Boston Pride

Boston Pride is an annual LGBTQ pride event held in Boston, Massachusetts. As of 2019 it was the 22nd largest pride event in the world and alleged by organizers to be the third-largest pride parade in the United States. History 1970s Boston Pride began in June 1970, when a small group of about 50 gay and lesbian activists marched from Cambridge Common to Boston Common, where they held a rally commemorating the Stonewall riots. On June 26, 1971, about 300 people attended the first official Boston Pride March, which stopped at four locations in the city: Jacque's (a drag bar), the Boston police headquarters, the Massachusetts State House, and St. Paul's Cathedral. At each location marchers read off their demands and grievances: misogyny, police harassment, legal discrimination, and religious persecution, respectively. After the march, a rally was held with a "closet-smashing" demonstration. In 1972, the march visited the city jail and returned to the State House. In 1974 the Lavender Rhino debuted as a float in the parade. Earlier that year, Gay Media Action had put together a series of ads featuring the rhino as part of a campaign to encourage LGBTQ visibility. When they pitched the ads to the MBTA, however, they were told they could not run the ads at the public service price rather than the more expensive standard price. This led to a protest campaign, which then led to the Lavender Rhino float. Subsequently, the rhino became the parade's mascot.