Kight advocated for gay rights at a time when harassment, discrimination, and violence against gay people was not only common, but widely accepted as a social norm. Kight described experiences of police violence in an interview with historian Eric Marcus in 1989. Attaining a permit from the city was especially significant at a time when police harassment of gay and trans people was routine, and when the city did not want to use its resources to support a gay event. New York’s Pride event in 1970, commemorating the Stonewall uprisings a year earlier, is usually cited as the first Pride parade in the world, but it was actually a march, not a city-permitted parade. The organization he helped to co-found, Christopher Street West, was responsible for the annual parade, which in 2019 had over 200,000 attendees. Troy Perry, applied for a permit to close city streets for the Pride parade, making it the first such event in the world.
In June 1970, Kight and others, including Rev. Gay rights leader, labor organizer, and peace activist Morris Kight (’42), a government major and economics minor from Comanche County, is considered a founding figure in the modern American LGBTQ civil rights movement. We’re not really sure yet which of the two events will become the Pride event for L.A.-but since they’re held on separate weekends, there’s also no reason for them to necessarily compete.The first official Gay Pride parade in the world happened in Los Angeles 51 years ago, and it happened because of a TCU graduate. Then, on Sunday, June 5 at noon, WeHo Pride will hold a parade that starts at Santa Monica Boulevard and North Crescent Heights Boulevard, and heads west on Santa Monica to North La Peer Drive (just past the park). Just like the city’s previous editions of LA Pride, WeHo Pride will feature a street fair and music fest dubbed OUTLOUD: Raising Voices that includes performances from Lil’ Kim, Jessie J, Marina and Years & Years. WeHo Pride will take place June 3 throin and around West Hollywood Park (647 N San Vicente Blvd). Though Christopher Street West may have moved LA Pride east, West Hollywood will still hold its own celebration on the former site of the event.
Also, in a welcome upgrade from its former WeHo location, the parade route sits along two Metro stops, Hollywood/Highland and Hollywood/Vine. You’ll be able to watch from the sidewalk, and expect just about every restaurant and bar with a patio to host special seatings on the morning of the parade. The parade starts at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, heads west on Hollywood to Highland Avenue, south on Highland to Sunset Boulevard, and then east on Sunset to Ivar Avenue. The parade kicks off at 10:30am at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The LA Pride Parade takes place on Sunday, June 12 in Hollywood, at the site of the first permitted gay parade in the world (back in 1970). Meanwhile, the 50th anniversary parade will step off in Hollywood the following day on June 12. LA Pride returns on Saturday, Jwith a concert, LA Pride in the Park, that features sets from Christina Aguilera and Anitta at L.A.
Confused? Don’t worry, we’ll break down everything you need to know about LA Pride, the Pride Parade and WeHo Pride, plus our favorite party spots for divas and drag queens alike. Meanwhile, WeHo will still be staging its own inclusive festival the week before. After having to take a few years off, LA Pride is back-and it’s leaving behind West Hollywood for Hollywood, where the LGBTQ+ event first began in the 1970s.