Pride is back in Boston as parade returns after quarrel over inclusivity

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Following a three-year break, Boston is set to host the largest Pride parade in New England, prioritizing social justice and inclusivity over corporate sponsorship.

As many as 10,000 marchers had signed up before registrations closed, organizers disclosed. While employee groups can participate, corporations have been excluded. “We initiated plans with an eye on the best ways to serve the broader LGBTQ community in Boston and throughout New England,” expressed Jo Trigilio, vice president of Boston Pride for the People.

This year’s parade, one of the oldest Pride events in the US, has a slightly reduced route than before, commencing at Copley Square and concluding at Boston Common. The festivities will feature a family-friendly festival, with an additional event for individuals over 21 at the City Hall Plaza featuring music, dance, and alcoholic beverages.

The forthcoming parade will be Boston’s first since 2019. The break started due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extended through 2022 when Boston Pride, the original organizing group, dissolved following criticisms of racial and transgender exclusion.

The comeback arrives at a time when intolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community is intensifying in certain regions, with instances of drag show limitations, bans on gender-affirming healthcare, and removal of LGBTQ-themed school library books.

Boston Pride for the People, the newly formed body managing the parade, was established last year with the aim of fostering a more inclusive, less corporate-centric celebration, according to Trigilio. The group focuses on empowering, celebrating, remembering, and educating, countering the commercialized, privileged-centric Pride parades seen elsewhere.

Trigilio, who prefers ‘they’ and ‘them’ pronouns, stated, “Excessive corporate involvement often prioritizes financial gains, catering to the privileged. As Pride becomes overly commercialized, it loses its essence of social justice.”

Boston Pride for the People scrutinized corporate sponsors based on several factors, including their history of funding anti-LGBTQ legislators. Trigilio emphasized the importance of being recognized as allies rather than merely a market when under attack, further stating that the organizers aim to create a parade that welcomes LGBTQ individuals of color, transgender people, and those experiencing multiple forms of oppression.

Governor Maura Healey, one of the first two openly lesbian governors in the US, expressed her enthusiasm to participate. She stressed the significance of the event, especially considering the current attacks on equality, freedom, and the LGBTQ community.

Despite Massachusetts being the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, it’s not shielded from anti-LGBTQ sentiments, says Janson Wu, the Executive Director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD). Wu highlighted ongoing protests against drag shows and harassment against healthcare providers offering gender-affirming care.

Wu also highlighted the importance of Boston Pride’s return with new grassroots leadership amidst rising hostility towards the LGBTQ community.

Boston’s Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu applauded the parade’s return, emphasizing the state and city’s role in standing against hate.

Neon Calypso, a Boston-based drag queen, and trans woman of color expressed her perplexity at those who seek to sideline drag performers. She believes that attending such shows could potentially change the perceptions of those protesting against them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Boston Pride Parade Inclusivity

More about Boston Pride Parade Inclusivity

• Boston Pride for the People
• GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD)
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Legal Issues in Massachusetts
• History of Pride Parades in the US