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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the July 11, 1996
issue of Workers World newspaper
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Pride Day In New York

Drizzle Can't Dampen Marchers' Spirits

By Shelley Ettinger

For the 27th year in a row, marchers filled New York's Fifth Avenue the last Sunday in June to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969, which opened the modern era of struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender liberation.

This year, marchers coped with a steady rain that alternated between downpour and drizzle. But this didn't appear to dampen spirits at all.

People from every sector of the community stepped proudly down the avenue. Many wore stickers reading "no pride without anger." That signaled the community's determination to keep fighting for its rights, and to demand government funds to end the AIDS crisis.

The issue of equal marriage rights was also very prominent. Many people carried homemade signs demanding an end to discrimination against same-sex couples.

Workers World Party presidential candidate Monica Moorehead march ed in a lively WWP contingent. She drew sustained applause and cheers all along the route. As the contingent marched past the Stonewall Inn and down Christopher Street, crowds were chanting, "Moorehead for president."

On June 25, Moorehead had spoken in the packed main assembly hall of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center. The candidate, joined by acclaimed author and

Workers World Contributing Editor Leslie Feinberg, called on everyone to break away from the two ruling-class parties and join WWP's socialist campaign. Many people signed up to work on the campaign.

The June 30 march culminated a week of Pride activities. Among the highlights were a Drag March the night of June 28 and a lesbian march the next afternoon. The night of June 29, anti-war protesters picketed outside the USS Intrepid, which a private promoter had rented for a gay dance.

Pride In San Francisco

Gay Marriage A Top Demand

By Saul Kanowitz in San Francisco

A half-million people took part in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Freedom Day Parade here June 30. There were more than 250 floats and contingents of marchers.

The Moorehead/ La Riva Campaign met thousands of potential supporters at the Workers World Party campaign float and booth. With a gay and lesbian wedding cake atop the float, WWP members brought the message that they are fighting for the right to marry--and more.

WWP's 15-foot-long multi-colored Day-Glo banner called for jobs, housing, education, health care and affirmative action, and an end to the oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, racism and sexism. Observers were urged to get involved with the Moorehead/La Riva campaign.

Gloria La Riva, WWP vice-presidential candidate, spoke to the crowd from the float. La Riva condemned both Clinton and Dole for their attacks on the gay community.

She called for a national holiday to acknowledge the struggles of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.

Also on the float was John Peter Daly, Workers World Party candidate for Congress in the 29th District in Los Angeles. Daly, a gay activist and HIV educator, said afterward: "I spent time walking alongside the float talking to people in the crowd about our socialist program of putting people's needs ahead of corporate profits. People nodded in agreement with our banner slogans.

"They became more responsive when we were talking to the crowd about taking money from the Pentagon and using it to guarantee everybody free health care and every youth entry into college instead of prison."

Pride In Seattle

Socialists Hold Convention At Parade

By Seattle Workers World bureau

Over 40,000 people lined Seattle's streets June 30 to watch over 500 contingents march for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride. The annual event has grown to be the biggest parade in the city.

One of the banners carried through those streets was a Workers World Party campaign banner painted by Carlos Rovira, which shows the party's presidential and vicepresidential candidates. As it passed the reviewing stand, an announcer welcomed the WWP contingent and read the call: "Fighting for people's needs--Monica Moorehead and Gloria La Riva."

At this year's Pride rally a nominating convention for the Workers World presidential campaign took place. There was enough support for the WWP candidates to put them on the ballot in Washington state.

Convention Secretary Kaz Suzat announced the successful completion of the convention and called on the crowd to "send traitor Clinton and the bosses a message: Vote for socialism. Vote Workers World."

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