People’s March celebrates its fifth year

It’s no secret that Pride has become a corporate spectacle, with rainbow logos, themed merchandise and big business strutting down Market Street each June. Nobody queer in my social circle tells me, “Say, let’s go to the parade this Sunday!” Many view it nowadays for brand sponsors and straight teens.

Now we have the “People’s March,” an event started five years ago to return Pride to its roots in San Francisco, where it began in 1970 as the Gay Liberation March. Back then it was a tiny band of hippies — so sayeth the GLBT Historical Society — and they marched to observe the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Today, event founders Juanita More and Alex U. Inn added a few other priorities in the mix, notably to represent Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Immigration, trans rights, and the ongoing war in Gaza were also part of Sunday’s dialogue. They took no corporate money for the event and instead raised it from a drag show directly following their walk down Polk.

The procession sashayed its way to Polk and Sutter; It was a police-free affair with the Dykes on Bikes Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. The march crescendoed at Fern Alley, where an afterparty of food, drink, artists, vendors all basked in the post-march glow.

Organizers estimated participation at 400–500, but I agree with NBC it looked a little more intimate than that. Still a worthy cause and a good way to escape the spectacle that concludes our June every year.

“I want everyone to see what a beautiful community this is that I share,” More said in the Bay Area Reporter. “Walking down here, I loved when I saw someone run and join in the back of the parade. That was beautiful."

Of course Juanita does participate in the official Pride festivities, too, with her own very popular party during and after the Market Street parade every year. I want to make it to Juanita’s party, but personally can’t handle the lack of standing room; As I said, it’s very popular!

Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.

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