LGBTQ+ Pride right now is about a 'call to action,' activists say
'Pride this year is definitely more than just a celebration — it’s us fighting.'
Rochester is often seen as a sort of “sanctuary city” for LGBTQ people said the founder and director of Rochester LGBTQ+ Together, Braden Reese. That vibe was clear in mid-July for Pride Week.
How does that translate to activism?
“My mentality on this is that Pride is not about a single day, a single season, a single organization,” Reese said. “Pride is year-round. It exists within us. It’s about being able to be authentic and live safely and thrive as your authentic self."
The last six months under the Trump administration has caused a lot of anxiety for the LGBTQ community, Reese said. Is marriage equality here to stay? Could federal laws overturn statewide protections for the trans community?
“There’s definitely been some great progress made, but is that progress permanent?” Reese said. “You constantly have to be standing up against hate, against bigotry, against politicians and elected officials and laws that threaten our community. It’s not something that you can just fight for and then walk away like the battle is done. The battle is never done.”
Javannah Davis is the founder of WAVE Women Inc., a Rochester-based nonprofit that seeks to uplift Black and brown trans women and trans-femme individuals.
“Pride for me is more of a call to action right now,” she said.
Last year, as the honorary Pride marshal, the month of July felt like a celebration, Davis said. Things changed in November after the election of President Donald Trump.
“Just like the first brick was thrown at Stonewall to start the revolution of gay rights, each one of us now — especially those in the trans and non-binary community, needs to also be that brick to start our revolution of protecting each other against the tyranny and the oppression that’s coming down the pipe from the federal government,” she said.
“Pride this year is definitely more than just a celebration — it’s us fighting.”
Yaetza Maria Martinez has been attending Pride in Rochester for nearly two decades, since she transitioned at 18. She views the festival as a space for freedom.
She was born in Puerto Rico but raised in Rochester.
Martinez sees a split in the activism in the queer community and hopes more of the basic living problems become watchwords for the movement in western New York.
“Those LGBTQ community that has money, that have the private insurance, who have the jobs, the cars, the degrees, they tend to forget that there is still a community of low-income individuals who are coming up who still need housing, who still need food, who still need financial assistance. Who are still trying to figure out their way," she said. "Right now my biggest issue with the community as a whole is we forget our intersectionality. We forget that a lot of us are not just fighting for the right to be who we are, but we’re fighting to thrive."
'We're just regular folk'
Assemblyman Harry Bronson and the Rev. Myra Brown served as the Pride Grand Marshal and Honorary Marshal for this year’s parade. Pride marshals are people who have made contributions to better the life of the LGBTQ community.
Bronson said the Rochester Pride Parade makes people aware of how Pride is celebrated in the community. “Even though we may love differently or identify differently, we’re just regular folk who want to do well for ourselves and for our family,” Bronson said.
But he also has been involved in gender-affirming care legislation on the governor's desk right now.
Cuts to aid for basic needs is an LGBTQ+ issue
Brittan Hardgers has seen a spike in mutual aid requests in the community, as more people struggle to cover rent, buy groceries and pay overdue bills.
He is worried about cuts to Medicaid worsening the burden.
Davis said that these requests are not yet at pandemic levels, but she expects to see that happen if the economy continues to falter.
For the last few years, community group Rochester LGBTQ+ Together has been running the Greater Rochester LGBTQ+ Mutual Aid group, which allows individuals to make requests for food, toiletries, utilities and other basic needs via Facebook. There are also several ways to make donations to the group through Rochester LGBTQ+ Together’s website.
This year, they’ve introduced two special groups: Emergency Relief Fund and Trans Joy and Self-care Fund. The former supports “larger emergency needs and crisis support,” according to the website and the latter is meant for “care packages” for the community.
Looking for allies
The Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus is one of the longest-standing LGBTQ+ organizations in the state, formed in 1982. While the name might seem limiting, it’s open to anyone who can sing in the choir’s range: tenor, baritone and bass.
One such member is Bill Miller, who is straight, but calls the chorus his chosen family. He said the recent Pride Parade and festival is a day of the year when thousands of people come together for love and acceptance. He said his daughter and her wife have talked about leaving the country over concerns of what’s to come.
“I think it’s important in times like these to have activities like this. They make us know that we’re not alone,” Miller said. “And it’s easy to feel that way when you’re in the house watching the news and watching somebody getting carted away.”
Michael Rosario-McCabe is the current chair of chorus and works in higher education. He said the Trump administration has made people more afraid to come out and be as proud as they were in the recent past.
The support of allies was noticed and well received by McCabe while out on the parade course July 19.
“You saw a lot of signs that were indicating these were not gay or lesbian people or in the community, but they’re supporting us and it’s nice to know that there are those people that are out there,” McCabe said. “They’re willing to put themselves out and say, ‘hey, we’re all here together.'"
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