NYC Pride 2012 took place on the 24th June 2012 and Cyndi Lauper had the honour of being this year's Grand Marshall where New Yorkers celebrated the anniversary of marriage equality in their state in nothing less than bright colors, dancing, and music.
Cyndi Lauper was joined in leading the parade by Chris Salgardo, president of cosmetics brand Kiehl's, and Phyllis Siegel and Connie Kopelov, the first gay couple to marry in New York City.
Parade organizers hope their “Share the Love” theme will encourage the spread of marriage equality to states that currently ban such unions.
During Cyndi's speach she said:
“I love pride because it's about celebration,” an emotional Lauper told reporters. “And we have a lot to celebrate, because it is finally a reality that everybody could get married in New York.”
Cyndi Lauper also launched her new campaign Forty To None.
The Forty to None Project – the first national program to focus solely on youth homelessness and its impact on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people. The Forty to None Project is committed to doing all it can to help to bring an end to this epidemic, and reduce the disproportionate percentage of gay and transgender youth who are homeless from 40% to none.
In the coming months and years, the Forty to None Project will unveil and execute an extensive set of programs and initiatives around the areas of education, advocacy, empowerment, capacity building, and inclusion. In the immediate future, the program will focus primarily on raising public awareness, engaging society to be a part of the solution, advocating on behalf of gay and transgender homeless youth on Capitol Hill, and empowering those whom the issue affects most deeply, young homeless people themselves, to overcoming the obstacles and realize the futures they deserve.
After the Pride Parade Cyndi Lauper then performed at Stiletto Pride where she performed Sex is in the Heel and Dance on the Pier (Sex is in the Heel & True Colors where performed).
Stiletto Pride
From a fan, DJ A.L. Al Hollus who attended Stiletto Pride:
Cyndi Lauper performed one song, The Sex is in the Heel, which was the version that's currently being offered as a free download on the Kinky Boots website. She sang the song to its backing tracks. She had a dance routine down with a bunch of guys wearing Kinky Boots shirts, shorts and the infamous high glittery red boots. Her vocals were in the perfect pitch.
The Kinky Boots promotional department was there placing Kinky Boots matchbooks and plastic (credit card-like) cards on a few tables, which announced the musical's opening dates. They were also wearing Kinky Boots T-shirts, although none were offered to anyone in the VIP or General Admission areas.
The photos below are from DJ A.L. Al Hollus.
These photos are from Stiletto Pride taken by Kinky Boots Production Team.
Dance on the Pier
Around midnight, special guest Cyndi Lauper took the stage with a cadre of winged back-up dancers to perform her new single, Sex is in the Heel from her new musical Kinky Boots. She took the moment to voice her undying support for LGBT rights, and to thank the community for sticking by her before leading the crowd in an a cappella version of True Colors. Lauper finished the song with her fist raised as the crowd cheered. DJ Boris took to the decks next, giving the crowd something to dance about until the end.
