‘Still work to be done.’ Key West’s Pride has the parties, but also another purpose
In Key West, the rainbow-painted crosswalks on a block of Duval Street aren’t the only places in the city decked out for this year’s Pride, a celebration of the LGBTQ community.
In a first for Key West, a police vehicle has been decorated for Pride, which runs Wednesday through Sunday.
“I’m all about our whole community,” said Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg, who plans to lead a Sunday parade on Duval Street behind the wheel of the SUV. “Why wouldn’t I support a part of our community?”
Key West’s Pride returns to full form this week — complete with the Duval Street parade — for the first time since the pandemic unfolded in March 2020. Pride events happened last year, but without a parade.
How is the city preparing this year? In visible ways.
A city crew scrubbed those rainbow crosswalks, in the 700 and 800 blocks of Duval, closing the piece of the famous street for several hours on May 18 for the cleaning. And that Ford Police Interceptor Utility, an unmarked vehicle before it was wrapped in rainbows for Pride, was finished a few weeks ago, showing off the six colors of the original LGBTQ flag.
READ MORE: It’s Pride Month. Check out the events you can go to in South Florida
The police vehicle’s decorations were paid for by the Key West Business Guild, which was also behind the crosswalks. The nonprofit promotes LGBTQ travel and local businesses, and puts on Pride every year.
While the crosswalks are permanent, the police vehicle wrap will probably stay on for a month since the vehicle is set to be replaced, Brandenburg said. The Miami-Dade Police Department rolled out a similar rainbow-themed police SUV last year, saying the agency “is committed to continuing to build positive relationships and trust within the LGBTQ community.”
‘Pride’ is more than parties
Key West’s Pride is five days of pool parties, dancing, theater, drag shows, sailing trips and brunches. Three church services are also set for Sunday, before the Duval Street parade starts at 5 p.m. And at the guild’s Wednesday luncheon, two local transgender women will speak on how government policies affect the trans community.
“It’s still a party, but it’s got this intentional sort of activist infusion in it,” said Chris McNulty, 36, of Pride. “There is still work to be done.”
McNulty, a bartender and server who moved to Key West from Cleveland in 2019, knows the statistics behind the stories of discrimination and violence.
An estimated 40% of homeless youth in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, yet they make up about 7% of the population. Last year was the deadliest year on record for transgender and gender non-conforming people, with 50 people killed in violent incidents, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
In Key West, McNulty helped start a group for queer youth, Queer Keys. The organizers see it as a start in creating needed community services in the Keys for LGBTQ people.
June is Pride month, honoring the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, according to the Library of Congress. The first Pride march in New York City was on June 28, 1970 — the one-year anniversary of riots that erupted in response to a police raid on a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn.
“It always sticks with me that the first Pride was a riot,” McNulty said, adding that some prefer the term march rather than parade. “It’s definitely important to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and who we are and the magic in this community. I do worry when intention gets lost.”
A Pride guide
A detailed schedule of events is available from the Key West Business Guild online. Here are highlights:
Key West Pride Kickoff Party: Wednesday, 5 p.m. at Island House, 1129 Fleming St. Island House, the clothing optional men-only resort, will open to all at this annual party until 8 p.m. Admission is $20, which goes to the guild.
Key West Local Bartender Competition: Thursday, 9 p.m. at Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval St.
“Glow Party” at SideBar: Friday, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., 504 Angela St. Wear your fluorescent clothes and other gear that glows for this dance party. Glow sticks and body paint will be provided. Admission is $10 per person.
Pride Pool Party: Saturday, Noon-8 p.m. at Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval St. All are welcome to this party held in the courtyard behind this popular queer-friendly bar. The back is otherwise typically open to men only.
The Pride street fair and block party: Saturday. This has been canceled due to the weather forecast.
Key West Pride Parade: Sunday, 5-7 p.m. on Duval Street.The big parade returns for the first time since 2019.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "‘Still work to be done.’ Key West’s Pride has the parties, but also another purpose."
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