Never forget, the old timers say, that the first Pride was a riot. The 38th annual Pride march in Mexico City was definitely more of a party than a protest, but it’s hard to say that a spirit of resistance didn’t guide the day. A multi-generational crowd of tens of thousands marched down the capital’s center streets on Saturday, largely defeating cynic predictions that recent attacks in Orlando and Xalapa would lead to a smaller turn-out for the country’s largest LGBT event, which is also one of the largest Pride celebrations in Latin America.
The parade started Saturday morning at the Angel de Independencia, a soaring golden statue often utilized as the symbol of the city. Hours later, marchers ended their route in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s central square, where singer Alejandra “La Reina del Rock” Guzmán performed.
Unlike similar events in the United States, corporate presence was minor. Only a few floats had big business sponsorship, and most had been coordinated by businesses catering to DF’s LGBT community — bars, bathhouses and contingents from out of town, like a group representing the state of Guerrero.
The past year has been a tumultuous, eventful one for Mexico’s LGBT community. Last year, the Supreme Court struck down the state of Jalisco’s ban on gay marriage, ruling that it was unconstitutional. This spring President Peña Nieto announced his support for legalizing gay matrimony across the country.
But amid the gains came tragedy. The Pulse Orlando shooting and the bloody, underreported attack in Bar Madame, a Xalapa gay bar — not to mention prevalent homophobic attitudes across the country — left many questioning how far LGBT rights have really come.
Despite ambiguous progress on gay rights this year, political protest hardly seemed like the first thing on marchers’ minds on Saturday. Only a relative few number of participants carried overtly political signs, opting for gaudy crowns and pop culture-themed costumes instead. One family successfully pulled off an El Chavo del Ocho ensemble look, and Frida Kahlo costumes were as popular as ever in the city where the famous painter lived and worked.
Regardless of the lack of explicit political statements at Pride, some marchers reported that the recent shootings gave them additional motivation to show up and show out. “At least for me, [the recent anti-LGBT attacks had an empowering effect,” said fashion designer Carlos Soto. “In a way, it gave the force I needed to go out to the streets and be who I am without fear.”
