Due to the coronavirus over 100 Pride events have been canceled
As the world continues to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus, over a 100 world wide Pride events have been cancelled or postponed.
Last week every major museum announced that it would be closing its doors to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Huge music festivals announced that they would be canceled like Glastonbury, while others confirmed they would be postponed. It’s difficult to proceed with future events during such uncertain times. However, in just a few months, Pride season was scheduled to kick off its annual celebrations, but with over 358,803 confirmed cases of coronavirus, most Pride festivities are also slated to be canceled or postponed.
In the past couple of years, we’ve seen some of the world’s biggest pop stars from the likes of Cher, Britney, Grace Jones, Kim Petras, Kylie Minogue, and Lizzo headline these events. Local bars and clubs are filled with the best drag queens, queer artist and performers showcasing their talents. Pride events serve as not only a great atmosphere of inclusivity and celebration, but energy also offers us a time to reflect and remember how far society has come, and how much further society has to go. World-leading Pride organizations, InterPride and the European Pride Organisers Association are meeting this week in Rome to discuss the COVID19 pandemic and its impact on the LGBTQI+ movement.
The meeting will be attended by representatives from US Association of Pride Organisers, EPOA, InterPride, CSD Deutschland, UK Pride Organisers Network, Fierté Canada Pride and representatives from Africa, Latin America and Oceania. Kristine Garina, president of the EPOA, said in a statement: “Prides canceling or postponing because of COVID19 has reached 100, and it’s very clear that this pandemic is going to have a huge impact on our movement. Right now we must all be focusing first on our own wellbeing and the welfare of those around us, but we are passionate about Pride and we will work together, and do all we can, to help Pride organizers get through this.” Garina also said, “we’re determined that Pride will continue and will change many more lives in the future.”
Check out Lizzo’s 2018 NYC Pride performance in the video below.
