These events tell a story about where Pride is and who can and can’t go. Don’t get caught without an overpriced Pride-branded beer in your hand, either! Merchandise at Pride isn’t new, necessarily, but it is the byproduct of Pride growing into a more commercial space where being nickel-and-dimed is the norm rather than the exception.
NYC Pride, meanwhile, offers T-shirts at a cool $55 and a hoodie at $90. This year, PrideFest VIP tickets will run you $50, though the parade is still free.
It was revealed that a day ticket would be $35.
Shocked one attendee with the elimination of its free ticket option. In 2016, a Pride festival in Los Angeles that at first promised inclusivity for women and seniors Pride is becoming a more expensive affair across the board, and the folks who need it most are getting priced out. Beneath that, the intrusion of businesses into our annual events has recontextualized what celebrating Pride means even within the community. That debate tends to center the battle over the soul of Pride: Should it be a protest, or a party? Should we really let a weapons manufacturer slap a rainbow over their logo and march in the parade? We question whether it’s ethical, and we wonder what the criteria ought to be for corporate allyship.īut that element of the conversation is just the rainbow veneer on the Wells Fargo float. Five decades after New Yorkers had to fight to keep a single gay bar open, it's time to ask: What happens when Pride is for sale?Įvery year, debate erupts anew over the corporatization of Pride. However revelers feel about the relationship, Pride celebrations and the corporations that sponsor - and profit off them - are at this point deeply intertwined, with far-reaching consequences. For others, it's a betrayal of the movement's radical roots. For some in the community, that's a sign of mainstream acceptance. Rainbow merchandise abounds, and companies often boast the splashiest floats in the parade. A year later, marches to commemorate the riots and celebrate the identities of the agitators inaugurated the annual festivities that became known as "gay pride." Half a century on, as Pride has evolved into a party-focused, heavily branded affair, the celebration sometimes seems more retail than riot.
The end of this month marks 50 years since New York police raided the Stonewall Inn gay bar, prompting patrons and LGBTQ residents to fight back in a series of riots that ultimately kicked off what was then called the gay liberation movement. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript.