Your Pride trip may be canceled, but virtual Prides still march on

On a cloudy Friday last June, a congregation of around 25,000 transgender people and allies marched through Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Decked out in bright pinks, blues and whites, the cheery crowd repeated chants such as “Trans rights are human rights” as they stepped toward Cal Anderson Park, where a rally culminated one of the largest such Pride gatherings in recent history.

“Our march is typically only a few blocks long, but it’s powerful,” said Elayne Wylie, co-executive director of the Gender Justice League, the organization behind Trans Pride Seattle, which has grown into a marquee event during Seattle Pride weekend. As similar festivals nationwide broke attendance records in 2019, it was a peak moment for LGBTQ tourism: An estimated 5 million people visited New York City for its Pride weekend, contributing to the around 20 million people who attended U.S. events overall.