Thousands of people decked out in rainbow colors and surrounded by music poured onto Downtown streets Sunday to celebrate LGBT pride.
This year’s EQT Corp.-sponsored pride celebrations featured two days of colorful gatherings in Downtown and culminated in the Equality March 2017. From Fullerton Street down to Liberty Avenue, companies and other local organizations passed out fliers, coupons and information, all of them in full support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. And with hundreds more standing on the streets and sidewalks to watch the procession, it was less a parade and more a citywide party.
In a separate event, the People’s Pride March supported the same cause but distanced itself from EQT, the petroleum and natural gas exploration and pipeline company, and its sponsorship of the Equality March.
“The reason we’re not over there with the other pride [march] is because we disagree that the Delta Foundation sold the rights to name the parade to EQT because we feel that fracking in Pennsylvania hurts the queer community,” said Emily Fear, 32, of the South Hills and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
The sentiment that EQT should not have received the naming rights to the parade resonated with the over 100 people who marched wearing black and gray at the People’s March. They feel that the corporate nature of pride has detracted from the struggles of the LGBT community.
Some of their criticisms also lie with the Delta Foundation. SisTers PGH, the organizers of the People’s March, say the Delta Foundation has failed to adequately serve or represent the needs of the whole LGBTQ community, especially queer and trans black people.
But they said they are not against the EQT march. They just chose not to join that march.
“This is not an action against the main march,” said Crystal Grabowski, 27, of Regent Square, who also marched with the DSA. “It’s a response to, an addition to and an alternative to the main march. The people who put this together made it very clear. This is just for people who wanted to celebrate pride in a different, less capitalist, less corporate way.”
Still some at the EQT march questioned why a group had to separate itself. Jerry Davis, 38, of Erie, Pa., said the message behind the EQT march is clearly in support of the LGBT community and that the day should be given to unity, not separation.
“I think it’s unfortunate that we can’t all come together in an event like this,” he said. “To me, I’m like, what does it matter whose name is on the banners. We’re here. The city’s here. Nothing moves without allies.”
The Pittsburgh chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an LGBT activist group founded in 1979 in San Francisco, was represented in both marches. The group dresses in drag and religious imagery, often nun’s habits, to bring awareness to sexual intolerance.
They said members have a freedom to their ideology, and that ultimately their purpose is to march and celebrate being LGBT.
“We like to go wherever the community needs us,” said North Side resident Tilly Screams, 48.
“That’s why we have sisters [at the People’s March], because there is concern about the corporate nature of how prides are going. But there are many ways to do pride. Groups that need those corporate sponsors create a pride that some people want.”
Others just wanted to celebrate the community and equality.
“It’s heartwarming to see all the groups and people coming out to support the community,” said Ross Bell, 22, of Oakland. “And while I think it should just be Pittsburgh’s pride march — not EQT — at the end of the day, it’s a big celebration for equality. This is an event about the community and not about some business that’s funding it.”
Adalberto Toledo: 412-263-1458, atoledo@post-gazette.com, Twitter @aldot29.
First Published: June 11, 2017, 4:45 p.m.