Pride: Past and Present

When you ponder the infamous stonewall 

Close your eyes and imagine pressing your ear to the newly paved-over brick that was once crumbling 

Listen intently, For if you’re fortunate enough,

You can almost hear the angered footsteps of the queer mothers and fathers before us  

Who poured bravery into the lighter fluid that set fire to this once silencing infrastructure 

And gave their limbs to fight for their right to love freely 

beyond the limitations homophobia set for this society 

You can almost see the past that held homosexuals hostage and imprisoned trans women for dressing to be themselves 

And if you gaze closer, your eyes will be met with the scarring image of our people being violated, abused, and murdered

Although gruesome, you must not forget this visual as it’s most important we remember the violence that came before the peace 

The display of queer women, men, and people that stood here, in a human chain, fending for not only their freedom, but yours too

Can you feel the gravity of gay pride and what it means for you to be openly queer in this moment?

Can you feel the liberation that our people rioted and died for ?

I can 

And in return I feel the word in everyone’s mouths this month… pride 

Not just pride for myself and the love I have for my queer identity, but rather for the movement that got us here 

So, when I walk that parade this year I’m holding hands with my sexuality and with those we’ve lost fighting the battle for equal gay rights 

June 28, 1969 may have been long ago, but it will forever be remembered in those stonewalls

And by us when we close our eyes to see the world that once was, and open them to see the queer world that now is 

June 28 1969. a riot broke out at the stonewall. 

sparking activism and awareness of gay rights

in the ’50s and ’60s homosexuality was considered sodomy and illegal in 49 states 

punishments would range from being imprisoned to receiving physical abuse 

in New York gay bars would serve as a safe haven for queer people 

the stonewall inn was owned by the mafia who paid off the police to turn a blind eye when they would overcharge gay patrons and extort them, threatening to out them to their families and employers. 

the police would still break in and bust homosexuals for “solicitation of homosexual relations”. 

trans and non-gender conforming people would be harassed physically abused and or thrown in jail for being found in clothing “for the other sex”. 

this oppression came to a head when police tried arresting those in the stonewall inn and the patrons resisted and rioted throwing riots pushing through barricades and lighting fire. 

they set the bar on fire eventually and the mob had grown in numbers… the riots continued until july 1st. 

this large-scale defiance started the modern gay liberation movement. the riot sparked the formation of the gay liberation front advocating for equal gay rights 

on June 20 1970, the first pride parade was born when queer people came out to celebrate the violence that broke out in their freedom. 

By: Jazmine Lende

Image: From "Everyone gets a piece of pride"
Creative Director: Rida Chaudhry
Photographer: Taryn Resende
MUA: Rida Chaudhry
Models:
Iffy
Marcus Zain
Sophia Cecucci