Mark My Words: Pride Around the World

You know that old joke, “I’m so old, I’m history”? Well, in my case, it’s actually come true.

When I served as a marshal at the very first Pride march in 1970, none of us could have imagined that one word — Pride— would someday echo across the globe. We were just a small group trying to be seen. Today, it’s a movement felt worldwide.

For me, Pride Month has become one of the busiest times of the year, and as much as I wish I could say yes to every invitation, it’s just not possible anymore. But this year, something has felt different. In this country, there is anger, and people want me to speak of hope, and then there are the many requests coming from outside the U.S.

I think that may be the result of the work I’ve done in the past with the U.S. State Department, speaking to LGBTQ+ organizations around the world through our embassies. Last year, I joined Amnesty International for a global program that connected me with LGBTQ+ leaders across Africa, South America and Asia through Zoom.

This year, some of the events I participated in will be streamed into offices in London, Amsterdam, Paris and even Sofia, Bulgaria — which was a personal favorite.

All of that speaks to the progress we’ve made and the growing appreciation for our shared history. But it’s also a reminder of how much work still lies ahead.

While it’s easy to think of places like Uganda, where being LGBTQ+ is criminalized, or other nations that deny our existence entirely, I received a message this week that truly humbled me — and reminded me that the fight for equality continues no matter the obstacles. It came from Kharkiv, Ukraine, a city under siege, where LGBTQ+ people are risking their lives just to exist. Here’s part of what it said:

“Today, I’m reaching out to you during one of the darkest chapters in our history. As the war in Ukraine rages on—particularly in eastern cities like Kharkiv—our already vulnerable LGBT+ community is being pushed to the brink … Despite all odds, we continue to distribute food, provide emotional support, and organize small-scale Pride actions.”

You can visit their web page at patreon.com/c/LGBT_UA.

Reading that, I was reminded that visibility, solidarity and advocacy are not just things we do during Pride — they’re lifelines.

So while I may be “history,” I know that our story is far from over. And it’s written each day by those who carry the torch in places where it still takes immense courage just to be seen.