Queer Liberation Marchers vow to fight back

On Pride Sunday, June 26, many thousands flooded the streets of lower Manhattan for the 4th annual Queer Liberation March. The theme of this year’s march was “For Trans and BIPOC Freedom, Reproductive Justice and Bodily Autonomy.” Coming just two days after the reactionary Supreme Court ruling overturning the right to abortion, the marchers were angry and determined to smash the mounting attacks on queer peoples’ and all peoples’ rights.

Contingents celebrated the legacy of the Stonewall Rebellion against police repression that launched the modern lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer and two-spirit movement; remembered the lives of trans women of color stolen by violence; and demanded liberation for Palestine. 

Supporters of the Socialist Unity Party carried a banner that read “Stonewall still means fight back!” and signs that said “Abolish the Supreme Court” and “Nazis and TERFs say get back, we say fight back!” Activists who distributed hundreds of copies of Struggle-La Lucha newspaper reported an enthusiastic response from the mostly young marchers.

The QLM was established in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of Stonewall as an alternative to the traditional New York City Pride Parade: “No cops, no corporations, no bullshit.”