The oldest public celebration of New Orleans gay life, New Orleans Pride, may be overshadowed by the outlandishness of Southern Decadence, but the celebration has been held on and off for the last 43 years. While still a party atmosphere, Pride has more of an eye toward activism and education than Decadence. According to Chris Leonard, director of New Orleans Pride, the festival’s mission is “to create an atmosphere where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity and to celebrate and promote history along with future prosperity of not only the New Orleans area, but the entire Gulf Coast region.”
Marky Brisset, 49, who owns Construction Labor Contractors, remembers Pride’s early days and says straight people and tourists alike have warmed to the festival and parade since it began in her childhood. “When it first started, they didn’t want to see [it],” she says. “Bourbon Street would almost be empty. Now it’s packed.”