Why Pride Still Needs to Be a Protest- Wild Pride Recap
At Origami Customs, we’ve always believed that how we show up matters just as much as what we make. Our garments are designed with care, but they’re also rooted in values and solidarity. For us, Pride has never been about visibility for visibility’s sake. It’s about showing up in ways that are meaningful, consistent, and grounded in care for our community.
That’s why we’ve been increasingly cautious about participating in corporate-sponsored Pride events. When Pride becomes about branding over justice, when sponsors take precedence over the communities these events claim to support, we have to pause and ask: Is this space aligned with our values? Too often, the answer has been no.
But this week, we had a completely different experience of what Pride could be: community-built, intentional, and centered around care for the vulnerable. Wild Pride Montreal made it clear that this Pride was designed for the people who are most often left out. The result was something that felt more diverse, radical, and personal. It created space not just to celebrate, but to connect, reflect, and remember that Pride was- and still is- political activism.
Why We Chose to Boycott Fierté Montréal
As we mentioned in last week’s blog, one of the core reasons we stepped away from Fierté Montréal this year was its decision to welcome groups that support and legitimize colonial regimes responsible for the ongoing occupation and genocide in Palestine. This isn’t just a political difference. For many in our community, including Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs, and other queer and trans folks from oppressed nationalities, this inclusion makes Pride an unsafe and exclusionary space.
After the pressure from our communities, Fierté briefly announced that these Zionist organizations would be excluded from this year’s festival. For a short moment, it felt like community voices were finally being heard. But that decision was quickly reversed.
“The move sparked considerable public backlash and political condemnation. Five federal MPs signed a joint letter calling the exclusion ‘profoundly hurtful’ and urging Fierté Montréal to reconsider. Fierté apologized, the exclusion was reversed, and the groups were re-invited.” -Montreal Gazette
That reversal sent a clear message: corporate and political interests still take priority over community safety and accountability. Rather than holding space for the people most impacted by state violence and colonialism, Fierté chose to appease power, reinforcing the idea that queerness is only acceptable when it doesn’t challenge the status quo.
For us, Pride has to mean more than visibility. It has to mean solidarity, especially with those whose lives and liberation are treated as negotiable. We stand by our choice to boycott Fierté Montréal this year, and we stand with those who continue to demand a Pride rooted in justice, not performance.
What Made Wild Pride Different
Wild Pride felt like a breath of fresh air. There were no logos or brand partnerships, just local organizers, artists, and mutual aid groups coming together to create something meaningful. Accessibility was built into every part of the experience.
All indoor events required masks. Sensory tools were available. There were calm, low-stimulation spaces, seating for rest, and a general pace that made it easier for disabled, neurodivergent, and immunocompromised folks to feel comfortable. Families were welcomed. The space made room for people who are usually excluded or expected to push through inaccessibility.
Because there wasn’t pressure to perform or sell, the atmosphere was calm and open. People stayed to talk. The workshops were small, personal, and intentional. Tabling didn’t feel transactional. It felt like a conversation. We had time to connect, to answer questions, and to really hear what people needed.
There was also a deep feeling of solidarity. Groups like RadPride, AGIR, and other grassroots organizers weren’t just sharing space. We were working together, each in our own way, to create something that felt safe and collective. We weren’t competing for attention or recognition. We were showing up for each other, each with a piece of the bigger picture. That kind of shared purpose is rare and something we want to help grow.
Our Offerings During Wild Pride Week
We were so busy during Wild Pride, and we had the chance to engage with our community in ways that felt deeply aligned with our values. We started on Thursday by leading a workshop for a group of pharmacists who wanted to better serve gender-diverse patients. We focused on inclusive language and respectful care, and we were encouraged by their openness and willingness to learn. These small but important moments help shift systems from the inside. Working with allies who are open to learn is one important piece of making Pride inclusive.
On Friday, we took part in Trans Care Day for refugees and immigrants run by AGIR (Action LGBTQIA+ avec les ImmigrantEs et RéfugiéEs). It was a joyful and affirming event filled with music, free services, and community connection. We ran a short workshop on binding and gaffing that was available for translation into French, Spanish, and Arabic. We also offered one-on-one consultations and took measurements for people looking for gender gear, many of whom had never had access to gender-affirming swimwear before.
AGIR generously sponsored custom swimwear for several newcomers attending their upcoming community pool day, making sure they could show up feeling comfortable and confident. One of the main things that was mentioned by the AGIR organizers when we met was that gender diverse newcomers don’t often have access to safe, affirming swimwear for the community pool day that they offer. I was so glad to be able to get them the products they needed to take part in that wonderful program!
We connected with Banana Prosthetics to explore ways we could collaborate instead of compete. Later, we spoke with BlxckCxsper and offered to sponsor the FemmeQueen Realness category at the Queer Legacy Kiki Ball (coming on Aug 16!), providing free gaffs for the winner.
Saturday was spent tabling at the Wild Pride community day and running another intimate workshop. The venue for community day was calm, accessible, and mask-mandatory, which helped create a space where people could safely connect. We had a table where we spoke with attendees about how to measure and choose gender gear, our ethical business practices, and how each purchase contributes to gender-affirming surgeries. We also had many meaningful conversations with other values-aligned businesses.
One moment that stood out while at our table was meeting someone who had experienced police violence and could no longer bind due to rib pain. After trying our Lycra racerback binder, they told us it was the first one they had worn since the incident that didn’t hurt. THAT is why we do what we do.
After tabling at Community Day, we ran a free gaffing and binding workshop (workshop video will be available after Mercury retrograde stops messing with our uploads 😂). The group was small, which allowed for deeper conversations and plenty of time for questions. Participants shared personal experiences and created a space that felt collaborative. We even had a new thoughtful question about wearing tape under a binder led to a conversation that expanded all of our understanding around layering gender gear safely.
And then Sunday…
Why Pride Still Needs to Be a Protest
( trigger warning, police violence ↓ )
It’s easy to forget, especially when mainstream Pride events are pinkwashed with rainbow logos and corporate floats, that Pride is still not a celebration without struggle. The first Pride was a riot that began as a response to police violence, to state repression, and to the demand for queer and trans people to disappear. That history is not behind us.
This year, while Fierté Montréal’s parade was being celebrated in the media and polished for cameras, hundreds of peaceful Pride protesters were brutally attacked by the Montreal riot police. And despite clear evidence that the protests were peaceful until police brutality, mainstream media outlets still falsely portray the demonstrators as instigators of the violence.
Photo by William Wilson
On Saturday night, protesters with Rad Pride gathered in the Village to call out Fierté Montréal’s increasing corporatization and the inclusion of Zionist organizations. The march had barely begun when riot police rushed in, tearing banners, using pepper spray and tear gas, and beating demonstrators and members of the press. When one protester tossed an inflatable unicorn at the police, the police escalated the situation further by shooting tear gas and pepper spray into Parc Émilie-Gamelin, where families, children (including at least one baby under the age of one) and uninvolved bystanders were dancing in the park.
This is not new for those who have protested in Montreal. The SPVM has a long and well-documented history of violence toward protesters, especially when the protests come from marginalized communities. It’s a stark reminder of who is protected and who is policed.
Even on Sunday during the Wild Pride March, which was joyful, peaceful, and full of love, we saw this firsthand. Somewhere between 8,000 and 12,000 people came together in the streets to sing, chant, and dance in support of queer and trans liberation. The energy was beautiful. But at one point, as we turned a corner, police released tear gas into the crowd. There was no threat, no confrontation, and no warning. It felt vindictive.
What stood out, though, was the way the Wild Pride community handled it. Organizers responded with immediate and effective de-escalation. People helped each other without hesitation. We had prepared our own safety supplies and quickly and effectively protected ourselves, and handed out masks to those who didn’t have them. The march didn’t fall apart. It kept moving, joyfully and defiantly, just as it began.
That moment summed up what Wild Pride was about. It reminded us that protest is still necessary, not because we are angry without cause, but because we are building something worth protecting. The systems we are up against haven’t changed, but neither has our resolve.
Pride still needs to be a protest because people are still being harmed for simply existing. And in the face of that, we will keep showing up for each other, with care, with resistance, and with joy.
Thank You For Being Here
Wild Pride was more than a response to what was missing in corporate Pride. It was a reminder of what is possible when care, collaboration, and shared values lead the way. It created space for queer, gender-diverse people and allies to show up fully, to ask questions, access resources, and be met with real support.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who made this week happen. Thank you to the organizers who worked tirelessly to keep each space safe and welcoming. Thank you to our collaborators who continue to show up for the community with skill, creativity, and generosity. And thank you to every person who stopped by our table, joined a workshop, shared their story, or trusted us with a fitting.
This week gave us a glimpse of the world we’re trying to create. A world shaped by mutual support, shared knowledge, and practical care. If you were moved by what happened at Wild Pride, we encourage you to support the organizers and the grassroots groups that made it happen.
There’s still lots of programming going on this week and next, so make sure to check out the schedule! We’re so excited to continue down this new road of Pride and community care. This kind of exchange is something we will carry with us long after the week is over.
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