Alternative Prides
What Are Alternative Pride Events?
Alternative Prides are LGBTQ+ marches and events organized independently from official Pride parades. Unlike mainstream celebrations that often focus on festivity and corporate sponsorship, Alternative Prides aim to bring activism and political resistance back to the heart of Pride. These events have emerged in response to what many see as the growing depoliticization and commercialization of traditional Pride events.
To reclaim Pride’s original spirit of protest, LGBTQ+ activists began organizing independent gatherings centered on justice, inclusion, and grassroots engagement. As described by Wikipedia, “Night Prides are activist-led demonstrations gathering LGBTQI+ individuals who view mainstream Pride events as depoliticized and seek to provide alternatives.” Drawing inspiration from the Stonewall uprising of 1969, these events emphasize the continuing need to resist racism, misogyny, and transphobia—often still present in mainstream LGBTQ+ spaces.
France’s Movement: The Rise of Activist Pride
From Night Pride to Radical Pride
In France, the movement for a more politically engaged Pride began taking shape in the mid-2010s. The first Night Pride (Pride de Nuit) took place in Paris in 2015, launched by collectives like Act Up-Paris, OUTrans, and Femmes en lutte 93. These marches, held either the night before or alongside the official Pride, emerged in response to what activists criticized as the increasing influence of pink capitalism. Between 2015 and 2017, three successful Night Prides were held, attracting wide participation from the activist community. The model soon spread to cities including Toulouse, Lyon, and Nice. In 2018, Lyon’s Pride de Nuit focused specifically on the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ violence, spotlighting urgent local concerns.
Pride Radicale: Anti-Capitalist and Grassroots
Following a brief hiatus, Paris’s activist scene introduced Pride Radicale in 2021 as a continuation of Night Pride. This event positions itself as anti-racist, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, feminist, and staunchly opposed to pinkwashing. Rejecting the commercial parade model, organizers demand a return to Pride’s radical roots by centering marginalized voices. The 2024 Pride Radicale drew an impressive 28,000 participants, reaffirming its relevance as a major political demonstration. For context, the mainstream Pride in Paris attracted around 110,000 people the same year. As sociologist Ilana Eloit explained in Le Monde, these different events—from Radical Pride to suburban marches—represent a “diversification and enrichment of the movement.”
Pride des Banlieues: Centering Marginalized Communities
One of the most innovative and inclusive developments in France has been the creation of the Pride des Banlieues (Suburban Pride). Founded in 2019 in Seine-Saint-Denis, this event is rooted in the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people living in France’s working-class suburbs. Addressing the intersections of race, class, and sexuality, Suburban Pride champions better access to healthcare, housing, and legal protection—while challenging the stereotype that suburban communities are inherently less accepting. After a pandemic-related pause, the Pride des Banlieues returned in 2022 with 10,000 attendees in Saint-Denis and thousands more in La Courneuve in 2025. With the backing of local organizations and municipalities, the event powerfully asserts: “LGBTQ people in working-class neighborhoods deserve visibility, equality, and celebration—no less than anyone else.”
Global Momentum: Reclaiming Pride Worldwide
France is not alone in reimagining Pride as a political movement. Around the world, alternative LGBTQ+ events are gaining ground, offering protest-oriented spaces that place marginalized communities at the forefront.
- Reclaim Pride (UK): Since 2021, London’s Reclaim Pride has positioned itself as a “People’s Pride”—free of sponsors and corporate branding. Rooted in community activism, the event calls for an end to conversion therapy, improved gender recognition laws, and fair treatment for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. It enjoys strong backing from UK Black Pride and London Trans Pride.
- Queer Liberation March (USA): In New York City, the Queer Liberation March began in 2019 as a response to the increasingly corporate Pride parade. With no affiliation to sponsors or police, it retraces the 1970s route of the original march. The 2020 edition aligned with Black Lives Matter, highlighting systemic racism and police violence. Already, organizers have laid out plans for 2025 and 2026.
- Orgullo Crítico (Spain): Since 2016, Spain’s Orgullo Crítico (“Critical Pride”) has challenged the commercial focus of events like Madrid Pride. These anti-capitalist protests bring together queer radicals, feminist groups, and antiracist organizers under slogans like “Pride is Protest” and “Stonewall Was a Riot.”
- Dyke and Trans Marches: In North America, Dyke Marches and Trans Marches offer inclusive, non-commercial spaces for queer and trans people often sidelined by mainstream Pride. San Francisco’s Trans March, established in 2004, is one of the largest trans-led events in the world and has inspired similar demonstrations globally.
- Black Prides and Intersectional Pride Events: Some Alternative Pride events highlight racial justice and intersectionality. UK Black Pride is now Europe’s largest queer event for people of color. South Africa’s Soweto Pride, organized since 2004 by Black lesbian activists, spotlights the violence and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people in marginalized communities.
Alternative Pride: A Growing and Evolving Movement
Across the globe, Alternative Pride events are transforming the LGBTQ+ movement by returning it to its protest-driven origins. These gatherings have become not just a response to corporate Pride, but essential forums for addressing today’s most pressing issues—from trans rights and racial justice to housing and healthcare. In 2023 and 2024, a surge in right-wing rhetoric and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation drove renewed interest in these activist-led demonstrations.
Looking ahead, the momentum continues. France’s Pride Radicale has already confirmed future marches, and the Pride des Banlieues plans to expand even further. In the U.S., the Reclaim Pride Coalition is planning bold, justice-oriented Queer Liberation Marches for both 2025 and 2026. These events don’t reject the idea of Pride—they challenge us to expand and strengthen it.
Ultimately, the rise of Alternative Prides demonstrates the diversity and vitality of LGBTQ+ activism. By challenging mainstream narratives and insisting on inclusion, these marches breathe new life into Pride—making sure it remains a vehicle for justice, visibility, and transformation for all.