Stony Brook Celebrates LGBTQ* Community at 2017 NYC Pride March

Diversity and inclusion were the themes on June 25 for the 48th Annual New York City LGBTQ Pride March, and Stony Brook representation was in full force for the festivities.    

This was the second Pride March in which Stony Brook participated as members of the SUNY contingency, showing the University’s commitment to continue building a community where all are welcome. For the second consecutive year, Stony Brook was ranked among the 50 BEST Colleges for LGBTQ Students by College Choice. 

Almost 130 members of the SBU community participated in the festivities, including 73 Stony Brook Marching band members that led the way for the 400-strong SUNY cohort. The Band played popular songs that tied in the theme of inclusion and acceptance — “We R Who We R” by Ke$ha and “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga — and the Color Guard featured flags in the colors of the rainbow.

The march began at noon and headed south down Fifth Avenue, culminating at Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan. Tens of thousands participate annually with millions of spectators, making it the largest pride parade in the world. This was the first in the celebration’s history to be televised. The beautiful weather set the tone for the massive gathering to promote tolerance, respect and equality.   

Grand Marshals of this year’s march included Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender FDNY firefighter, and Geng Le, a leader for LGBTQ rights in the People’s Republic of China.

The NYC Pride March began in 1970 as a civil rights demonstration on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.