Pride comes out in force in S.F.
In celebration and protest, crowds jam parade route, rally for LGBT community
Tracey Miles hugs daughter Tessa Schwartz, 13, at S.F.’s Pride Parade, which drew hundreds of thousands to party — and protest to protect rights.
Hundreds of thousands of revelers descended on Market Street like a rainbow-colored river Sunday to join the explosion of wildly painted floats and chest-thumping music as the 47th annual Pride Parade took over downtown San Francisco.
People from all over the world jammed sidewalks — five deep in spots — for the happy chaos of costumes, camaraderie and celebration as they watched more than 200 floats, musical acts and groups of marchers pour down the 1.3-mile parade route between the Embarcadero
and Civic Center.
And while the city’s biggest annual parade has become a moment to celebrate progress made on gay rights in California and across the nation, behind the waving rainbow flags was a more sober message that there’s still a lot to fight for.
Many of the participants highlighted concern about losing ground under President Trump’s administration not only on LGBT issues, but also on health care, poverty and racism, harking back to the roots of San Francisco’s Pride Parade as a political demonstration.
“This is not just fun, it’s a commemoration of the day gay people fought back,” said Joseph Amster, who is often seen giving tours around the city dressed as the famed San Francisco crackpot Emperor Norton. “If we all forget that, we will be oppressed again.”
Amster, who donned a rainbow sash and beard dyed with matching colors, wore his full Norton regalia, complete with epaulets and military-style medals, as he joined thousands of others flamboyantly dressed — as well as those opting to forgo most or all of their clothing.
First-time parade-goer Phoebe Hosley, a 15-yearold high school student from Pinole, said fear of the future is what brought her there Sunday.
“With everything going on in politics and the country, I felt like it was important to be here to support my community,” Phoebe said. “I’m scared what Trump will do to LGBT people.”
Leading the pack, as they always do, Dykes on Bikes gunned their hogs up Market Street at the parade’s 10:30 a.m. start. They, too, didn’t shy away from the politics.
“We are fighting this ridiculous administration, and they will not break our spirit, activism and pride,” said 49-year-old Kary McElroy, who rode her Harley Davidson Ultra Classic that she named Maggie.
In a box on her motorcycle’s seat was her small dog — also named Maggie.
“I’m embarrassed to be an American, but it’s wonderful to be a San Franciscan and a Californian,” she said.
Also near the front of the line was the Resistance Contingent, whose lead spot underscored the parade’s emphasis on protest as much as partying.
The group’s marchers held their fists high as they carried signs reading “No Wall!,” “Love Trumps Hate” and “Black Lives Matter,” showing solidarity with other groups.
Farther down the parade route were nearly 300 parents and kids with Our Family Coalition, a group of families with LGBT members. The day is especially important for LGBT children, said organization spokeswoman Polly Pagenhart, because it’s a welcome break from the discrimination they grow up with.
“Walking up Market Street and being cheered by tens of thousands of people can really blow billows of love into their chests that can sustain them for the other 364 days of the year,” Pagenhart said.
Not far away was Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, among many in politics who seized the moment to make a statement.
“The importance of being here today is selfevident with the backdrop of what’s going on in Washington with the anxiety and fear that’s being induced by this president and his policies,” said Newsom, who rode in a BMW convertible.
Recalling the fierce battle that attended his pioneering move in 2004 to authorize same-sex marriage, Newsom said he and his political allies have to not just fight against complacency about any erosion of advances, but to push forward on LGBT rights.
The parade is about “celebrating our differences,” he said. “That’s a value that can’t be taken for granted.”
San Francisco Supervisor Jeff Sheehy said it is vital for those marching in the parade to send a strong message to Washington, even if people believe those in the White House aren’t listening.
“I don’t think Trump will pay attention to this parade, but it’s important that we come together to express our resistance,” he said. “We need to show our reactions to how so many people and things are under assault now — health care is under assault, Muslims are under assault, trans kids are under assault.
“We are like the frog in the slowly boiling pot of water. We have to take action.”
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, who rolled along in an antique Lincoln convertible, agreed the city has to help lead the way in the nation for any rollback of rights.
“We cannot let hate win,” he said.
Pride participants started lining the streets just off the Embarcadero at first light Sunday, making sure their floats were ready for the nearing moment of glory.
Scott Ihrig, the head of the float for technology giant Intel, worked with a team to set up a rainbow of balloons on a companysponsored float.
He marveled how “50 years ago, a major company like Intel wouldn’t have sponsored a float, let alone hired openly gay people.”
Intel was just one of many corporations participating. Nearly every major Bay Area tech company seemed to be there, lending support and pitching products. Uber’s float touted its slogan, “Ride with Pride,” while Google showed off its self-driving car, Waymo, which appeared to be driven by a human.
Pride Community Grand Marshal Alex U. Inn, a longtime local social justice advocate, was critical of the parade’s commercialization. She said the event should have focused even more on politics, like in Los Angeles, where the parade morphed into an all-out demonstration.
“This could have been a different march,” she said.
Academy Award-winning “Milk” screenwriter and gay rights activist Dustin Lance Black, who was attending a party at City Hall, praised those who used the parade to make their cause heard, but he encouraged them to do more.
“Yes, it’s critical to show up today to Pride, but this can’t be the only time you come out this year,” he said. “It’s important we show up for all our brother and sister movements.”
Sunday’s parade concluded a week of Pride festivities around the city. Some 200 people on Saturday morning unfurled a large pink triangle on Twin Peaks, and thousands joined the annual Dyke March at Dolores Park in the afternoon. The day before, the annual Trans March also drew thousands to Dolores Park.
As always, Sunday’s huge parade capped off the festivities in overwhelming fashion. But it left its impact in quiet ways as well.
In the final moments before the floats started out in the morning, away from the shirtless, the pants-less, the painted and the corporate logos, two little girls sat finishing their Pride sign off Market Street. Natalie Arroyo, 8, and Morgan McDermott, 9, grew up in San Francisco. And though they were well versed in gay rights, this was their first Pride Parade and first time to celebrate.
“It’s second nature to them,” said Morgan’s mom, Rayna McDermott. “When we were growing up we had to have more conversations about (being gay). But for them, growing up in the city, they have so much exposure to it.”
When asked why Pride is important to her, Morgan suddenly became timid from all the attention and noise around her.
“Come on Morgan, don’t be shy — what did we talk about in the car?” her mother said.
After a few more seconds of silence, the 9-yearold’s smile grew, and the words gently came out: “Love is love.”
“With everything going on in politics and the country, I felt like it was important to be here to support my community. I’m scared what Trump will do to LGBT people.” Phoebe Hosley, 15, of Pinole