Post-Pride, the fight for equality lives on

‘Just because June is over doesn’t mean we put the flags away, baby.’ As Pride Month came to a close, that’s the sentiment influencer Brendan Jordan sent out to the tune of 500k+ followers on 1 July. It’s a lightly veiled quip that sends a clear message: it’s not corporations who decide when the full spectrum of the rainbow is en vogue – it’s the community that Pride truly belongs to that decides when the party’s over. And in New York, at least, the fight rages on.

To close out Pride weekend, the city was aflush with celebratory events to fete feelings of freedom, self-expression, and love. But in Brooklyn, a bike rally put on by drag festival Bushwig and Black Lives Matter was Saturday’s main event, where people from all walks of life pedalled in honour of unity across racial and social lines. This was followed by the historic Queer Liberation March that paraded from Bryant Park to Washington Square Park as marchers danced in the historic fountain, belting out Lady Gaga, Sia, and more.

‘After everything we’ve gone through with the pandemic, seeing the community reclaim the streets of New York was really powerful,’ says photographer Leandro Justen, who captured these moments for Soho House. ‘I had goosebumps marching down 7th Avenue with the Queer Liberation March. Seeing people come together for one another was so uplifting. I’m really grateful that I get to document this type of history in real time.’

But it was the official flyer for the Queer Liberation March that might have said it all; a motto that corporations should take heed of come next June, and beyond: ‘Sponsored by no one, presented by us.’