Pride Month is paradoxical in the sense that joy, gratitude and hope get mixed with anger, sadness and fear, because unfortunately, even when lots of societies have become more tolerant and accepting, horrendous legislation is still being passed and approved, that risks the integrity and lives of millions of LGBTQIA+ people around the world. Then, even if Pride Month is the perfect time to be unapologetically and loudly yourself, enjoying the freedom of authenticity and of loving who you want to love, it is also a moment to reflect on the community’s battles and biggest challenges.
Now, here at Lokafy, we wanted to use this blog to show the most colorful, vibrant and incredible side of Pride Month, exposing how the LGBTQIA+ community celebrates (and is celebrated) around the world! Championing diversity and the protection of the rights of LGBTQIA+ people is a serious matter and a lifelong compromise that cannot simply be fulfilled during one month of the year. However, the existence of Pride Month is the perfect opportunity to shine a light into the community and also, show solidarity and kindness in the loudest way possible.
Pride Festivals and Parades:
Of course, the most notorious way in which the LGBTQIA+ community celebrates during Pride Month is with its festivals and parades, which take over numerous cities around the world during June. For several days, big and small cities turn into an explosion of colors, music and parties, with costumes, dances and all kinds of activities focused on the LGBTQIA+ community. So, let us show you some of the best examples of Pride festivals in different parts of the world.
In Europe, one of the most iconic parades is the EuroPride, a parade that is not organized by one country or city, but by Europe as a whole. Each year, the festival takes place in a different city, which then becomes the European LGBTQIA+ community’s home for several days. For the 2023 EuroPride, organizers chose Valetta, Malta’s capital, as the host city, as a way to recognize the fact that Malta is one of the most advanced places in Europe in terms of LGBTQIA+ rights. Thus, from September 7 to 17, the quiet and tiny Valletta will turn into the biggest stage for Europe’s LGBTQIA+ community. Yes, we’re aware that the event technically doesn’t happen during Pride Month, but honestly, can you think of a more suitable parade for what we’re talking about?
EuroPride 2023 is going to be hosted by Valetta, the capital of Malta, one of Europe’s most advanced countries in terms of LGBTQ rights.
The US is known for its huge Pride festivals, but we’re going to talk about two in particular. The first one is in Los Angeles, which begins on May 22 with Harvey Milk Day, a date to honor the first openly gay California politician. After an early start, the activities continue into June with events such as the WeHo (West Hollywood) Pride Festival, the Pride Weekend, Pride Parade, a Women’s Freedom Festival and street fairs. Aside from all of this, great artists are involved in the festivities, and this year, Mariah Carey and Megan Thee Stallion will be the ones that headline L.A. Pride, with their show being on June 9. As you see, there are plenty of things to do during Pride Month in Los Angeles!
Additionally, we wanted to mention Pride Month in New York, because this city has been regarded as the epicenter of the LGBTQIA+ community’s fight for their rights for decades. The events of the Stonewall Uprising on June 28th, 1969, have echoed to our day and still are a driving force for the community. Clearly, Pride Month in New York has a strong sense of commemoration, but that doesn’t mean that the city doesn’t celebrate as well. Every June, there’s a massive NYC Pride March that takes over the whole city and transforms it into a wonderful space for acceptance and love. Just as what happens in LA, there are so many events happening during Pride Month that we cannot mention each and every one of them, but look out for musical, culinary and artistic celebrations happening all around New York.
Lastly, we can’t leave Latin America out of it, because in the last few years, Pride festivals in the region have become bigger and louder. Actually, São Paulo’s Pride parade is the largest in the world (it even has the Guinness World Record), and it is one of the most popular events of the city, behind the Carnival and its Grand Prix. When it first began in 1997, the parade didn’t attract more than 2,000 participants, but today, almost 5 million people join the event every year and become part of the most important part of São Paulo’s Pride celebrations. On the other hand, June is a month filled with all kinds of activities made by and for the LGBTQ community, such as parties, concerts, debates and exhibitions.
São Paulo’s Pride parade is the largest in the world, and each year, around 5 million people join this celebration.
LGBTQIA+ Film Festivals:
Before, we’ve mentioned that while Pride Month is a great opportunity to celebrate the victories and commemorate the struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community, championing their rights and advocating is something that must be done all year-round. Because of this, we wanted to end our blog by talking about other events that happen throughout the year that also share the spirit of Pride Month. Since we think that art is a very powerful weapon, we wanted to highlight Film Festivals, because through movies, we can convey the lights and the shadows of LGBTQIA+ experiences and all the work that’s left to do as a society.
For example, the Bangkok Gay and Lesbian Film Festival was founded in 2015, and its objective is to portray a realistic picture of the LGBTQIA+ community in Thailand, with its nuances, hopes and dreams. Obviously, international films are also shown during the event, and it is a great opportunity to think about the particularities and similarities of LGBTQIA+ experiences around the world. On the other hand, there’s the Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, known as Rainbow Reel Tokyo, which is a great effort to showcase diversity and give a platform to underrepresented voices in a country where victories for the LGBTQIA+ community have been slower. Fortunately, Rainbow Reel already stands out in Japan, and prime locations are occupied by filmmakers and movie lovers to show and enjoy LGBTQIA+ films from around the world.
Film Festivals are a great way to express diverse LGBTQIA+ experiences, and Rainbow Reel Tokyo is the perfect example.
This is how we end out blog, but it is only the beginning of Pride Month! We hope that knowing a bit more about these events is a great way to understand more about how Pride works around the world, and the countless opportunities that you’ll have to celebrate and commemorate it anyway you like. And the best thing is, Pride Month can also be a great reason to travel, so what are you waiting for? Whether you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community or an ally, the fight is far from over, but the victories have been huge, so keep going.
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