The Mexico City Pride parade drew hundreds of thousands of people to march – and there wasn’t a single float or corporate sponsor. Music didn’t blare from speakers along the route. No candies or condoms or plastic doo-dads got tossed into the crowd.
Instead, wave after wave of people marched from the Angel of Independence to the historic Zócalo town center hour after hour to simply celebrate being part of the LGBTQ+ community and demand justice for everyone. They beat drums. They sold drinks and food along the route, lit smoke bombs, scrawled graffiti on walls and statues, and once they reached Zócalo, they danced.
Politicians didn’t grandstand before the crowd, promising to enact legislation they knew wouldn’t pass. Instead, the city held two large ceremonies. Under the slogan, “Hand in hand, we march with pride,” 120 couples were officially married. In another, 131 people were able to complete the process of changing their gender on official government documents like their birth certificates and ID cards.
In Mexico City, Pride was a protest again and a celebration of queer life – both the struggles and the triumph of being yourself.
Click through to see photos and videos of everything from trapeze artists performing in thongs, shirtless hotties, elaborate costumes, kisses galore, and the massive crowd dancing.
