” Barish said. “It affects me very personally because my sister’s sexual orientation tore my family apart, and I know how it feels, and I just want to be here to support her. It took my sister a while to be OK with everything because of how my family was, and I’m very proud of her.”

“It’s happiness. It’s love,” said Luis Bucheli, 31, of Jackson Heights. “We’re marching for a reason.”

“It’s for rights, but it’s also for fun.”

The Pride March began in 1970, the year after the Stonewall riots, when members of the LGBT community protested against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in the West Village.

Police said 12 people were arrested at Sunday’s parade and charged with disorderly conduct.

Cuomo, meanwhile, unveiled the design for New York’s official monument honoring the LGBT community, those lost in the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting last June, and all victims of hate, intolerance and violence. The monument, designed by artist Anthony Goicolea, will be located on the western edge of Greenwich Village, in Hudson River Park near Pier 51.

The design features a series of modified boulders layered with refractory laminated glass that will act as prisms to create subtle rainbow patterns on the surrounding lawn and nearby objects.

“This monument will serve as a communal space filled with light, color and hope, where the visitors can sit, mourn, love and remember for years to come,” Goicolea said.

Mona Fastvold, 36, of Chelsea came with her 2-year-old daughter and her 3-year-old best friend.

“It’s one of the most beautiful days in New York,” Fastvold said. “New York is all about diversity.”

“It’s so lovely to take our kids to see this. It’s all about love. They’ll see there are all these different ways they can grow up to be. They can love whoever they want.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-yorkers-hit-streets-louder-march-pride-parade-article-1.3276700

2 thoughts on “New Yorkers hit streets louder than ever to march in 2017 Pride Parade

  1. What a circus of queers. Armageddon should be rolling in anytime now.
    Now why would they bother putting a monument to the fake Orlando faggot shooting in New York City? Why not put it in Orlando?
    Unless it was planned in New York City and they want a monument erected to commemorate the giant fraud they committed so they can look at it and laugh with pride.
    Kinda like when they called the construction of the first atom bombs the Manhattan Project.
    F–king Hymietown.

    1. PURE FILTH. HAND GRENADES WITH A GREAT THROWING ARM WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ORDER FOR THE DAY…………………………………………….

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