“Diné Pride coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, when patrons at a historic gay bar in New York City fought back against violent police raids in 1969. The protests are widely credited with springboarding the modern gay civil rights movement in the U.S.
This year’s Diné Pride is infused with that history, themed Sacredness Before Stonewall — focusing attention on honoring transgender women of color and their history in indigenous culture.
“Since our creation, the Diné people have acknowledged and revered LGBTQ and especially the trans community in our leadership,” said Alray Nelson, founder of Diné Equality and board member for Diné Pride. “Our theme, Sacredness Before Stonewall, is just a way that we are decolonizing and indigenizing Pride for us.”
Photo: Ophelia Shondee (left) and Bonnie Gillespie kiss during their marriage ceremony at Diné Pride. Same-sex marriage is illegal through Navajo courts, so the couple, who have been together for 13 years, had to get their marriage license through an Arizona court, outside the reservation. [Cayla Nimmo for NPR]
