New York City Celebrates LGBT Pride Day

In New York City there were protests, rainbow flags, performances and everything else typical of the day of the LGBT pride parade.

But what is normally a crowd of people on the streets of New York City looked a little different this year, due to the social distancing measures put in place because of the coronavirus.

With the city’s huge LGBT pride parade canceled, Sunday’s performances were virtual, flags waved in empty places, and the few protesters wore masks.

The ravages caused by the virus would be an aggravation in any year, but it was particularly so in this edition: the 50th anniversary of the first LGBT pride parade in New York City.

“It’s a very good thing because the original parade started with the civil rights movement,” Matthew Fischer said as he passed a bottle of hand sanitizer gel in Foley Square. “So we’re really going back to the roots of that and making sure we embrace everything that empowers people to be who they are.”

Fischer said it was important this year to show cooperation between black and LGBTQ communities, due to the wave of protests against racism and police brutality.

Several people in the crowd at Foley Square held up signs that read, “All African American Lives Matter” with a black fist surrounded by rainbow colors. Most wore masks, although some rejected social distancing to hug their friends. One man was holding up a sign promoting free hugs.

—