By Dr. Nasser “Nas” Mohamed–
This year, I wanted to create something that has a radical sense of celebration—to stage an event that doesn’t just speak of our struggle, but celebrates our beauty, creativity, and resilience. From that vision came Threads of Pride (https://bit.ly/4mTyoeq), a fashion show designed to reimagine LGBTQ+ activism as not just protest, but loud, visible, joyful resistance.
As a queer physician and activist, I’m constantly surrounded by the weight of what our communities are facing—fear, instability, attacks on rights and access. The world feels heavy right now, and many of us are tired. But I’ve learned that one of the most effective ways to connect, heal, and move people isn’t always through shouting the loudest. It’s through summoning beauty, joy, and shared humanity.
Why fashion?
Because fashion is political; it’s personal. It’s a language we all speak, whether we realize it or not. Fashion gets people talking in a way that policy briefs never could. When I wear something bold and beautiful, it’s not a look—it’s a message. It invites questions. It starts a dialogue. People pay attention.
When I joined the board of San Francisco Pride, I brought that POV with me. We’ve progressed from protest to platform. But I also want to be clear—Threads of Pride is not “instead of” protest. It is my version of protest, my version of defiance, and my version of pushing back.
Enter Threads of Pride.
It’s not just a show; it’s a step toward economic autonomy.
This event is meant to further a vision of queer resistance grounded in brilliance, creativity, and economic power.
Beyond its symbolic possibilities, Threads of Pride builds bridges, especially to the fashion industry, long celebratory of queerness but rarely structured to uplift LGBTQ+ organizations directly.
For the first time, we’re bringing together designers, including John Varvatos, models, and major fashion houses with a range of local and international LGBTQ+ nonprofits from community health organizations to legal advocacy groups.
Each participating nonprofit will be represented on the runway by color, by story, by presence. Executive directors and social justice leaders will walk, wearing meticulously curated ensembles related to their mission. You’ll see examples such as The San Francisco AIDS Foundation in bold reds, The National Center for Lesbian Rights in rich plums and lavenders, and El/La Para TransLatinas in the soft pastels of the trans flag with bold Latinx hues. Each ensemble is a statement. Each step down the runway is an act of solidarity and an affirmation of civil rights.
But the runway is just the beginning. We are inviting everyone to walk with us (https://bit.ly/3TgkNAk)—literally and figuratively. QR codes in the show program and at the show will encourage people to help the causes spotlighted by donating, volunteering, sharing a skill, and/or spreading the word.
We’re partnering with All Out to spark an international movement using the hashtag #WALKFORUS, turning this celebration into a global call to action.
This is what queer joyous resistance looks like. It’s beautiful, strategic, and deeply personal.
At the end of the day, I hope people walk away with hope. I want them to leave feeling inspired and reminded that, no matter the darkness, there is some kind of beauty in fellowship, and that when rights are at risk, we can create spaces that celebrate who we are and push progress further.
This is not a one-off. We aim to make Threads of Pride an annual feature at San Francisco Pride, and an example of how activism, art, and economic self-sufficiency can come together.
We’re already in conversations with national and international outlets, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. Venue, food, design, and modeling—all have been donated in the service of the collective.
This movement is stitched together with bravery and hue. It’s based on the premise that resistance does not have to be reactive; it can be bright. In that brightness, we construct power.
Join us for the show. Pledge support by signing our petition: https://bit.ly/3TgkNAk
Walk with us. A trailer for Threads of Pride is at: https://bit.ly/3FPdI6N
Dr. Nasser “Nas” Mohamed, M.D., a Board Certified Family Physician at Osra Medical, is a member of the San Francisco Pride Board of Directors.
Pride Month 2025
Published on June 12, 2025
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