San Francisco celebrated its 53rd annual Pride Parade with nearly a million people on Sunday.
The theme of this year’s parade was “Looking Back and Looking Forward”. The San Francisco Pride Parade marched down Market Street from the Embarcadero to the celebration at the Civic Center.
In addition to San Francisco, events in New York and Chicago are among the events being hosted by around 400 Pride organizations across the US this year, with many focusing specifically on transgender people’s rights.
One of the largest and most well-known LGBTQ+ celebrations in the United States, San Francisco’s Pride Parade drew tens of thousands of spectators to the city on Sunday.
The event, created by group Dykes on Bikes, featured dozens of colorful floats, some carrying powerful messages against the wave of anti-transgender laws in state houses across the country.
Organizers told the San Francisco Chronicle that this year’s theme places an emphasis on activism. The parade was also attended by the country’s first drag award winner, D’Arcy Drollinger.
“When we go through the world in a more authentic and fabulous way, we inspire everyone,” said Drollinger at a breakfast before the parade.
Along Market Street, Speaker Emeritus of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff of Burbank were spotted driving together. San Francisco Mayor London Breed and California Attorney General Rob Bonta also attended the parade on Sunday.
A couple made the extra trip from Orlando, Fla., to attend Sunday’s parade.
“They said it felt safe and joyful to celebrate pride in San Francisco at a time when gay and trans rights are under attack in Florida and other states,” said John Seigel of Orlando. “Why would you hate someone who loves someone?” he said.
Other parade participants said this year’s Pride march is meaningful because there are fewer safe places to be outside and proud these days.
“The way things are right now, people who attack drag queens and transgender people are supposed to be drag queens drag queens,” said Alexandra Hampton of Los Angeles. “Quite literally, it’s just nice to see them at the parade as authentically as they are without having to worry about someone beating them up. We’re all one community here.”
The Associated Press contributed to the report.
