Community support has continued to evolve for LGBTQIA+ Pride events across the territory, and organizers on St. Thomas anticipate that this year’s celebrations on St. Thomas, which include paint and sips, art shows, and even a beach party, will be the biggest yet.
The first Pride event on St. Thomas was in 2014, starting with a demonstration advocating for same-sex marriage. Organized by Brigitte Berry of Gay Pride VI and Michele Weichman of Virgin Islands Equality for All, the groups have continued to come together, pulling in more residents and organizations every June, which is designated LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.
While the schedule is still being finalized and will soon be released, events happening include:
Pride Walk
Art Uncorked: Pride Edition
Karaoke @ The Meat Up
Pride Lingerie Smoke, Paint, and Sip
Pride Art Show at 81C
Erotic Poetry Slam
LGBTQIA+ Family and Friends Breakfast and Talk at Barefoot Buddha
Pride Float-A-Palooza Beach Party
All events are open to the public, and anyone interested in participating or with questions or concerns should email sttpridemarch2022@gmail.com. To support or sponsor, residents can call Allie Baker at (210) 237-8922, Liza Sawyer at (720) 290-4123, or Chunikwa George at (340) 998-0815. A PayPal link has also been set up for donations (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sttpride) and updates will continue to be posted on the @STTPride page on Instagram or @GayPrideVI on Facebook.
LGBTQIA+ Pride is celebrated in the month of June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that occurred on June 28, 1969, in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The very first Pride celebration took place in 1970 on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, one year after the Stonewall Riots occurred. Pride is now celebrated all over the world in both the month of June and in October, which is LGBTQIA+ History Month.
