Phoenix Pride
{{Short description|LGBTQ+ Pride Parade in Phoenix, Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{For-text|the defunct Major Indoor Soccer League team|Phoenix Inferno}}
Phoenix Pride (formerly known as Phoenix Pride March & Rally,{{cite web|title=1969–1984 · LGBT History in Arizona|url=http://asulibraries.omeka.net/exhibits/show/lgbt-history-in-arizona/1969-1984|website=ASU Library|publisher=Arizona State University|access-date=July 3, 2017}} Desert Pride,{{cite web|title=1985–1999 · LGBT History in Arizona|url=http://asulibraries.omeka.net/exhibits/show/lgbt-history-in-arizona/1985-1999|website=ASU Library|publisher=Arizona State University|access-date=July 3, 2017}} Arizona Central Pride, and Phoenix Pride Festival) is a parade and festival held each year in Phoenix, Arizona to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people and their allies.
Unlike other pride parades in major US cities, which is held in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots,{{cite news|last1=Battle|first1=Marquaysa|title=Why Is Pride Month in June? What You Should Know About The Stonewall Riots|url=http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/why-is-june-lgtbq-pride-month/1961264/|access-date=June 30, 2017|work=Elite Daily|date=June 1, 2017}} Phoenix Pride has been held outside of the summer months in Arizona since at least 2004,{{cite web|title=History – Phoenix Pride|url=https://phoenixpride.org/about/history/|website=Phoenix Pride|access-date=June 30, 2017}} due to high summer temperatures.{{cite web|last1=Anderson|first1=J. Seth|title=Gay History from Phoenix – Sunday's Childe|url=http://jsethanderson.com/2012/06/01/gay-history-from-phoenix-sundays-childe/|access-date=June 30, 2017|date=June 1, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions – Phoenix Pride|url=https://phoenixpride.org/about/faq/|website=Phoenix Pride|access-date=June 30, 2017|quote=While the riots first occurred in June of 1969, and while many communities across the world annually celebrate Pride celebrations or “Pride” in June, the Phoenix community has adjusted the outdoor event to occur in April which is a month more tolerable to most of its residents and visitors due to the heat.}}
History
Phoenix has had a history of hosting gay pride-themed events even before the first pride parade was held in 1981. In June 1977, the first gay pride week was organized in Phoenix by the city’s LGBTQ+ community at the time.
The first pride parade in Phoenix took place in 1981, and it was organized by the Lesbian & Gay Pride Planning Committee, which was led by Kirk Baxter and BJ Bud. The first parade was a march from Patriots Square Park (now the site of CityScape) to the Arizona State Capitol. The event was a politically focused march that aimed to bring awareness to LGBT rights issues in the Phoenix area. Newspaper reports at the time estimated 600 to 1,000 people attended the evening march,{{cite news|last1=Zipser|first1=Andrew|title=Gay and proud: First march for homosexual rights brings hundreds to the streets|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-net/17690/archive/files/e7f61d7737eb97cd9c14fc170311f890.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAI3ATG3OSQLO5HGKA&Expires=1499099671&Signature=t%2F1CeBk8QfqOw16xnPGalL9%2BSTY%3D|access-date=July 3, 2017|work=Phoenix Gazette|year=1981|format=JPG}}{{dead link|date=March 2019}} although later research has put the figure to over 700 people having taken part.
From 1983 to 1985, the march took place on a portion of Phoenix's Central Avenue Corridor, and the event in 1987 became politically focused once again, as it was combined with an event aimed at recalling controversial Governor Evan Mecham.
A non-profit organization was established to coordinate the pride festival in 1991. That same year, after a decade of hosting the event in Phoenix, the pride festival was moved to Tempe Diablo Stadium.
The event was moved to Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix in 1998, and moved to Steele Indian School Park in 2003, where it is still being held to this day.
In 2020, the parade and festival was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with event organizers saying they will reschedule the event to a time during the fall. Days after the announcement to postpone was made, organizers announced an alternative date of November 7 and 8.{{cite web |title=Phoenix Pride announces new date for 2020 festival and parade |url=https://www.facebook.com/PhoenixPrideAZ/photos/a.128816478559/10158042331343560/?type=3&theater |website=Phoenix Pride (via Facebook) |access-date=March 17, 2020 |date=March 17, 2020}}{{Primary source inline|date=March 2020}} 2020's parade was later rescheduled to 2021, in effect cancelling Phoenix Pride for 2020.{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Kenneth |title=No Pride Parade in Phoenix for 2020 amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic |url=https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/no-pride-parade-in-phoenix-for-2020-amid-ongoing-covid-19-pandemic |access-date=October 6, 2020 |work=KSAZ-TV |date=October 6, 2020}}
=Event by year=
File:Immigrant Rights Protesters at Phoenix Pride 2017-1.jpg
| class="wikitable"
|+Phoenix Pride History |
| Year
!Dates !Theme/Slogan !Location !Notes |
|---|
| 1981
|We Are Here |March: Patriots Square Park to Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Lesbian activist Arlie Scott and Leonard Matlovich. |
| 1982
| |We are Family |March: Patriots Square Park to Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Charlotte Bunch. 17 people walked to the event from Tucson. |
| 1983
| |Uniting for Freedom, Recognition, and Understanding |March: Central Avenue, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: David Clarenbach |
| 1984
| |Unity and More in ’84 |March: Central Avenue, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Flo Kennedy |
| 1985
| |Our Future in Our Hands |March: Central Avenue, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: John Heilman |
| 1986
| |Phoenix Pride Emerging |Event: South Mountain Park, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Cleve Jones |
| 1987
| |Silent No More / Hands Across the Capitol |Rally: Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, Phoenix |Participants held hands, and surrounded the Arizona State Capitol. |
| 1988
| |Unity ’88 |Festival: Phoenix Civic Plaza (now Phoenix Convention Center), Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Carolyn Warner. |
| 1989
| |Stonewall Remembered |March: Patriots Square Park to Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, Phoenix |
| 1990
| |A New Decade of Pride |Festival: El Lienzo Charro Rodeo Grounds, Phoenix |Keynote speaker: Lynn Lavner. |
| 1991
| |Desert Pride: It’s Hot |Festival: Kiwanis Park, Tempe | |
| 1992
| |Pride = Power: A Simple Matter of Justice |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe | |
| 1993
| |A Family of Pride |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe | |
| 1994
| |Stonewall 25: A Global Celebration of Pride |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe |
| 1995
| |Discover Pride |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe | |
| 1996
|May 31 – June 2{{cite web|title=Arizona Central pride Festival, 1996|url=http://asulibraries.omeka.net/exhibits/show/lgbt-history-in-arizona/item/93|website=ASU Library|publisher=Arizona State University|access-date=July 3, 2017}} |Discover: Pride Without Borders |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe | |
| 1997
|June (Festival) |Pride…Equality Through Visibility |Festival: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe | |
| 1998
| |Pride 98…A Gateway to Change |Festival: Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix | |
| 1999
| |Millions of Lives…One Voice in Pride |Festival: Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix |
| 2000
|April 14 (Pageant) April 15 (Parade){{Cite web |title=One heart one mind one vision! Take pride! Take joy! Take action! 2000 |url=https://digitalcollections.sdsu.edu/do/ce84769a-578d-4a13-ba14-7f066e1455a9 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=San Diego State University Library Digital Collections}} |One Heart, One Mind, One Vision, Take Pride, Take Joy, Take Action |Festival: Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix |The Transgender Pride Flag made its debut during this year's event.{{cite news|last1=Sankin|first1=Aaron|title=Transgender Flag Flies in San Francisco's Castro District After Outrage From Activists|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/20/transgender-flag_n_2166742.html|access-date=July 17, 2017|work=HuffPost|publisher=Oath Inc.|date=November 20, 2012|quote=The trans flag was created by Monica Helms, a transgender woman, in 1999. It was first flown at a pride parade in Phoenix, Ariz., the following year.}} |
| 2001
|June |What Part of Equal Don't You Understand |Festival: Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix | |
| 2002
| |For One Day Feel Like the Majority |Festival: Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix | |
| 2003
| |Let Your Pride Be Your Guide |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |First year the pride parade headed in a northerly direction. |
| 2004
|April 3 (Parade) |Celebrating Rainbow Flag 25 |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |First ever Phoenix Gay Pride Week proclamation made by then Mayor Phil Gordon. |
| 2005
|April 2 (Parade) |25 Years of Pride in Phoenix |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |
| 2006
|April 1 (Parade) |10th Annual Parade |Parade: 3rd Street, Phoenix |
| 2007
|April 14 (Parade) |Over The Top |Parade: 3rd Street, Phoenix |
| 2008
|April 14 (Parade) |The Celebration Starts Here! (Parade) |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2009
|April 18 (Parade) |Celebrate Community, Celebrate Family, Celebrate YOU! |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |Pride Gala organized for the first time in June, as well as the first OUTdayPHX in October. |
| 2010
|April 17 (Parade) |1 Community. 3 Decades. 4 Pride |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |Parade sponsored by Verizon Wireless. |
| 2011
|April 16 (Parade) |Do Ask. Do Tell. Be Proud |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2012
|April 21 (Parade) |Born This Way. Feel It. Live It. Be It. Proud! |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2013
|April 6 (Parade) |Equality & Justice For All |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2014
|April 5 (Parade) |Be Heard, Stay Strong, Be You |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |Celebrity Grand Marshal: Brittney Griner |
| 2015
|April 12 (Parade) |Passionate, Powerful & Proud |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |
| 2016
|April 3 (Parade) |Community Strong |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2017
|April 2 (Parade) |Stand Up, Stand Proud |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2018
|April 8 (Parade) |United We Stand, Equality For All |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2019
|April 7 (Parade) |Celebrating Progress: Past, Present, and Future |Festival: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix | |
| 2020
|Cancelled |Celebrating 40 Years of Fortitude |Planned: Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |Event originally scheduled for April 4–5. Originally postponed to November 7–8 due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United States,{{cite news |title=Valley event cancellations, closures mount amidst coronavirus pandemic |url=https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/valley-event-cancellations-closures-mount-amidst-coronavirus-pandemic |access-date=March 14, 2020 |publisher=KSAZ-TV |date=March 13, 2020}} later rescheduled to 2021, in effect a cancellation. |
| 2021
|November 6(Parade) |Celebrating 40 Years of Fortitude |Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix |Originally scheduled for April 10 and 11, with the parade on April 11. Postponed to November due to ongoing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Criticism
Activists who disrupted 2017's pride parade have criticized Phoenix Pride as being overly commercialized, in its present form, and accused organizers of straying from its original theme of standing up for the rights of people.{{cite news|last1=Farzan|first1=Antonia Noori|title=Is Phoenix Pride Getting Too Corporate?|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/activists-push-phoenix-pride-to-stand-up-for-lgbtq-undocumented-immigrants-9209220|access-date=July 1, 2017|work=Phoenix New Times|date=March 31, 2017}} Similar criticisms have been leveled against other pride parades around the country.{{cite news|last1=Morash|first1=Alex|title=Pride Fests Too Corporate, in Danger of Being Left Behind|url=https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2017/4/26/pride-fests-too-corporate-danger-being-left-behind|access-date=July 1, 2017|work=The Advocate|date=April 26, 2017}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Portal|Arizona|LGBTQ}}
{{Commons category|Phoenix Pride}}
- [https://phoenixpride.org Official Website]
{{Pride parades}}
Category:1981 establishments in Arizona
Category:Annual events in Arizona
Category:Festivals in Phoenix, Arizona