Members of the Thomas Merton Center, RESYST, the Anti-War Committee, Code Pink Women for Peace and Pittsburgh Organizing Group (POG) gathered downtown on Saturday, June 19 to march in the annual gay Pride parade. The vibrant pink and black contingent formed a Pink Bloc, inserting a queer presence into the traditional gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender day of celebration.

The theme for Pridefest 2004 was "Stand Up, Stand Proud, Stand Together." Members of the Pink Bloc asserted that "Standing Together" means including all queers and allies, especially those most marginalized, even among progressive movements. All who see the interconnectedness of all oppressions and struggles and who wish to ensure that a radical queer perspective is heard in ongoing social movements must join together, asserted participant Tim Vining. "We will not allow our movement to be divided based on class, race, nation of origin, language, perceived or chosen gender, sexuality, income, size, perceived ‘ability,’ age or any other reason," he said.

The contingent drummed on buckets and chanted catchy anti-Bush and anti-war cheers of resistance. Members of the Anti-War committee joined the bloc after performing a street theatre skit calling attention to torture and war. Some members of Code Pink held signs that said "Women Say Pull Out!" The parade began at Fifth and Ross and wound through downtown, past Gateway Center, greeting the crowds present for the Three Rivers Arts Festival. It ended at the festival site outside of Heinz Field where a typical street fair, children’s area and food/vendor booths awaited the marchers.

Tim Vining spoke on the main stage as a representative of the TMC. He explained the need for queers to be intimately involved in the anti-war, anti-racist, anti-sexist, and class war movements. As the RESYST mission states: "We are working to radicalize the queer movement and queerize the radical movement. While many strands exist, there is one struggle for liberation, that of humanity against all those who seek to exploit, oppress, restrict and restrain for their personal power and gain the freedom of others, and it is as a part of this liberation movement that we fight. It is of the utmost importance that we work on a grassroots level and remain in touch and contact with the everyday lives of people both inside and outside the struggle. We feel that no group should be the scapegoat for the government’s racism, bigotry, or capitalistic greed, and by organizing a Queer Resistance we can speak to so many people by sharing our historic liberation."

The Raging Grannies also performed that afternoon. One of their hits included "These Are a Few of My Favorite Questions" in which the grannies questioned gender norms and humorously discussed their own individual sexual preferences. Local activist Grace Keller closed the TMC segment by sharing her struggle for housing – making the personal connections she knows all too well between homelessness, police brutality and trans issues.

Left, the Raging Grannies perform at Pridefest. Right, Participants in the Pink Bloc banged on
bucket drums, danced and chanted. (Photos by Marie Skoczylas)