JOIN THE #RESIST CONTINGENT PRIDE SUNDAY

The minutes are passing like hours, but fear not queerdos, Pride Friday is here and the city is abuzz like a million hot pink cicadas.

And in terms of millions, we could easily be looking at close to two in attendance this Sunday’s parade.  The parade has become iconic, resplendent in glitter and glam with one sequined and crepe flotilla after another sailing down Market Street trailed by seas of employees from every major corporation you can think of.  Indeed, when the parade began in the 1970’s it was hard to conceive that corporations would actually be clamoring to funnel cash into the parade for the express honor of having their logo beamed across the world in rainbow hues.  SF Pride has capitalized on this and courted major American business in order to finance the festivities, but in times like these the disparities between the spirit of what was once termed the Gay Freedom Day Parade and what we have on our hands now are pretty glaring.

What the parade of the 1970’s lacked in sheen, it made up for in activism and excitement. Harvey Milk declared that he was from Woodmere, New York and encouraged others to come out, come out wherever they were. Images of Anita Bryant were featured alongside Adolph Hitler and the Klan to point out that pure “populist” hatred takes many forms, even in that of an Oklahoman pageant queen who seemingly only wished you a complete breakfast.

What we have on our hands in terms of hatred, fascism, and racism not only harkens back to those days, but even darker days before, and perhaps even those yet to be seen.  Our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered and tortured in concentration camps and by zealous butchers across the globe and we currently live under an government that has given those who would persecute and kill us effective carte blanche to do so.

Pride is a colossal undertaking and corporate America may be an unsavory, but unsavoury bedfellow to help pull it off, but in these times capturing the original tenor and freedom of the celebration in lieu of the pretty packaging seemed like the route to go.  Indeed, our much derided sister of the south, the plastic princess, Los Angeles, went au natural and formented a march in numbers that may eclipse her older sister as she already has in terms of diversity and economic opportunity.

Yet, San Francisco hasn’t lost all of of her rabble-rousing children, and thanks to folks like Community Grand Marshall Alex U. Inn, you too can lend your voice to the resistance.  Alex, whose activism stems back to the ACT UP days when queers were also angry and not afraid to show it is amassing the contingent with groups like the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, The Bayard Rustin LGBT Club, SF Black Community Matters, Justice for Mario Woods, African Human Rights, DeGenderettes, Bay Area Queer People of Color, Guardian Group, International Migrants Alliance, Mission High School Queer Students Alliance, Action Action, Indivisible, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, several unions.

Although the corporate parade will still roll out, we can make the first part of it the largest and perhaps even so large that is only part of note.  The part that will be broadcast across the globe and send a message to fascist thugs on Capitol Hill, at home and abroad that queers and pocs fight back.  You fuck with one of us and the rest will come running.

#RESIST Contingent at SF Pride

9:00 a.m.

Spear Street (between Market & Mission)

[Embarcadero]

SF

ON THE ROSTER TONIGHT

SF Trans March

Festival 3p.m./ March 6 p.m.

Mission Dolores Park (to Vicki Mar Lane & Compton’s Cafeteria Way)

Bustin’ Out 12: Party Against The Prison Industrial Complex!

7 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Official three venue after party for Trans March.

El Río…your dive!

3158 Mission Street (@Precita)

[Outer Mission/ Bernal Heights]

SF

Pound Puppy Pride

9 p.m.- 2 a.m.

SF Eagle

398 12th Street (@ Harrison)

[South of Market]