New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio announced Monday morning that “all non-essential NYC permitted events, including parades” would be canceled for the month of June. That means NYC Pride is a no-go.
As the city continues to fight COVID-19, the city’s government has been carefully keeping an eye on the rest of the year, month by month. On Friday, Mayor De Blasio announced that all non-essential large gatherings in May would be canceled. Now, he’s extended that order to June.
“We love those events, but what do we know about those events? It inherently means large numbers of people crowded together in a small space,” he said in his Friday Coronavirus live-stream.
According to the Mayor, non-essential events include parades, concerts, rallies, and large gatherings. Unfortunately, this means that NYC Pride, scheduled for June, will no longer be able to take place. This year’s Pride, which was set to be another global event, will have to take place online like every other event.
“New York City is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement. We’ve come a long way since the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March 50 years ago, which is a testament to the bravery and resiliency of LGBTIA+ New Yorkers in the struggle for equality,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “While this pandemic prevents us from coming together to march, it will in no way stop us from celebrating the indelible contributions that the LGBTIA+ community has made to New York City or from recommitting ourselves to the fight for equal rights.”
While we’re disappointed to have a year without an IRL Pride, we’re more than committed to the health and safety of our community. Moving Pride 2020 online may mean no elaborate parade floats, but it also means some really wacky, fantastical, and creative twists on how exactly the LGBTQ+ community can celebrate Pride. Nothing will take it away from us — not even a pandemic!
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