Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps: A Big Band Holiday

THE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS WILL BEE THE FIRST LGBTQ+ BAND TO PERFORM AT THE MACY’S THANKSGIVG DAY PARA
PRI MAY BE CANCELED, BUT THIS LGBTQ MARCHG BAND PLAYS ONLOUD AND PROUDTHE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS MARCHG BAND WAS DUE TO BE PLAYG A NUMBER OF PRIS THIS SUMMER. THEN RONAVIS HAPPENED. NOW THEY’RE TAKG THEIR TRIUMPHANT SOUND ONLE.MATT ALEVICHUPDATED JUN. 22, 2020 10:33AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 19, 2020 4:20PM EDT SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEASTA YEAR AGO, 160 MEMBERS OF THE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS (LGBAC), NEW YORK’S OLST LGBTQ MARCHG BAND, EAGERLY WAED AT THE START LE OF THE WORLD PRI 50 PARA NEW YORK. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS CLIMBED A NEARBY FLOAT AND WAVED HIS HANDS, NDUCTG THE STARSTCK BAND BELOW. NEW YORK MAYOR BILL BLAS STRO BY, LIFTG A RABOW FLAG HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD. HUNDREDS OF PK T-MOBILE BALLOONS PEPPERED THE BAND’S STARTG PEN. THE DAY’S VISUAL—AN TIMATED 5 LN PARTYGOERS THRONGG MANHATTAN’S STREETS—IS NOW UNIMAGABLE. BUT THE RECEPTN OM LAST YEAR—THE OPEN ARMS OF CELEBRI, POLICIANS AND RPORATNS—WAS ONCE UNIMAGABLE TOO.HANDCUFFED BY SOCIAL DISTANCG GUIL, THE LGBAC IS FORCED TO SETTLE FOR SOME VIRTUAL FIRSTS THIS YEAR. THROUGHOUT JUNE, IS HOSTG A SERI OF LIVTREAM EVENTS, MARCHG WH THE BAND (CLUDG ONE TOMORROW, SCHLED FOR RHO ISLAND PRI, AND ONE ON JUNE 27 FOR NEW YORK PRI). SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST REHEARSALS ARE NTUG AS SCHLED OVER ZOOM, AND HAS JT RELEASED A 117-MEMBER LIVE-RERD VIO PERFORMANCE OF ONE OF THE FIVE SONGS S 2020 TALOGUE, THE WHO’S “BABA O’RILEY.” WH THE ANNUAL MARCHG SEASON SPANNG MARCH TO JULY, NEW YORK’S COVID LOCKDOWN HAS VOURED THE BAND’S 2020 SEASON. THE LGBAC WAS SET TO PERFORM PARAS NEW YORK, DC, PROVINCE, AND PRCETON—ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN NCELLED.“WE HAD THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR YEAR RIPPED OUT OF OUR HANDS,” SAID MARA BEGLEY, LGBAC’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.LUCKILY FOR THE BAND, MOMENTUM IS ON S SI. THEY’VE ALREADY GROWN OUT OF OBSCURY TO PERFORM AT MECS OF AMERINA LIKE PRO SPORTS GAM AND CARNEGIE HALL. THEY’VE MARCHED BOTH OF PRINT OBAMA’S GURAL PARAS.FOUND BY MICIANS NANCY CORPORAN AND BOB WOLFF 1979 AS THE NEW YORK GAY COMMUNY MARCHG BAND (THE NAME CHANGED 1983), THE TWO RECED MEMBERS BY SETTG UP RD TABL AND CHATTG UP PASSERSBY SHERIDAN SQUARE MANHATTAN’S WT VILLAGE. TO ADVERTISE, THEY POSTED FLYERS WH THE TAGLE “GET YOUR STMENT OUT OF THE CLOSET” AROUND GREENWICH VILLAGE FFEE SHOPS. SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST FOR MANY EARLY RECS, THE BAND PROVID A MUCH-WELED ALTERNATIVE TO LGBT SOCIAL LIFE.“BACK THEN WAS THE ONLY PLACE THAT MEN AND WOMEN ULD BE TOGETHER WHOUT BEG A BAR AND BEG DNK THE DARK,” SAID MARSHA STONE, A BAND MEMBER SCE 1980.THE NEW BAND GOT MEMBERS OUT OF THE BARS AND TO THE STREETS, AND THE TIM QUICKLY TURNED THE MICIANS TO ACTIVISTS. IN NOVEMBER OF 1980, A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE TO THE RAMROD, A WT VILLAGE GAY BAR, KILLG TWO AND JURG SIX. AT A NDLELIGHT VIGIL RPONSE TO THE MASSACRE, THE BAND PLAYED A FUNERAL NCE FOR OVER A THOAND MOURNERS. “WE HAVE A LTLE SLOGAN THE BAND: ‘WE CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS ONE SONG AT A TIME’” DURG THE AIDS CRISIS OF THE EIGHTI AND NETI, THE BAND LOST 33 MEMBERS TO THE DISEASE.“IT WAS A SAD, SRY TIME THE EIGHTI, BUT PART OF SURVIVAL IS HONORG THE ON WE LOST,” CORPORAN SAID. “IT GIV AN EXTRA MOTIVATN FOR DOG WHAT WE DO.”“WE HAVE A LTLE SLOGAN THE BAND: ‘WE CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS ONE SONG AT A TIME,’” SAID BROOKLYN TMPETER JOE AVENA, REFERENCG THE BAND’S HARD-WON ASCENT.THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE JUNE THE BAND TEND, BUT ’S ONE THEIR HISTORY HAS PREPARED THEM FOR. “YOUNG PEOPLE SOMETIM SAY THAT ALL THE MOUNTAS HAVE BEEN CLIMBED AND THERE ARE NO MORE BATTL,” BEGLEY SAID. “I TELL THEM THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER MOUNTA, AND HERE WE ARE. WE ARE WRG THE HISTORY OF HOW THE BAND TRIUMPHED OVER ADVERSY AGA.”MEET THE BAND JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAK (HIGHLIGHTED) VTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BANDCOURTY ROBERTA F. RAEBURN JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAKHOMETOWN: MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORKAGE: 72INSTMENT: CLARETYEARS THE BAND: 41I WOULD GET NERVO SOMETIM WHEN WE MARCHED. ONCE WE MARCHED AND WE HEARD PEOPLE TELLG TO GO HOME AND “WHAT ARE YOU DOG HERE?” AND THAT KD OF STUFF. BUT YOU DID . I WAS NERVO. YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN, BUT YOU JT HOPED FOR THE BT. MOST OF OUR EXPERIENC WERE GOOD EXPERIENC. MOST PEOPLE WERE JT HAPPY TO HEAR “STARS AND STRIP FOREVER.” BUT YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN SOMEONE WAS GOG TO VERBALLY ASSLT YOU. THGS WERE THROWN AT HERE AND THERE, BUT WE KNEW GOG THAT THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FACE THAT ADVERSY? EHER YOU’RE GOG TO BE OUT THERE OR NOT. AND THOSE WHO DIDN’T WANT TO BE THERE WEREN’T THERE. “WE WERE PLAYG FOR OURSELV—FOR OUR GROUP—FOR OUR MUNY”— JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAK WE HAVE A BAND NOW THAT IS 120 PEOPLE BEE ’S SAFER FOR THEM TO E ON THE STREETS. WE ULDN’T HAVE 120 THEN BEE THERE WASN’T 120 PEOPLE WHO HAD THE NERVE TO GO OUT THERE AND DO , YOU KNOW? AND YOU N’T BLAME THEM. I’M NOT JUDGG THEM—I’M NOT. PEOPLE HAD REASONS TO BE AAID—THEY’D LOSE THEIR JOB OR GET THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL. THEY HAD GOOD REASON. WE WERE PLAYG FOR OURSELV—FOR OUR GROUP—FOR OUR MUNY. IT WAS A PERSONAL THG. WE WERE THERE FOR OUR MUNY. MARSHA STONE, PURPLE HEADBAND, WH JOE AVENA.SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST MARSHA STONEHOMETOWN: BAYSI, QUEENS, NYAGE: 67INSTMENT: TMPETYEARS THE BAND: 41A LONG TIME AGO A GALAXY FARAWAY, SIX YEARS AFTER HOMOSEXUALY WAS REMOVED OM THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATNS’ LIST OF MENTAL ILLNS AND 33 YEARS BEFORE SAME SEX MARRIAGE WAS FERALLY REGNIZED, I FOUND A SMALL GROUP OF MICIANS STARTG A MARCHG BAND. THEY WERE PLAYG FOR A GAY BS GROUP ON HUDSON STREET. I WAS VED TO TAKE MY TMPET OUT OF THE CLOSET AND JO THEM, AND CHANGED MY LIFE. “THE BAND BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND MARARIE TO MY LIFE”— MARSHA STONE AS I REFLECT ON THE PAST, I REMEMBER THE THGS WE FEARED BACK THEN, LIKE THE RAMROD MASSACRE 1980. I REMEMBER PEOPLE TOO AAID TO MARCH WH FOR FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS OR BEG SHUNNED BY THEIR FAI. I REMEMBER THE AIDS EPIMIC THAT STOLE SO MANY OF OUR MEMBERS.THE BAND BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND MARARIE TO MY LIFE THAT MA THOSE FEARS AND PAFUL MEMORI ONLY PASSG THOUGHTS. SHAREEF JENKSCOURTY CHRISTE JEAN SHAREEF JENKSHOMETOWN: PHILALPHIA, PAAGE: 42INSTMENT: TMPETYEARS BAND: 13WHEN I JOED THE BAND, I WAS FEELG ALONE THIS BIG CY OF NEW YORK—LIKE I HAD YET TO FD MY TRIBE. AN ACQUATANCE WHO WAS THE BAND FOUND OUT THAT I PLAYED THE TMPET HIGH SCHOOL, AND ONE DAY BEFORE A REHEARSAL ME TO MY APARTMENT AND SAID, “YOU’RE G TO PLAY WH THE BAND.” “MY PRSN SUBSID, AND PLAYG REHEARSALS WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK”— SHAREEF JENKS I GAVE EVERY EXCE AS TO WHY I ULDN’T: NO TMPET, PRSN—ALL TE THGS. I WENT AND IMMEDIATELY I FELT WELED BY THE TMPET SECTN PTA AND BY MARA, THE MARCHG BAND DIRECTOR. THEY GAVE ME A TMPET. MY PRSN SUBSID, AND PLAYG REHEARSALS WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK. THE FIRST TIME I MARCHED I WAS NERVO, BUT AS SOON AS THE CROWD STARTED CHEERG, THIS VALIDATG ENERGY AND PRI OVERTOOK ME, AND I KNEW I WAS THE RIGHT PLACE. ERIC ROUDA, HIGHLIGHTED, A VTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BAND.COURTY ROBERTA F. RAEBURN ERIC ROUDAHOMETOWN: MOUNT VERNON, NYAGE: 67INSTMENT: EUPHONIUMYEARS THE BAND: 41A WEEK BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11 WE PERFORMED JERSEY CY. IT EAKS ME OUT. THERE’S A PICTURE OF WH THE WORLD TRA CENTER THE BACKGROUND. AFTER THE ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11, EVERYONE WAS CHECKG ON EVERYBODY ELSE. WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE TRA CENTER AND PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE AREA.WHAT ME OUT OF THAT WAS A REALIZATN BY EVERYBODY THAT WE ARE A FAY, AND THAT ’S AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR BLOOD FAY—AND A MSAGE TO THE NEW PEOPLE IS THAT IF ’S NOT YET, WILL BE. “THEY TOOK OFF OM WORK AND THEY SHOWED UP TO BE WH ME. I RRY THAT WH ME ALWAYS. IT’S ALWAYS THERE”— ERIC ROUDA I WENT THROUGH ALSO WHEN GREGG WAS SICK. (GREGG FLM, ERIC’S FORMER BOYIEND, DIED OF AIDS 1989.) I N’T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD E TO THE HOSPAL JT TO BE WH HIM AND BE WH ME. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT THE FUNERAL. THEY TOOK OFF OM WORK AND THEY SHOWED UP TO BE WH ME. I RRY THAT WH ME ALWAYS. IT’S ALWAYS THERE. I’M NOT THE CENTER OF ATTENTN ANYMORE BUT I STILL FEEL THAT FAY BOND. IT’S THERE. BILL JIANGSETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST BILL JIANGHOMETOWN: GUANGDONG, GUANGZHOU, CHAAGE: 24INSTMENT: PIANO & PERCSNYEARS THE BAND: 2THIS BAND HAS CHANGED MY LIFE—JT TOO MANY THGS TO MENTN. HOMOSEXUALS, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH MANY BAD THGS OUR LIV. WE SHAME ON OURSELV AND BEAT OURSELV UP. AT MY FIRST PARA I SAW SOME BAD SIGNS THAT SAID “HOMOS GO TO HELL” OR SOMETHG LIKE THAT, AND I WAS PRETTY ATTACKED BY THAT. I FELT, “OH MY GOD WHY AM I HERE? WHY AM I EXPOSED LIKE THIS?” BUT THEN THE BAND PLAYED THE SONG LOUR AND LOUR. IT WAS LIKE POSIVY FIGHTG THE NEGATIVY. “BEG THE BAND IS A WAY OF ACCEPTG YOURSELF AND LOVG YOURSELF”— BILL JIANG THAT WAS A TIME WHEN I FELT LIKE, “OH, I’M ACTUALLY A VERY SAFE PLACE, AND I DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.” AND THAT KD OF SHAME JT WENT AWAY. I DON’T KNOW IF THAT’S FOREVER, BUT THAT WAS A VERY POSIVE TIME FOR ME.BEG THE BAND IS A WAY OF ACCEPTG YOURSELF AND LOVG YOURSELF. I’VE NEVER LOVED MYSELF AND BEEN PROUD OF MYSELF LIKE THIS BEFORE AND THAT’S NOT JT ABOUT SEXUALY—’S ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE. MATT ALEVICH
LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS: A BIG BAND HOLIDAY

THE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS WILL BEE THE FIRST LGBTQ+ BAND TO PERFORM AT THE MACY’S THANKSGIVG DAY PARA

The Queer Big Apple Corps, formerly known as the Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Marchg Band, is a mil ensemble loted New York Cy, New York. Sce s formatn 1979, the band has reprented the LGBTQIA+ muny and brought "The Sound of Love & Joy" to dienc across the... * lesbian and gay big apple marching band *

The Queer Big Apple Corps is the new name of the Lbian & Gay Big Apple More About Our Name Change HereYour support is very important to Donate Today2022 Macy's Thanksgivg Day ParaWe are proud to be the first LGBTQIA+ band to perform the the VioJo UsWhether you've been playg for two months or twenty years, we wele you to jo any of our award-wng More Here. ”New York Cy's Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps marchg band at the the "Hometown Hero" Ticker Tape Para Manhattan on July 7, 2021. Origally lled The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps, the band was found by two gay micians, Nancy Corporon and Bob Wolff, 1979, 10 years after the Stonewall rts that marked a r turng pot the fight for LGBTQ rights.

”The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps at the "Hometown Hero" Ticker Tape Para on July 7, 2021.

PRI MAY BE CANCELED, BUT THIS LGBTQ MARCHG BAND PLAYS ONLOUD AND PROUDTHE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS MARCHG BAND WAS DUE TO BE PLAYG A NUMBER OF PRIS THIS SUMMER. THEN RONAVIS HAPPENED. NOW THEY’RE TAKG THEIR TRIUMPHANT SOUND ONLE.MATT ALEVICHUPDATED JUN. 22, 2020 10:33AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 19, 2020 4:20PM EDT SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEASTA YEAR AGO, 160 MEMBERS OF THE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS (LGBAC), NEW YORK’S OLST LGBTQ MARCHG BAND, EAGERLY WAED AT THE START LE OF THE WORLD PRI 50 PARA NEW YORK. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS CLIMBED A NEARBY FLOAT AND WAVED HIS HANDS, NDUCTG THE STARSTCK BAND BELOW. NEW YORK MAYOR BILL BLAS STRO BY, LIFTG A RABOW FLAG HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD. HUNDREDS OF PK T-MOBILE BALLOONS PEPPERED THE BAND’S STARTG PEN. THE DAY’S VISUAL—AN TIMATED 5 LN PARTYGOERS THRONGG MANHATTAN’S STREETS—IS NOW UNIMAGABLE. BUT THE RECEPTN OM LAST YEAR—THE OPEN ARMS OF CELEBRI, POLICIANS AND RPORATNS—WAS ONCE UNIMAGABLE TOO.HANDCUFFED BY SOCIAL DISTANCG GUIL, THE LGBAC IS FORCED TO SETTLE FOR SOME VIRTUAL FIRSTS THIS YEAR. THROUGHOUT JUNE, IS HOSTG A SERI OF LIVTREAM EVENTS, MARCHG WH THE BAND (CLUDG ONE TOMORROW, SCHLED FOR RHO ISLAND PRI, AND ONE ON JUNE 27 FOR NEW YORK PRI). SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST REHEARSALS ARE NTUG AS SCHLED OVER ZOOM, AND HAS JT RELEASED A 117-MEMBER LIVE-RERD VIO PERFORMANCE OF ONE OF THE FIVE SONGS S 2020 TALOGUE, THE WHO’S “BABA O’RILEY.” WH THE ANNUAL MARCHG SEASON SPANNG MARCH TO JULY, NEW YORK’S COVID LOCKDOWN HAS VOURED THE BAND’S 2020 SEASON. THE LGBAC WAS SET TO PERFORM PARAS NEW YORK, DC, PROVINCE, AND PRCETON—ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN NCELLED.“WE HAD THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR YEAR RIPPED OUT OF OUR HANDS,” SAID MARA BEGLEY, LGBAC’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.LUCKILY FOR THE BAND, MOMENTUM IS ON S SI. THEY’VE ALREADY GROWN OUT OF OBSCURY TO PERFORM AT MECS OF AMERINA LIKE PRO SPORTS GAM AND CARNEGIE HALL. THEY’VE MARCHED BOTH OF PRINT OBAMA’S GURAL PARAS.FOUND BY MICIANS NANCY CORPORAN AND BOB WOLFF 1979 AS THE NEW YORK GAY COMMUNY MARCHG BAND (THE NAME CHANGED 1983), THE TWO RECED MEMBERS BY SETTG UP RD TABL AND CHATTG UP PASSERSBY SHERIDAN SQUARE MANHATTAN’S WT VILLAGE. TO ADVERTISE, THEY POSTED FLYERS WH THE TAGLE “GET YOUR STMENT OUT OF THE CLOSET” AROUND GREENWICH VILLAGE FFEE SHOPS. SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST FOR MANY EARLY RECS, THE BAND PROVID A MUCH-WELED ALTERNATIVE TO LGBT SOCIAL LIFE.“BACK THEN WAS THE ONLY PLACE THAT MEN AND WOMEN ULD BE TOGETHER WHOUT BEG A BAR AND BEG DNK THE DARK,” SAID MARSHA STONE, A BAND MEMBER SCE 1980.THE NEW BAND GOT MEMBERS OUT OF THE BARS AND TO THE STREETS, AND THE TIM QUICKLY TURNED THE MICIANS TO ACTIVISTS. IN NOVEMBER OF 1980, A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE TO THE RAMROD, A WT VILLAGE GAY BAR, KILLG TWO AND JURG SIX. AT A NDLELIGHT VIGIL RPONSE TO THE MASSACRE, THE BAND PLAYED A FUNERAL NCE FOR OVER A THOAND MOURNERS. “WE HAVE A LTLE SLOGAN THE BAND: ‘WE CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS ONE SONG AT A TIME’” DURG THE AIDS CRISIS OF THE EIGHTI AND NETI, THE BAND LOST 33 MEMBERS TO THE DISEASE.“IT WAS A SAD, SRY TIME THE EIGHTI, BUT PART OF SURVIVAL IS HONORG THE ON WE LOST,” CORPORAN SAID. “IT GIV AN EXTRA MOTIVATN FOR DOG WHAT WE DO.”“WE HAVE A LTLE SLOGAN THE BAND: ‘WE CHANGE HEARTS AND MDS ONE SONG AT A TIME,’” SAID BROOKLYN TMPETER JOE AVENA, REFERENCG THE BAND’S HARD-WON ASCENT.THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE JUNE THE BAND TEND, BUT ’S ONE THEIR HISTORY HAS PREPARED THEM FOR. “YOUNG PEOPLE SOMETIM SAY THAT ALL THE MOUNTAS HAVE BEEN CLIMBED AND THERE ARE NO MORE BATTL,” BEGLEY SAID. “I TELL THEM THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER MOUNTA, AND HERE WE ARE. WE ARE WRG THE HISTORY OF HOW THE BAND TRIUMPHED OVER ADVERSY AGA.”MEET THE BAND JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAK (HIGHLIGHTED) VTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BANDCOURTY ROBERTA F. RAEBURN JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAKHOMETOWN: MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORKAGE: 72INSTMENT: CLARETYEARS THE BAND: 41I WOULD GET NERVO SOMETIM WHEN WE MARCHED. ONCE WE MARCHED AND WE HEARD PEOPLE TELLG TO GO HOME AND “WHAT ARE YOU DOG HERE?” AND THAT KD OF STUFF. BUT YOU DID . I WAS NERVO. YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOG TO HAPPEN, BUT YOU JT HOPED FOR THE BT. MOST OF OUR EXPERIENC WERE GOOD EXPERIENC. MOST PEOPLE WERE JT HAPPY TO HEAR “STARS AND STRIP FOREVER.” BUT YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN SOMEONE WAS GOG TO VERBALLY ASSLT YOU. THGS WERE THROWN AT HERE AND THERE, BUT WE KNEW GOG THAT THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FACE THAT ADVERSY? EHER YOU’RE GOG TO BE OUT THERE OR NOT. AND THOSE WHO DIDN’T WANT TO BE THERE WEREN’T THERE. “WE WERE PLAYG FOR OURSELV—FOR OUR GROUP—FOR OUR MUNY”— JACQUI AQUILO-JIRAK WE HAVE A BAND NOW THAT IS 120 PEOPLE BEE ’S SAFER FOR THEM TO E ON THE STREETS. WE ULDN’T HAVE 120 THEN BEE THERE WASN’T 120 PEOPLE WHO HAD THE NERVE TO GO OUT THERE AND DO , YOU KNOW? AND YOU N’T BLAME THEM. I’M NOT JUDGG THEM—I’M NOT. PEOPLE HAD REASONS TO BE AAID—THEY’D LOSE THEIR JOB OR GET THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL. THEY HAD GOOD REASON. WE WERE PLAYG FOR OURSELV—FOR OUR GROUP—FOR OUR MUNY. IT WAS A PERSONAL THG. WE WERE THERE FOR OUR MUNY. MARSHA STONE, PURPLE HEADBAND, WH JOE AVENA.SETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST MARSHA STONEHOMETOWN: BAYSI, QUEENS, NYAGE: 67INSTMENT: TMPETYEARS THE BAND: 41A LONG TIME AGO A GALAXY FARAWAY, SIX YEARS AFTER HOMOSEXUALY WAS REMOVED OM THE AMERIN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATNS’ LIST OF MENTAL ILLNS AND 33 YEARS BEFORE SAME SEX MARRIAGE WAS FERALLY REGNIZED, I FOUND A SMALL GROUP OF MICIANS STARTG A MARCHG BAND. THEY WERE PLAYG FOR A GAY BS GROUP ON HUDSON STREET. I WAS VED TO TAKE MY TMPET OUT OF THE CLOSET AND JO THEM, AND CHANGED MY LIFE. “THE BAND BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND MARARIE TO MY LIFE”— MARSHA STONE AS I REFLECT ON THE PAST, I REMEMBER THE THGS WE FEARED BACK THEN, LIKE THE RAMROD MASSACRE 1980. I REMEMBER PEOPLE TOO AAID TO MARCH WH FOR FEAR OF LOSG THEIR JOBS OR BEG SHUNNED BY THEIR FAI. I REMEMBER THE AIDS EPIMIC THAT STOLE SO MANY OF OUR MEMBERS.THE BAND BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND MARARIE TO MY LIFE THAT MA THOSE FEARS AND PAFUL MEMORI ONLY PASSG THOUGHTS. SHAREEF JENKSCOURTY CHRISTE JEAN SHAREEF JENKSHOMETOWN: PHILALPHIA, PAAGE: 42INSTMENT: TMPETYEARS BAND: 13WHEN I JOED THE BAND, I WAS FEELG ALONE THIS BIG CY OF NEW YORK—LIKE I HAD YET TO FD MY TRIBE. AN ACQUATANCE WHO WAS THE BAND FOUND OUT THAT I PLAYED THE TMPET HIGH SCHOOL, AND ONE DAY BEFORE A REHEARSAL ME TO MY APARTMENT AND SAID, “YOU’RE G TO PLAY WH THE BAND.” “MY PRSN SUBSID, AND PLAYG REHEARSALS WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK”— SHAREEF JENKS I GAVE EVERY EXCE AS TO WHY I ULDN’T: NO TMPET, PRSN—ALL TE THGS. I WENT AND IMMEDIATELY I FELT WELED BY THE TMPET SECTN PTA AND BY MARA, THE MARCHG BAND DIRECTOR. THEY GAVE ME A TMPET. MY PRSN SUBSID, AND PLAYG REHEARSALS WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK. THE FIRST TIME I MARCHED I WAS NERVO, BUT AS SOON AS THE CROWD STARTED CHEERG, THIS VALIDATG ENERGY AND PRI OVERTOOK ME, AND I KNEW I WAS THE RIGHT PLACE. ERIC ROUDA, HIGHLIGHTED, A VTAGE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BAND.COURTY ROBERTA F. RAEBURN ERIC ROUDAHOMETOWN: MOUNT VERNON, NYAGE: 67INSTMENT: EUPHONIUMYEARS THE BAND: 41A WEEK BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11 WE PERFORMED JERSEY CY. IT EAKS ME OUT. THERE’S A PICTURE OF WH THE WORLD TRA CENTER THE BACKGROUND. AFTER THE ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11, EVERYONE WAS CHECKG ON EVERYBODY ELSE. WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE TRA CENTER AND PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE AREA.WHAT ME OUT OF THAT WAS A REALIZATN BY EVERYBODY THAT WE ARE A FAY, AND THAT ’S AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR BLOOD FAY—AND A MSAGE TO THE NEW PEOPLE IS THAT IF ’S NOT YET, WILL BE. “THEY TOOK OFF OM WORK AND THEY SHOWED UP TO BE WH ME. I RRY THAT WH ME ALWAYS. IT’S ALWAYS THERE”— ERIC ROUDA I WENT THROUGH ALSO WHEN GREGG WAS SICK. (GREGG FLM, ERIC’S FORMER BOYIEND, DIED OF AIDS 1989.) I N’T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD E TO THE HOSPAL JT TO BE WH HIM AND BE WH ME. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT THE FUNERAL. THEY TOOK OFF OM WORK AND THEY SHOWED UP TO BE WH ME. I RRY THAT WH ME ALWAYS. IT’S ALWAYS THERE. I’M NOT THE CENTER OF ATTENTN ANYMORE BUT I STILL FEEL THAT FAY BOND. IT’S THERE. BILL JIANGSETH KSLER FOR THE DAILY BEAST BILL JIANGHOMETOWN: GUANGDONG, GUANGZHOU, CHAAGE: 24INSTMENT: PIANO & PERCSNYEARS THE BAND: 2THIS BAND HAS CHANGED MY LIFE—JT TOO MANY THGS TO MENTN. HOMOSEXUALS, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH MANY BAD THGS OUR LIV. WE SHAME ON OURSELV AND BEAT OURSELV UP. AT MY FIRST PARA I SAW SOME BAD SIGNS THAT SAID “HOMOS GO TO HELL” OR SOMETHG LIKE THAT, AND I WAS PRETTY ATTACKED BY THAT. I FELT, “OH MY GOD WHY AM I HERE? WHY AM I EXPOSED LIKE THIS?” BUT THEN THE BAND PLAYED THE SONG LOUR AND LOUR. IT WAS LIKE POSIVY FIGHTG THE NEGATIVY. “BEG THE BAND IS A WAY OF ACCEPTG YOURSELF AND LOVG YOURSELF”— BILL JIANG THAT WAS A TIME WHEN I FELT LIKE, “OH, I’M ACTUALLY A VERY SAFE PLACE, AND I DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.” AND THAT KD OF SHAME JT WENT AWAY. I DON’T KNOW IF THAT’S FOREVER, BUT THAT WAS A VERY POSIVE TIME FOR ME.BEG THE BAND IS A WAY OF ACCEPTG YOURSELF AND LOVG YOURSELF. I’VE NEVER LOVED MYSELF AND BEEN PROUD OF MYSELF LIKE THIS BEFORE AND THAT’S NOT JT ABOUT SEXUALY—’S ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE. MATT ALEVICH

Talk Story about the Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps Marchg Band. Sixteen years after he qu playg the trombone, the wrer fds himself takg up… * lesbian and gay big apple marching band *

”The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps Marchg Band at the New York Cy Pri Para on June 26, 2011. We were found 1979 as The New York Gay Communy Marchg Band.

In 1983, we changed the name to The Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps to reflect the membership at the time. The Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps will bee the first LGBTQ+ marchg band to perform at the para – a long-time goal of the Corps’ marchg director and Women We Love 2020 alumni Mara Begley. Sce s formatn 1979, the Queer Big Apple Corps (formerly the Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps) has been spreadg “The Sound of Love and Joy” for dienc across the Uned Stat and the first LGBTQIA+ intified marchg band to perform the Macy’s Thanksgivg Day Para, the Queer Big Apple Corps Marchg Band has received untls veted “bt band” awards paras large and small om ast to ast and has been seen by lns of people around the world not only at the Macy’s Para, but also two Ticker Tape Paras; Pri Nights for the Mets, the Nets and the Knicks; and 15–20 paras and street performanc annually.

How the Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps prepared for the big para * lesbian and gay big apple marching band *

The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps performg "Dancg Queen" at the Macy's Thanksgivg Day Screenshot.

The Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps marchg band was due to be playg a number of Pris this summer. Then ronavis happened. Now they’re takg their triumphant sound onle. * lesbian and gay big apple marching band *

The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC), one of the first all-queer band groups ever the untry, beme the first LGBTQ marchg band to partake the Macy’s Thanksgivg Day Para ever.

But small towns were vg the Lbian & Gay Big Apple Corps to march their Fourth of July para.

I genuely, wholly, unironilly adore that New York Cy has s own big gay marchg band. Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps Marchg Band performs as celebry And performance groups rehearse At Herald Square preparatn For The 94th Annual Macy’s Thanksgivg Day Para on 23 November, 2020, New York Cy. The Lbian and Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC) was formed 1979, a after the Stonewall uprisg, and has been applyg to take part the New York para for years.

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THE LBIAN & GAY BIG APPLE CORPS WILL BEE THE FIRST LGBTQ+ BAND TO PERFORM AT THE MACY’S THANKSGIVG DAY PARA