Billie Jean King to marshal NYC Pride

Billie Jean King is just one of the big names that has been announced as a marshal at NYC Pride.

The tennis champion, who has been a pioneer in the LGBT rights movement, will join thousands of Pridegoers to celebrate the LGBT+ movement to a place of prominence at the beginning of the March.

This year’s NYC Pride March also undergoes a change to its iconic route along 5th Avenue, which will see it trace the original steps of campaigners who fought for gay rights in the city’s first pride.

Jean King will be joined by Lambda Legal, the legal campaigners who are in the frontline fighting President Trump’s transgender military ban.

Billie Jean King

Agender advocate Tyler Ford will also join the marshals, as well as OutRight Action International’s Kenita Placide in a politically-charged line-up.

“This year’s selection of Grand Marshals, bring forth the very essence of what it means to be ‘Defiantly Different’ in social and political unrest,” said Julian Sanjivan, NYC Pride March Director.

“King, Lambda Legal, Ford, and Placide are defiantly brave, defiantly unique, and defiantly a share of our wondrous LGBTQ+ community.”

The 49th NYC Pride March will take place on 24 June 24 at 16th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan.