Pride parades across the globe capped off the final weekend of Pride Month with a vibrant mix of celebration and protest. From New York City to Budapest, LGBTQ+ communities and their allies rallied for visibility, rights, and resistance amidst escalating political pressure and conservative pushback.
In New York, the largest and oldest Pride parade in the U.S. carried the theme “Rise Up: Pride in Protest.” Revelers, some adorned in glitter and feathers, marched down Fifth Avenue holding signs like “Our joy is our resistance,” echoing the urgent tone of this year’s events.
Large crowds gathered not only to celebrate but to demonstrate against policies from former President Donald Trump’s administration that have targeted transgender rights, undermined gender inclusivity, and dismantled diversity programs.
“At a time when trans youth are under attack, queer art is being erased, and the clock is being rolled back on LGBTQIA+ rights… NYC Pride remains focused on advocating for our community,” said NYC Pride media director Chris Piedmont in a statement on social media.
As the parade passed the historic Stonewall Inn—site of the 1969 riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement—organisers also commemorated the resilience and activism of past generations.
In a continued stance against law enforcement presence, uniformed NYPD and corrections officers were barred from marching in the parade for the fifth year. However, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch joined the Gay Officers Action League on the sidelines to protest the exclusion.
Major Pride events also lit up cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, and Minneapolis, even as some corporations scaled back their sponsorships. In San Francisco, Angela Loudermilk joined the parade with her motorcycle club. “Especially this year with everything going on, I think it’s really important to show force and show our support,” she told NPR’s KQED.
Globally, Pride has maintained momentum. Earlier in June, cities including Tokyo, Paris, and São Paulo hosted colourful events. Celebrations in London and Rio de Janeiro are still to come.
Meanwhile, in Budapest, roughly 100,000 people defied a ban on LGBTQ+ public gatherings imposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government. Hungary has increasingly cracked down on LGBTQ+ rights, outlawing same-sex marriage, adoption, and gender recognition for trans individuals.
Ádám Kanicsár, a 35-year-old activist and journalist, marched in Budapest despite the risks. “We don’t really care about the consequences, we are here because we are proud,” he told the Associated Press.
