June is a special month as far as the trajectory and history of the global Pride Movement is concerned, because it is officially known as the Pride Month throughout the world. Different countries of the world usually experience pride events and marches for the LGBTQI community and its supporters to come together and commemorate the momentous struggle and achievements of the community but due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year the community is opting for alternative modes of protest. Queer organisations around the world, led primarily by the global north will be coming together to organise virtual Pride.
This is going to be a grand celebration of queerness but this time it is going to be done online. Several queer parades have been cancelled and postponed in the last couple of months in cities such as New York, London and Madrid due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
The Global Pride would include a series of components such as a non-stop streaming of content from Pride organisations, civil society groups, activists and world leaders.
The organisers feel that although this year, a virtual pride is taking the place of a real one, they expect wide participation even from countries where homosexuality continues to be criminalised.
The virtual Pride will begin at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27 and go on till 12.41 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 in India. More than 20 organisations from India will be taking part in the virtual pride. Organisations such as Trans Pride Pakistan and Neemat Sadat from Afghanistan will also be joining the virtual Pride.
Political leaders like Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and many others will also take part in the event. Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus took a toll on the world, more than 200 queer Pride events have been cancelled and there is a constant search for relevant alternatives. But the organisation of Virtual Pride events throughout the globe have successfully worked towards bringing the community and its supporters together even in these trying and challenging times.
Global Pride will be broadcast on Saturday, June 27 at globalpride2020.org; on Todrick Hall’s YouTube channel; and on Facebook page: GlobalPride2020
