As raised by local leaders new pride flag On Thursday afternoon at Stonewall, Kiki Ballchange watched through sunglasses and a matching fur coat. Replacing it was one piece of the puzzle, she said. More importantly, hundreds of people rallied against the federal government’s crackdown on LGBTQ civil liberties.
“It’s bigger than a flag,” the drag queen said. “What we’re seeing now is communities coming together to say that no matter what we think about the flag, we cannot accept the constant chipping away of our rights.”
President Donald Trump recently banned Prohibits pride flags and other non-governmental symbols from being displayed on certain federal lands. That includes Stonewall National Monument, where riots against police raids in 1969 paved the way for the modern gay rights movement.
Kiki Ball Change poses outside the Stonewall Inn on February 12, 2026.Jack Walker “The Advocate”
stonewall flag removed on tuesdaybut with quick blowback. Two days later, hundreds of people rallied to the scene as local leaders unveiled a new Pride flag.
Related: Hundreds of people fill the streets near Stonewall as New York City residents raise Pride flags after President Trump ordered them removed.
Several LGBTQ activists, like Kiki Ball Change, said: defender On Thursday, they will redouble their efforts to organize against Trump by removing flags symbolizing the interests of the LGBTQ community.
“This is a sacred place,” said Kelly Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “This is a fight that people are not giving up on. It reminds us that we have won. If the government fails us, we will bridge the gap. That has always been the role of queer and trans people.”
Robinson said her group opposes the federal government’s anti-LGBTQ policies and provides resources to educators, families and others to promote LGBTQ inclusion. The group also plans to urge people to vote in the November midterm elections.
Leaders raise the LGBTQ+ Pride flag as it is re-raised at Stonewall National Monument in New York City. Jack Walker “The Advocate”
The upcoming election was also a focus for other organizers. Among them are christopher street project — A political action committee established in 2025 to elect pro-trans members to Congress.
“We also want to ensure work is done to flip those seats in November,” they said. This is to “ensure a majority in Congress that does not benefit from the Trump administration and its anti-trans movement.”
In the meantime, Haq said the group is pushing for pro-trans bills, including: transgender bill of rights and 988 suicide prevention method For LGBTQ+ youth.
Related: What can we expect from American politics in 2026?
Other community leaders called for a renewed focus on the material needs of LGBTQ people, beyond policy changes. Yim Lind, executive director of New York City Pride, said his organization does advocacy work for the LGBTQ community throughout the year. The organization conducts fundraising activities and annually provides grants to local LGBTQ nonprofit organizations. Website.
“This is a 365-day movement,” Lind said. “It’s not just something that happens in June and then we disappear.”
Onlookers gather outside the Stonewall Inn as the new Pride flag is raised. Jack Walker “The Advocate”
City council member Ji Ose sponsored the resolution Opposes the flag removal measure passed by the New York City Council on Thursday. At City Hall on Thursday, he contextualized the fight to protect LGBTQ rights within broader efforts to protect individual liberties and quality of life.
“What we need to do as queer members of the City Council, and the City Council as a whole, is actually protect the bodies of our neighbors,” Osse said. “Ensuring that they have access to gender-affirming care…particularly protecting our transgender brothers and ensuring they have affordable housing.”
Kei Williams new pride agendaa New York-based LGBTQ advocacy group. At Thursday’s protest, they said they were rallying against broader anti-LGBTQ federal policies, including removing references to transgender identities from historical sites and government websites.
“At this time, it’s really important that we stand by our values, but it’s also important that we’re visible,” Williams said. “When you have hundreds of people here on a colder day, I know this moment is really important to our community.”
This article was written as part of The Advocate’s “Future of Queer Media” fellowship program. This program is morrison media group. This program helps support the next generation of LGBTQ+ journalists.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
