Los Angeles now has two major competitive pride events, LA Pride and WeHo Pride, and people are confused.

From 1979 to 2019, West Hollywood served as the official hub of Los Angeles Pride events, hosting an annual parade and festival and local bars filled with celebrations.

After a two-year hiatus caused by a pandemic, this year’s LA Pride breaks with that tradition and moves to Hollywood Boulevard, where the world’s first permitted gay parade was held in 1970. The 2022 weekend will begin at 11am. June with a musical event in Los Angeles. Pride Park, with Christina Aguilera and Anita at Los Angeles State Historic Park, followed by the 52nd annual Los Angeles Pride stop in Hollywood the next day.

Christopher Street West (CSW), the nonprofit behind LA Pride, decided to move the event for several reasons, says Gerald Garth, vice president of community programs and board initiatives, starting with access. “It was very important for us to be in Hollywood, with access to public transportation and highways and lots of other opportunities to connect with people.“- says Gart, following the response to the difficulty of getting to WeHo. “More intentional and inclusive diversity” was also important as the festival was criticized for its upper-class white LGBTQ community. “We need to take responsibility for making sure we are in a place that truly reflects the look and wealth of the LGBTQ+ community,” he said. “Hollywood really reflects that experience more.” (Christopher Street West recently branched out after criticizing the mostly white board.)

CSW was initially looking to partner with the City of West Hollywood for this year’s celebrations, the organization said. THR The statement read: “However, the city chose to create its own event with a profitable producer. We appreciate the residents and business communities of West Hollywood, and LA Pride looks forward to partnering with WeHo in the future as the city of West Hollywood is important to our community. CSW also added that Los Angeles State Historic Park is several times the size of WeHo Park, which was not large enough to match the planned increase in attendance and had less access to public transportation.

However, West Hollywood has already celebrated its Pride Weekend from June 3-5, with the title: “Pride Starts Here”. The WeHo Pride celebration featured its own parade, a three-day Music Out Loud festival and Women’s Freedom Festival, as well as a five-week LGBTQ Arts Festival. “West Hollywood has been home to the proudest of Southern California for nearly four decades and we look forward to continuing that tradition,” said Mayor Lauren Meister. THRIt reveals that the city has no plans to relinquish the title of Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, despite LA Pride’s plans. In fact, WeHo had its own star power, Janel Monae, as the grand marshal, and Jojo Siva appeared.

Backward Pride has created some confusion in the community about which groups march in which parades. The changes prompted a group of gay parents from the Pop Luck Club to send an email to their supporters saying, “There are some misunderstandings why WeHo Pride and LA Pride are holding fashion shows this year,” noting that they were attending WeHo Pride. .

Beyond logistical issues, “there’s a place for everyone to be proud,” says Michael Che (without SNL Artist), who oversees the WeHo LGBTQ Arts Festival. “We welcome the presence of many Prides and hope people celebrate throughout the month.” The WeHo event has also taken steps to address diversity: Event producer Jeff Consolet highlights the diversity of Outloud’s programming, saying the event is partnering with promoters who spotlight the female, Latino, trans and black communities.

“There are many obligations for LGBTQ people in businesses and their residents. “I think it was important for West Hollywood to establish itself,” the consultant said of the city’s decision to remain in Pride Month. “It’s also exciting that LA Pride is expanding its reach. “Interestingly, the Pride season lasts more than a weekend in one place.”

Long Beach will also host its own celebration, with headliners Iggy Azalea and Natalia Jimenez on July 9th and 10th, and Santa Monica will host art installations and family events throughout June. Downtown Los Angeles’ DTLA Proud Weekend will continue even later, August 5-7.

This year’s Pride comes at a difficult time for LGBTQ rights, with trans people coming under fire in many states and fears that gay marriage could be undermined by more restrictive Supreme Court opinions. “When we celebrate, we must always remember that the reason our ancestors took to the streets was for justice, equality and rights,” said Gart. “We remind you that there is still work to be done and that our union is important.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 8 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.