People's Pride March Preempts Corporate Version

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

(San Francisco, June 23) - The People's Pride March started with a rally on Polk and Washington streets. This is where the first Gay Liberation Protest took place on Saturday, June 27, 1970.

This year's action was an alternative to the formal "Pride Sunday" event planned for Market Street and the SF Civic Center, which many feel has been co opted by large corporations.

Previous "official" pride marches included large contingents sponsored by the likes of UPS, United Airlines, and Apple whose deep pockets provided professionally designed costumes and floats. This appeared to many in the San Francisco LGBT+ community as a corporate takeover of a people centered event. The Polk street march stands as a return of activism to its popular roots.

Led by motorcycles flying large flags and a sound truck, the march proceeded down Polk Street to Fern Alley where there was a craft fair and games. The event was organized by Juanita MORE! and Alex U. Inn.

Their statement:

Activists and community leaders Alex U. Inn and Juanita MORE! in support of Black Lives Matter and in protest of 500+ laws against our Trans, Queer and Drag communities, we will be calling out human and racial injustice and demanding the much needed changes that will keep our communities safe. Hands off our lives is our call to protest!

As a collective we stand in unwavering commitment with our BIPOC communities — trans, cisgender, nonbinary, lesbian, gay, straight, queer, questioning, two-spirit, and all. We come together in full solidarity with our family members, friends, lovers, and neighbors.

We join to denounce and condemn violence against these communities and to raise awareness of the need to abolish and defund police departments policies as they stand today. This reallocation of public money will allow for greater funding to our social services, mental healthcare providers, and social justice organizations.

See all high resolution photos here.