Later in the day, Thunder Pride and the Rainbow Collective will hold two events more conventionally associated with Pride: an afternoon street festival and nighttime drag show. Those perspectives will be juxtaposed Saturday in Thunder Bay, Ont., beginning with a protest march called Pride is a Protest - which has the support of the city's established Pride organizer, Thunder Pride. Some embrace them as a colourful cultural celebration of liberties already won  others regret seeing Pride being used by corporations and in marketing campaigns while the continued struggles of more marginalized members of the community are moved to the sidelines. More than 50 years later, the Pride celebrations held across North America, often on or close to the anniversary of the event, bear little resemblance to that uprising against police repression that served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.Īs the two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has gained acceptance from the dominant culture and even recognition as a lucrative consumer group, Pride events have at times become a source of tension in the community.

In June 1969, police raided New York City's Stonewall Inn, roughing up and arresting its 2SLGBT patrons.