PHOTOS: Seattle Celebrates Pride 2019

by Emerald Contributors

The big parade takes place every year downtown, but a number of events around the city and particularly the South End highlight the diversity of the month-long celebration. South Seattle Emerald contributors Carolyn Bick and Guy Oron offered up their images of Pride from several events this year. And a group of Seattle Pride parade participants shared their view on war and militarism.

Daddy’s Day

by Carolyn Bick

Daddy’s Day at Backyard kicked off the South End’s Pride events in Columbia City on June 16. Serenaded by the mixes of DJ Mixx America, the five-hour celebration included performances by Seattle-based drag artists D Dynasty, Andrew Scott, and Bosco. Screens flashed music videos of iconic queer musical artists throughout the decades, as people mingled, drank glitter beer, and dressed up in sparkly apparel and mustaches for a photo booth.

Bosco performs, during the Daddy’s Day Pride celebration at the Backyard Bar June 16. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

DJ Mixx America, left, plays music, during the Daddy’s Day Pride celebration at the Backyard Bar June 16. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

An attendee tips Andrew Scott, during the Daddy’s Day Pride celebration June 16. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

D Dynasty performs, during the Daddy’s Day Pride celebration at the Backyard Bar June 16. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

Andrew Scott waits to perform, during the Daddy’s Day Pride celebration at the Backyard Bar June 16. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

Pride at Estelita’s Library

by Carolyn Bick

The Pride event at Estelita’s Library a week later was smaller, but there was no shortage of music. The event, meant for queer and trans people of color, featured DJs from the Sway & Swoon DJ Collective. Attendees relaxed on the library’s back porch, where some noshed on catered food and drink, and others danced. Outside the library, Neko Jamila and Adonis Pryor woman-ed Black femme-owned thrift shop stall Jamil.

Jadea Brundidge shows off her rainbow nails, during a Pride event hosted by Sway & Swoon DJ Collective at Estelita’s Library June 22. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

Michale Januto, left, and Jadea Brundidge, right, talk outside Estelita’s Library, during a Pride event hosted by Sway & Swoon DJ Collective June 22. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

From left to right, Ashley Preston, Mariko Johnson, and Nikita Love chat and work behind the food counter of Estelita’s Library, during a Pride event hosted by Sway & Swoon DJ Collectiver June 22. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

People filter into Estelita’s Library for a Pride event hosted by Sway & Swoon DJ Collective June 22. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

DJs KWEEN KAY$H (Acacia Hall), center left, and HOTEP (Moni Temp), center right, kick off a Pride event hosted by Sway & Swoon DJ Collective at Estelita’s Library June 22. (Photo: Carolyn Bick)

Trans Pride

by Guy Oron

People gathered July 28 for the seventh annual Trans Pride Seattle parade and celebration. Every year, thousands of trans, gender non-conforming, and queer people converge from throughout the Pacific Northwest to share joy, be in community with each other and take pride in being who they are. Organizers worked to keep participants safe amid threats that far-right group Proud Boys would be marching at the same time.

Seattle Pride Parade

A group of activists mingled among the crowds at Seattle Pride on June 30 to spread an particular message about Pride’s roots in Stonewall. From the organizers:

“For a long time, mainstream media, in support of lesbian and gay inclusion in the US military, have pushed a narrative of proud LGBT military and police service. These stories celebrate US service as a great job and a way to “protect our country.” We are queer and trans people who oppose not only homophobia and transphobia but also war, militarism, and US imperialism. We want to disrupt a conversation that seeks to co-opt our liberation struggles into pro-war, pro-surveillance, pro-military propaganda.”