2022 NYC Pride March set to kick-off with new urgency

NEW YORK (WABC) — Thousands of people were set to fill the streets of New York City for the 52nd annual Pride March Sunday.

The theme for this year’s event is ‘Unapologetically Us’ and it will kick off amid new fears about the potential erosion of freedoms won through decades of activism.

The annual march takes place just two days after one conservative justice on the Supreme Court signaled, in a ruling striking down the right to abortion, that the court should reconsider the right to same-sex marriage recognized in 2015.

That warning shot came after a year of legislative defeats for the LGBTQ community, including the passage of laws in some states limiting the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity with children.

As anti-gay sentiments resurface, some are pushing for pride parades to return to their roots – less as blocks-long street parties but overtly civil rights marches.

In response, on Saturday organizers announced that Planned Parenthood would lead the march.

“Our voices will be heard – for the LGBTQ people impacted and the millions with whom we stand in solidarity,” organizers said in a statement.

Dan Dimant, a spokesman for Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit that organizes New York City’s parade, said this year’s march will still be festive, with floats and “people dancing and celebrating.”

“Pride is many things to many people. And for many people, it’s a protest. And to many people, it’s a celebration. We create experiences for members of our community to experience pride and the way that resonates with them,” Dimant said.

New York’s first Pride March, then called the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, was held in 1970 to mark the first anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, a spontaneous street uprising triggered by a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan.

Celebrations are now global, taking place throughout the year in multiple countries, with many of the biggest parades taking place in June.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

The NYC Pride March broadcast special, co-hosted by Angelica Ross along with WABC’s Ken Rosato, Lauren Glassberg and Sam Champion, will return for its sixth consecutive year on ABC 7 from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET on Sunday, June 26 as well on abc7NY.com, ABC News Live, and ABC7 New York’s Connected TV Apps on streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku.