Tag: World Pride

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Photos From World Pride In Amsterdam + New Music From Karel + More

World Pride Canal Parade in Amsterdam - 8/1/26

Some news items I thought worth your time:

• Washington Blade: Hit the link for tons of great photos from the World Pride Canal Parade held today in Amsterdam.

• New Music: Karel follows up his Top 10 UK single “I Dance Because” with his new Pride anthem – “You Have To Be Proud” – available now on all major platforms. Continue reading “Photos From World Pride In Amsterdam + New Music From Karel + More”

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Podcast: Jake Owen ‘Believes’ In His LGBTQ Fans, World Pride, Trump’s Gay Spokesman & More

In this week's podcast: • World Pride comes home to New York City • Donald Trump’s gay spokesman says the president’s anti-LGBTQ policies “just don’t matter” to him • South Florida LGBTQ organization accidentally honors men accused of gay-bashing • A new survey of LGBTQ Americans shows 83% believe sex work between consenting adults should be legal • Country star Jake Owen gives us one more reason to 'Believe' he loves his LGBTQ fans All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

In this week’s podcast:

• World Pride comes home to New York City

• Donald Trump’s gay spokesman says the president’s anti-LGBTQ policies “just don’t matter” to him

• South Florida LGBTQ organization accidentally honors men accused of gay-bashing

• A new survey of LGBTQ Americans shows 83% believe sex work between consenting adults should be legal

• Country star Jake Owen gives us one more reason to ‘Believe’ he loves his LGBTQ fans

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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World Pride Closing: At The Crossroads Of The World

World Pride Closing
Melissa Etheridge kicked off the festivities (photos: Lawrence Pfeil Jr)

By Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.

There could not have been a more ideal setting for World Pride Closing Ceremonies than Times Square at the “crossroads of the world.”
As twilight fell across New York City and Pride marched on down in the Village, thousands gathered for a star-studded finale to Pride Month for one last official celebration of the LGBT+ Community where it all began.
 It was electric, fabulous, fierce, funny, emotional, and PROUD.
Grammy Award winner, Melissa Etheridge took to the stage opening the evening with her brand of ferocious acoustic music which has inspired both the LGBT+ community as well as cancer survivors for decades.

Melissa Etheridge

Comedian Margret Cho brilliantly hosted the evening with hilarious observations on gay men.

Cho said she “prefers being a ‘Bear Hag’ because she knows there’s going to be food, with “twinks there’s no regularly scheduled meals.” She also pointed out that “twinks are having so much work done, they look like a “queer caught in headlights.”
Later, Cho did a full discussion of her “fat pussy” with surprisingly detailed descriptions of different kinds, ie Keto, sandwich, etc. Watching the muscle-stud ASL interpreter sign her graphic descriptions was hilariously horrifying.

Hunky sign language guy

 

More of hunky sign language guy I think Lawrence was trying to tell me something 😉

Broadway’s The Prom stopped by strutting their stuff in a celebration of Love is Love with the entire cast thrilling the audience with the show’s finale, “It’s Time to Dance.”

Mel C – ‘Sporty Spice’ – of the Spice Girls

Big electrifying numbers from MNEK, Spice Girl Melanie C with Sink the Pink, and Jake Shears wowed the capacity audience, but it was an unexpected small moment that spoke to the occasion.

Accompanied only by a guitar closing out his set, Shears sang:

Why are there so many

 

Songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side
Rainbows are visions
They’re only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we’ve been told and some chose to
Believe it
But I know they’re wrong wait and see
Someday we’ll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me

 

Jake Shears

Those who came together last night as a global community united in pride were not prepared for what happened next.

In a flowing white gown, Deborah Cox took the stage like a twister hitting Dorothy’s farmhouse with “Absolutely Not,” and from her Broadway debut in Aida at the Palace Theatre across the street, “Easy as Life.”

Cox talked about spending 18 months touring in The Bodyguard the Musical in Whitney Houston’s iconic role. On the giant video screen, a rainbow ribbon could be seen on her dress.

She explained, it wasn’t just a rainbow ribbon but an “Orlando Ribbon,” given to her by a survivor of the Pulse Nightclub massacre. Dedicated to their memory she sang, “I Will Always Love You” as tears streamed our cheeks.

I don’t know if at Pride Island they could hear what was happening in Times Square; but if they did, what they heard was, “Madonna, go home and try again.” Deborah “Nobody’s Supposed to be Here” Cox Threw. It. Down. and blew it up! Taking a crowd from emotional heartbreak to ecstatic joyous dance party like it’s nothin but a thing takes a fierce dancefloor diva. It was a feat not many performers could pull off. Deborah Cox didn’t just drop the mic, she dropped it, buried it, never to be seen again.

 

Empire State Building lit up in rainbow for Pride

 

Special thanks to Lawrence Pfeil Jr. for his awesome work this weekend as special World Pride correspondent for The Randy Report!
 
Make sure you click over to his own site, theOUTfront.com, for more of his uplifting pride and prose.

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World Pride March: Creativity United Under The Rainbow

With 165 units from around the world, across the country, and from every borough of the city, New York City’s Pride March was a spectacular show of love, community, and most of creativity.
Heritage of Pride (all photos: Lawrence Pfeil Jr)

By Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.

With 165 units from around the world, across the country, and from every borough of the city, New York City’s Pride March was a spectacular show of love, community, and most of creativity.

Estimated to last eleven hours before it began, the dazzling rainbow extravaganza was still going strong as the midnight hour approached with NYC Pride organizers revising their estimated finishing time to 1:00AM, or later.

Which begs the obvious question, “was anybody still watching it at that hour?” Absolutely!

According to marchers whose pride light up the night, crowds were still lining the route when one couple finished at 11pm and hadn’t gone anywhere when another couple finished at midnight.

Considering Madonna was simultaneously performing at Pride Island while Deborah Cox was closing World Pride in Times Square, it gives you some indication of the fabulously creative, spectacle of Pride winding through the streets of Chelsea and the Village.

Here’s a look at the first several hours of the largest Pride March in history, which the world gathered to witness and as they celebrated “Stonewall 50.”

Paying respect to those who were the reason for the celebration of Pride, the lead car honored two of the Community’s heroines.

With New York City hosting the first bi-annual celebration of World Pride in the US, some of the 1200 InterPride were welcomed down Fifth Avenue. Each of the 57 member units brought their own creative greeting from as far away as Australia, Germany and London; or as close to home as Nevada and Palm Springs.

Nordics for Equality

Amsterdam Pride

Many LGBT+ organizations brought the Pride, including Trevor Project, also serving as one of the Grand Marshals), New York’s own LGBT Center, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and GALA of the NYPD.

Gay Men’s Health Crisis

NYC Pride Center

Trevor Project

There has been some controversy regarding corporate takeover of the Pride March and commercialism overshadowing activism. So much so that it caused a schism and an anti-march was held.

It’s worth noting the first corporate float didn’t appear until 2:30 minutes into the March, after international and national LGBT+ groups and government officials who fight for equality and civil rights.

Certainly, there were corporations, like Deutche Bank and CapitalOne, whose presence were egregiously offensive considering they finance and launder money for and/or are a tenant of the President actively rolling back LGBT+ civil rights and promoting hate.

Pride and creativity were not only on display in the street but was everywhere in the crowd as well.

You never knew when you might spot a fabulous celebrity ally.

Longtime LGBTQ ally – film/TV/recording star Vanessa Williams

Broadway actor Jim Newman (L) enjoying the march

At some point, you gotta march!

The crowds were huge!

Some political statements were made along the way…

Historic Stonewall Inn

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Madonna Closes Out World Pride 2019

Madonna (image via Instagram/Donatella_Versace)

Madonna closed out the massive World Pride celebrations in New York City last night with a 4 song set during the festival’s ‘Pride Island’ on Manhattan’s Pier 57.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, New York Pride hosted this year’s World Pride festivities.

Taking to the stage, the Queen of Pop began with a raucous rendition of her 1990 classic, “Vogue,” which was quickly followed by her 2003 hit, “American Life.”

Madge’s longtime friend, Donatella Versace provided social media coverage throughout the performance.

Madonna then stopped to address the weekend’s celebrations.

“It’s weird, I know we’re on a pier and this pier has a lot of history; God knows it has a lot of history,” she began, referencing the piers history as a cruising area for gay men in the 1970s and 80s.

“So, fifty years people,” she continued. “Fifty years of revolution, fifty years of freedom fighting, fifty years of putting up with discrimination, hatred and indifference, fifty years of blood, sweat and tears, fifty years of not bowing down to fear. That’s what I’m talking about.”

“We have been on this journey together, and I am so proud and honored to share this historical evening with you,” added the 6-year-old pop-star.

“Since I came to New York as a wee little girl, I have always been embraced by queer nation,” bringing the conversation to the personal. “I always felt like an outsider but you made me feel like an insider. You must know how much I love and appreciate everyone here tonight – all members of the LGBTQ community.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she concluded before launching into her latest single from Madame X, “God Control,” a controversial (what’s new?) meditation on gun violence in the U.S.

She closed with the anthemic “I Rise,” also from Madame X.

According to organizers, approximately 4.5 million people took part in the multiple NYC Pride events throughout the weekend.

Head over to Boy Culture where Matt Rettenmund has lots of fantastic pics of the 4-song set by Madge.

(h/t Hollywood Reporter)

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Twitter Celebrates NYC Pride | World Pride 2019

(image via Twitter/NYCPride)

Scrolling through my Twitter feed, I’m thrilled to see all the sharing of the excitement at this year’s NYC Pride experience.

Just a few from the g-g-g-gay Twitterverse:

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Video: Watch NYC Pride Parade Live

A month of festivities culminates Sunday with the New York City Pride March, the biggest Pride celebration in the world.

The march begins at noon ET and is expected to draw millions of spectators. It will feature 677 contingents including community groups, major corporations and cast members from the acclaimed FX series, Pose.

You can watch ABC7’s YouTube live coverage of the parade below or by heading over their website at abc7NY.com

Organizers say they expect 150,000 people to march along the route that begins in the Flatiron District.

UPDATE: So, the livestream didn’t stay up once ABC7 ended their amazing four hours of coverage, but you can checkout highlights here.

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Pride & Pageantry On Display At Stonewall 50 Commemoration

The crowd at the Stonewall 50 Commemoration Rally (image via Twitter/NYCPride)

By Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.

Steps away from “where pride began,” World Pride hosted the “Stonewall 50 Commemoration Rally” before an audience filling both Christopher and Grove Streets to capacity around Sheridan Square.

Marking the first night of the Stonewall Uprising, it was a historic event in World Pride’s impressive spectrum of attractions for visitors gathered from around the world as one to celebrate Community.

Starting off the proceeding with a true international flare was Fogo Azul, an all-woman Brazilian samba reggae drumline entering before the crowd in attendance quickly turning the summer night into a hot street dance.

New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio welcomed Pride visitors to the city and paid tribute to the Stonewall veterans who were the reason for the evenings gathering. Along with current Stonewall Inn owner, Stacy Lentz, the Mayor called those who rose up fifty years ago to the stage presenting them with a Mayoral proclamation declaring, June 28, 2019 as “Stonewall Day.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio (L) presents “Stonewall Day” proclamation
(photos: Lawrence Pfeil Jr)

Drag trio Stephanie’s Child took to the stage for a performance and served as mistresses of ceremonies for the night welcoming a roster of LGBT+ notables who have gotten the Community to today and continue to fight for equality, civil rights and justice throughout the world.

Stephanie’s Child

Notable among the speakers was Barbara Poma, owner of Pulse nightclub and founder of onePULSE Foundation.

Poma give a stirring speech recounting her son’s journey of coming out as a gay man and losing him to AIDS when he was only 28 years old. Through her son she learned the importance of “safe spaces” for LGBT+ people like nightclubs where they can gather and be themselves.

Barbara Poma (at podium)

In spite of the horrific tragedy of mass murder, hate crime at her own ‘safe space,’ Poma noted how the conversation about the safety of Black and Brown LGBTs has been elevated and needs to continue as they are disproportionately affected by hate crimes.

Considering all the people of color present when police raided the Stonewall Inn, maybe we haven’t come as far we’d like to be believe.

More photos from the event.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Rep. Jerrold Nadler

A blessing of unicorns

And some eye-candy in the crowd was nice, too 🙂
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NYC: Lady Gaga Makes Surprise Appearance At Stonewall Day Concert

International pop star and LGBTQ ally Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance at Pride Live’s Stonewall Day Concert on Friday afternoon.
(Photo: Tim Soter for Pride Live)

International pop star and LGBTQ ally Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance at Pride Live’s Stonewall Day Concert on Friday afternoon.

Taking the stage in front of thousands of celebrants from around the world who gathered for WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Gaga told the exuberant crowd, “Happy 50th anniversary of Stonewall! This is a historic day. You should be so, so proud of yourself.”

Continuing, she said:

“Look around you. Look at what you have done. You are the definition of courage, do you know that? … This community has fought, and continued to fight, a war of acceptance, a war of tolerance — and the most relentless bravery.”

“You are the definition of courage, do you know that? This is a celebration of all of you in every single way. I really, really hope you celebrate every inch of who you are today.”

Also appearing at the event were Alicia Keys, who performed Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors,” Bob the Drag Queen, Wilson Cruz, Whoopi Goldberg, Chelsea Clinton, Donatella Versace, Geena Rocera, and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The entire event was live-streamed, and you can watch the full video here.

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The World Comes Home For Pride

For the first time in its twenty year history, World Pride is being celebrated in the United States, as part of the Stonewall 50 celebration in the birthplace of Pride, New York City.
Cyndi Lauper performs at Opening Ceremony of WorldPride NYC

By Lawrence Pfeil, Jr.

For the first time in its twenty year history, World Pride is being celebrated in the United States, as part of the Stonewall 50 celebration in the birthplace of Pride, New York City.

Last night, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center played host to the Opening Ceremonies of World Pride with enough high NRG, glitter, and sequins to be seen across the East River on Christopher St.

Hosted by fierce, long time, LGBT advocate Whoopi Goldberg, the three- hour plus extravaganza showcased entertainment, tributes to the people who fought for equality, and highlighted organizations insuring another fifty years of Pride.

The festivities began with Cyndi Lauper rising from a sparkling globe singing, “True Colors.”

What could have easily been a treacly, cliched, ‘been there done that’ moment, turned into an extemporaneous singalong. The Barclays Center awash in a dazzling rainbow, thousands of strangers gathered from around the world, were singing in one voice, as a united community.

After the opening, Whoopi took to the stage and took the house to church asking New Yorkers to welcome the “tourist next to them.” She went on telling, “everybody hold somebody’s hand as we remember those who for many different reasons are not alive and with us today,” a moment bringing unexpected silence to the arena.

Tony Award winner, and TV actress, Sara Ramirez, paid tribute to the 2019 Pride Luminaries on stage with a soaring rendition of “Somewhere over the Rainbow.” Throughout the night Pride March Grand Marshals, the cast of FX’s POSE, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah of UK Black Pride, Gay Liberation Front, The Trevor Project, and Monica Helms were recognized and honored for their work.

Drag queens were in the house and werked it in a mega-production number. Each queen took her turn on the runway for moment in the spotlight, including Bob the Drag Queen. Her lip-sync of Julia “The Terminator” Sugarbaker’s speech, recounting “The Night the Lights went out in Georgia” complete with baton twirler.

Inside the Barclay Center (photo: Lawrence Pfeil Jr.)

Proceeds from World Pride Opening Ceremonies benefit three organizations:

• SAGE (www.sageusa.org) the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older people.

• Immigration Equality (immigrationequality.org) the nation’s leading LGBTQ immigrant rights organization, representing and advocating for people from around the world fleeing violence, abuse and persecution because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status.

• The Ali Forney Center (aliforneycenter.org) the nation’s largest and most comprehensive agency dedicated to LGBTQ homeless youths

These organizations do lifesaving work every day of the year for the Community and were introduced to audience by video and with stirring remarks.

Most notable were those by Ali Forney Center’s founder and Executive Director, Carl Sicilano. He spoke of the homeless queer street kids at the time of the Stonewall Uprising who were thought of as trash by well-off people. Those kids found their own community and a solidarity amongst themselves, when “an attack on one was seen as an attack on all.

Sicilano implored those present last night to adopt that same solidarity from 50 years ago in today’s Community.

The Grand Finale was none other than the force of nature and pride himself, Mr. Billy Porter who blessed the house with an encore of his heartbreak performance of “Home” from Season 1 of the acclaimed FX series, Pose.

Porter then raised the roof old school, gospel-style, with his new single, “Love Yourself” in a glitter fabulous, rainbow Pride spectacular before sending his children off to make the world a better place.

Check out more via Instagram:

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SWIPE TO WATCH! Look at how far we’ve come in 50 years. The room last night was pure magic bursting with #lgbtq pride. Thank you @nycpride for having me at @barclayscenter for the opening of #worldpride2019 hosted by #EGOT diva @whoopigoldberg and for putting together such a fierce show full of legends. It was a dream to perform my single “Love Yourself” backed by the magnificent @bivoices choir wearing custom @theblondsny covered in 50k @preciosacomponents crystals which reflected all of the colors of pride. We’ve got to love each other and most certainly love ourselves. Happy Pride hunties. #pride 🌈 📸 by @santiagraphy Creative Direction and Styling by @sammyratelle for @rrrcreative Agency Grooming by @lasonyagunter Wearing @theblondsnyA post shared by Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) on Jun 27, 2019 at 7:32pm PDT

I am often times very hard on myself and rarely find moments when I feel genuinely proud of myself.. lastnight I made a surprise appearance at the opening ceremony of World Pride in New York City with some of my favorite queens from @rupaulsdragrace While I’m performing, I’m usually in the zone and sort of black out for a bit. When @juniortorezani showed me this video lastnight, I was mind blown and was able to take it all in. Something that started in my small studio apartment as a fun outlet for me turned into this.. I felt proud, proud for the space, the freedom, and the permission I gave myself to express and create freely in the way my heart desired. I never could’ve imagined it would have led to all of this. I am SO grateful I am able to share my heart, my passion, and my joy with the world! Thank you for embracing, accepting, and supporting me through this fun, rainbow-filled journey! Happy Pride my beautiful friends!!! 🤗❤️🌈 (Also, not sure where the wigs ended up but whoever got them, have fun with my babies! I’m expecting dance videos in them! 😆❤️🌈) #pride #loveislove #lgbtq #pridemonth #pride🌈 #worldpride #wig #cuttothefeelingfriday #rainbow
A post shared by Mark Kanemura (@mkik808) on Jun 27, 2019 at 11:15am PDT