June 25th 2023.
Sunday marked the New York City Pride March, the biggest of its kind in the US, in Manhattan. Thousands of marchers and millions of spectators of all colors and personalities filled the streets, standing in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community against growing threats.
Making history, the NYC Pride March had its first-ever asexual grand marshal, British activist, writer, and model Yasmin Benoit. After a string of rainbow-colored balloons and a marching band, Benoit and four other grand marshals each sitting in their own convertible car led the march from Fifth Avenue and 25th Street to Greenwich Village.
The march marks the June 1969 Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village by members of the gay community, that spurred the beginning of the modern LGBTQ rights movement.
“It was the most surreal experience of my life,” Benoit, 27, of Reading, told The Agency of the honor of serving as a grand marshal. “Just being out there with all those crowds, it was absolutely crazy. When we reached Greenwich and we went past the Stonewall Inn, that was the first time that I’ve seen it in person, and that definitely hit me in the emotions to be part of this moment.”
More than three-fourths of the 75,000 marchers were members of nonprofit organizations, and some of the estimated 2 million spectators extended trays full of cups of water for the marchers. NYC Pride co-chair Sue Doster welcomed the community to “what we believe is the best pride march in the world” shortly before the march began at noon.
The theme for NYC Pride this year is Strength Through Solidarity – a very important and poignant theme given the current political climate. NYC Pride co-chair André Thomas highlighted the threat the community is facing, saying “Our community is facing attacks – attacks against our youth, our trans family So we stand here in strength, in solidarity, to show who we are against all those who stand against us.”
The six-hour march was a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, with many spectators so enthused that they joined in. Augie McAllister, 28, who traveled from Philadelphia to attend for the ninth time, said “I love Pride, it’s basically like Christmas to me and New Year’s. It just marks the new year, of starting over and refreshing yourself, but also like Christmas, because it’s so f***ing fun.”
Dr Shelley Cahn, 37, her husband Jeff Cahn, 61, and their five-year-old son Sinai Cahn, marched then stood on the sidelines behind a sign that read, “We’ll love our son even if he’s straight.” Jeff Cahn said “My favorite moment was marching down Fifth Avenue with my beautiful son, my wife, yelling loud and proud that we want him to be whatever he’s gonna be.”
The family have attended the march ever since Shelley was pregnant with Sinai and Shelley said that NYC Pride March is “absolutely” her favorite celebration of the year. “I wait for it all year,” she said. “It’s the most important one.”
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