New York: Queer Liberation March defends trans lives

Thousands of people flooded the streets of lower Manhattan on Pride Sunday, June 25, for the fifth annual Queer Liberation March. This year’s theme was “Trans and Queer, Forever Here,” in defiance of the more than 500 anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ+ bills and growing street violence targeting the community coast-to-coast.

Chants of “Queers don’t deny it! Stonewall was a riot!” and “Bottoms and tops, we all hate cops!” rang out as the marchers wound their way from Foley Square up Sixth Avenue to Washington Square Park. The Reclaim Pride Coalition launched this “No Cops, No Corporations” alternative to the traditional New York Heritage of Pride Parade five years ago to honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

Activists from Women in Struggle-Mujeres en Lucha held a banner and gave out hundreds of leaflets for the Oct. 7 National March to Protect Trans Youth and Speakout for Trans Lives in Orlando, Florida. Socialist Unity Party members also distributed hundreds of Struggle-La Lucha newspapers with the headline, “March on Florida: Resist the ban on trans lives.”

The Reclaim Pride Coalition is an endorser of the Oct. 7 National March. For more information, to add your endorsement and get involved, go to ProtectTransKidsMarch.org.