It wouldn’t be right to kick off Pride without a tribute to the place often credited with bringing about the birth of our modern LGBTQIA+ civil rights movement: Stonewall. For the Queer community, it has become a much-revered and sacred location. The Stonewall Inn and the Stonewall National Monument across the street are the living embodiments of our ancestors who put their bodies on the line so that we can enjoy the basic freedoms we have today.

Every year, LGBTQIA+ people from around the world make the pilgrimage to New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood to visit the site where a series of riots and demonstrations against police abuses — the Stonewall Riots —erupted following an early-morning raid on the popular Gay bar on June 28, 1969. This year, the venue became a reminder of the ongoing struggle ahead, as the Trump administration removed the words “Transgender” and “Queer” from the monument’s website, run by the National Park Service.

As the publisher of the SGN and a Transgender woman myself, I knew it was the right time for our staff and me to travel to NYC and join the resistance brewing against a fascist regime hellbent on overturning hard-fought gains and returning us to the closet — or worse. Joining me for the journey were two of our writers, Madison Jones and Nova Berger, whose work is contained in these pages.

Below are excerpts from my travel diary.

Trump

We had only landed hours ago, but there was something we needed to do first and foremost: go to the very place that best symbolizes our president: Trump Tower. Madison and I extended the one-finger salute from across the street, not wanting to get caught up in the cocoon of barricades and Secret Service protection the building enjoys.

The people of NYC have long known what the rest of the world has come to realize: the man is an alleged profiteer, fraudster, and racist. And, of course, a convicted felon on 54 counts for falsifying business records.

For me, the act was personal — especially as I was traveling with a passport that identifies me as “male,” thanks to Trump’s executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” It seems like voters picked the wrong guy if they wanted to “defend women”: his history of alleged womanizing, rape accusations, and hot-mic “grab them by the pussy” comment says all that needs to be said.

Central Park

Madison and I later took a walk through Central Park. The last time I was in NYC, I promised myself I would. It’s the most stunning urban park I’ve ever seen. The varying land features, the zoo, and the architecture were masterfully planned. It was once the final destination of the first Gay Pride March, has hosted the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and has been the site of numerous Queer protests, rallies, and sporting events (like the Gay Games in 1994).

I took a minute to admire the 1860s masterpiece by Lesbian sculptor Emma Stebbins, “The Angel of the Waters” atop the Bethesda Fountain. The sculpture was even featured in Tony Kushner’s play Angels in America. And, as if on cue, LGBTQIA+ people could be seen everywhere.

Broadway

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about visiting New York City, it’s that there’s no substitute for the big productions, historic theaters, and incredible artistic talent on display all around you — and of course, the big-ticket prices that come along with it.

Nick Leone, the SGN’s Broadway critic, spent several days with me and Madison. If I learned anything, it’s that there’s a story behind every theater, every production, and the whole cottage industry of restaurants, bars, and establishments that cater to the theater crowd.
 
It was at Joe Allen’s — a hot spot for Broadway talent and decorated with memorabilia — that I sampled my first escargot (not a fan of the texture, but deliciously prepared). I also tried a couple of pies at the Black-owned Little Pie Company and walked along Restaurant Row, a popular destination before or after a show.

Together, we saw Cabaret with Orville Peck at the August Wilson Theatre and Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the more modern Marquis Theatre. Both productions were stunning, and seeing Peck unmasked was a special treat.
 
I assume I was probably the only LGBTQIA+ journalist to set foot into the St. James Theatre for the revival of Sunset Boulevard, made popular by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Nicole Scherzinger, who plays Norma Desmond, delivers a stunning performance. However, she was recently in the hot seat for a social media comment praising a hat that read “Make Jesus First Again.” Many saw this as a nod to Trump and the MAGA movement.

The production was unlike anything I’d seen before, with a camera operator providing close-ups of the actors that were projected onto screens — ensuring that there were no bad seats in the house. The most remarkable moment was when the camera went backstage (some Queer representation was included here), and lead actor Tom Francis, who plays Joe Gillis, could be seen and heard singing as he walked through the street and neighborhood with backup dancers — all live (they close the street for this for every performance).
 
What the show lacked in elaborate sets, it made up for with amazing performances and creative backstage antics. The run is relatively short by Broadway standards: opening in October 2024 and closing soon, on July 13, 2025.

I tried to get rush tickets at the Lyceum Theatre box office to see Oh, Mary!, but people start lining up in the middle of the night. Who can blame them? Oregon-native Cole Escola’s play has taken Broadway by storm. In addition to writing it, Escola plays Mary Todd Lincoln. The production received five Tony Award nominations.

Likewise, tickets were scarce to see Jinkx Monsoon, a longtime Seattle resident, in Pirates! The Penzance Musical at the Roundabout Theatre.

Of course, I also raided the gift shop at the Museum of Broadway, where I posed for a self-portrait. I’m not sure where I’m going to put it all, since I bought one of everything at the Stranger Things merch booth.

Attractions

When I saw the signs for RiseNY, I assumed it was just a tourist trap featuring a thrill ride soaring over video of NYC. But I figured it was a hell of a lot cheaper than a helicopter tour. I was happily surprised, however. This is literally a museum that begins in a subway simulation and takes you back in time to the earliest inhabitants of the area. It moves through the decades and explores New York from every angle.

There were many exhibits and artifacts of interest to the Queer community, including costumes from the original Village People; a hand-painted jacket by Keith Haring, once worn by Madonna; and a costume from Broadway’s Wicked. The exhibit on New York fashion was also fascinating.

The whole experience ends with a Times Square New Year’s Eve simulation — corny, yes, but worth it for what follows: a flight simulation over NYC neighborhoods featuring all the major sites and buildings. It was well worth the price of admission.

A local once joked that “nothing happens on Staten Island,” but when I heard I could see the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan skyline, and Brooklyn Bridge (and much more) for free, I zoomed on down to the Staten Island Ferry.

I had been quoted lofty prices for private tours with half the itinerary. You can tell it’s a popular destination for tourists — much to the dismay of locals. The captain made sure to direct us newbies on how to navigate the experience.

Seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time with my own eyes made me sentimental for the ideals of our country, their importance to peace and democracy, and — of course — how Trump is making a mockery of those ideals. I took a dozen selfies from every angle.

Words can hardly describe the skyline — a monument to capitalism and architectural innovation. The Brooklyn Bridge was also a marvel, a 142-year-old engineering masterpiece that has inspired poets, artists, and American culture through movies, shows, and books.

Stonewall

Like a true New Yorker, I took the subway to the Christopher Street–Stonewall station with Nova and Madison. As we turned the corner and saw the monument and the Stonewall Inn for the first time, I was overcome with emotion. I had to pause for a moment to take it all in. Madison and Nova eagerly took pictures.

Of course, I had to opine on the significance of this location and its current relevance — the latest example of Trump’s attempt to erase Transgender people from existence. Madison and I understood that being here was a statement to ourselves and to our Transgender community: we won’t be erased, and we aren’t going anywhere — except back into the streets, like our predecessors at this very location.

Nova, on the other hand, cracked a joke about it being called Stonewall because of a literal stone wall.

After touring the monument, we headed over to the Stonewall Inn, where drag queen Sabel Scities greeted us at the door: “This belongs to you and to all of the LGBTQ+ community everywhere.”

She invited us to join her later that night for a drag show on the second floor. After dinner nearby, Madison and I returned to the Stonewall. We took in the history and examined every item on the walls before heading upstairs to watch Sabel and fellow drag personality Indigo Dai, fresh from the West Coast, dazzle a diverse crowd from around the world.

After the show, we were invited to take photos with them on the stage. Before the dance floor opened, I pulled Madison aside. I told her we were obligated to dance here at Stonewall — like our forebears did in 1969. She joined me for a lap around the floor before we called it a night.

Final thoughts

This visit to New York City was extra special. Not only am I the publisher of the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper — celebrating its 51st anniversary, its incredible accomplishments for our community, and its regular reporting from and about NYC for five decades — but I got to do it with two incredibly bright people who represent the future.

While Madison and I went to sleep, Nova hit the Queer nightlife hard. Her incredible well of energy also led her to dance with celebrity Mark Ruffalo at the “Hands Off” protest in Bryant Park. Madison, on the other hand, was reflective, thoughtful — and my own version of Xanax in the city that never sleeps.

And as someone who had a wall of windows overlooking Times Square, I didn’t sleep either.