In June 2019, an estimated 5 million people attended NYC’s annual Pride march, which coincided with WorldPride, which moves to a different major city each year. In the last few decades, Pride has been celebrated in cities around the globe with bigger and bigger events such as parades, marches and protests. “NOLA is great about gathering and celebrating. “I really see Pride as being larger than just an event held by one organization,” she said. There’s no central Pride event planned this year, but Duchmann isn't worried. So I’m fully vaccinated and making plans with friends to go all out this year.”ĭuchmann plans to go to New Orleans to celebrate, though New Orleans Pride, which has organized the city’s main Pride events in the past, disbanded in 2020. “It’s like being cooped up made me want to burst out.
“The pandemic helped me realize I need to celebrate life when I can,” she said. But then everything was canceled because of the pandemic, and, during quarantine, she turned to TikTok to feel connected to other LGBTQ people.
She even picked up pieces of “extravagant” clothing here and there to wear.
She felt more accepted after finding queer community through her roller derby team, and in 2020, she was looking forward to going to her first Pride event.
