On June 30, New York City’s LGBTQ Community celebrated both the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, considered the start of the 20th century Gay Liberation Movement, and the first WorldPride here with a massive Pride March, the city’s 50th and this writer’s 49th.
Timing and crowd control measures dictated that I was able to see little more than the contingent that I participated in, the Eagle NYC Leather Contingent, coordinated by Eagle co-owner Derek Danton and Eagle stalwarts CeeJay Lyons, CB Kirby, and Mike deSanto. If the makeup of the Eagle contingent, more than 400 strong, can be considered a microcosm of the rest of the March, as far as where people came from to get there, titleholders and others came from states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, and California, and from Puerto Rico, France, and Australia as well. Leading the marchers were International Mr. Leather (IML) 2019 Jack Thompson, the first transgender Person of Color to hold the title; International Ms. Leather (IMSL) 2019 Haley Alice; and LeatherWoman of Color 2019 Marialuisa Garcia. Many marchers helped to carry the huge Leather Pride flag, created in South Africa and lent to New York by Philadelphia Leather Pride Night Producer Cowboi Jen. Still others rode the Eagle NYC truck.
Members of Mama Sandy Reinhardt’s Family, members of ONYX, a plethora of current Leather, Rubber, Bear, and Puppy titleholders, and some fabulous Queens were in attendance.
all photos by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Emperor Ron & Empress Anne Tique
Iranians
marchers
Hedda Lettuce fans Matt & Chris
Jon Makay
Sister
Gerald Vance & Joe Saporito
IML Jack Thompson
Jack
Mr. Rockbear 2019 Kory Harmon
Pride Alliance Smithsonian
quartet
ONYX women
Montana Vasquez (2nd from right) & friends
ONYX
Mama's Family
current titleholders
duo
assembling for the march
watching the march
36 years in love
photographer Mike Prestia
custom leatherwear designer David Samuel Menkes
the enemy
Femme Vibe
rearview
rainbow flag
Derek Danton (right)
Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop site
Stonewall
watching the March, Christopher Street & 7th Avenue
Fire Islanders Rosemary & Marianne
|
