As Mutual Morris’s members and friends plan a variety of activities and events for Pride month this June, focusing on education, community-building, and resistance to the status quo, we ask “Why does an alternative to mainstream Pride events matter to you?”. Here are some of our answers. We’d love to hear yours!
Alex: “The suits in charge of corporate Pride are ruining it, much like everything else, so to bring the movement to its radical roots is essential.”
Jose: Defying the capitalist propaganda that Gen Z has associated Pride with and reminding individuals of what Pride truly represents for the Queer community: bringing resilience, determination and support in order to both learn more about and combat the intersection of disparities that still affect queer individuals until this present moment. It’s about acknowledging how we the people can continue pushing forward the foundations set by Martha P Johnson and the earlier queer activists.
Allison: “Pride month has been taken over by capitalism and used as another form of control over LGBTQIA+ communities. Pride is about community, togetherness, and not accepting the system we live in but accepting each other which is at the heart of mutual aid and Mutual Morris.”
Rebecca: “I want to make sure people remember that pride was a riot against police brutality. While there’s always an important need to celebrate love and humanity, we must remember that our institutions didn’t “give” equal rights to the queer community. There aren’t equal rights currently, and what crumbs we have, we fought for. With the occasional throwing of bricks. Corporate pride wants to rainbow wash that truth away. Let’s not let them!!”
Fiona: “To me, pride is a celebration of community and all that it offers. I believe it is crucial to the survival and well-being of the queer community that we are able to support one another and celebrate our identities without interference from oppressive forms of authority, such as police, that remain threats to our safety and rights. Pride does not exist because of mere tolerance from corporations; pride exists because of our community working together to support each other and fight back against authoritative and oppressive entities.”