Pride marchers demand transgender rights

By Minnie Bruce Pratt posted on June 18, 2013

Pride contingent demands ‘Free CeCe McDonald and B. Manning’; with author Leslie Feinberg, lower right (seated).
WW photo: Minnie Bruce Pratt

Syracuse, N.Y — CNY Solidarity marched loud and proud at Central New York Pride on June 15. Youth activists organized and led the contingent. The number of marchers participating in the group doubled from the 2012 march.

They held signs high that argued the need to link anti-racist struggle and the fight against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and related oppressions, particularly transphobia. One sign pointed out that 87 percent of LGBTQ hate crime victims are people of color. Another sign stated that almost half the murder victims of hate crimes are transwomen.

As the contingent marched the short parade route, they passed right-wing bigots using bullhorns to preach hate against LGBTQ people.

The unified powerful voice of the contingent drowned out the bigots with their thundering chant: “Stop the hate! Stop the hate!”