Aliyah Proctor is deeply passionate about LGBTQ+ advocacy and engagement. In January 2023, she became the Board Secretary for Zebra Youth, a non-profit organization focused on empowering LGBTQ+ youth to thrive.
In January 2024, she joined the Board of Directors for Come Out With Pride (https://comeoutwithpride.org), the non-profit organization that every October hosts the Orlando Pride Parade. For her, itโs all about blending purpose with passion and bringing that energy into everything she does.
Traveling is hands down her favorite hobby. She enjoys discovering new cultures through their music, scenery, and most importantly their food. She is also an ordained minister, having performed her first lesbian marriage in July 2024.
Orlando Pride
How long have you been living in Orlando and why did you first move here?
My Orlando journey started back in August 2013, and itโs been an incredible ride ever since. I relocated after receiving my acceptance letter to the University of Central Florida where I earned my BA in Sociology. The decision to move to Orlando was pretty simple because the school was my top choice, and Orlando was just the right distance from my family. Far enough to feel independent, but close enough for a quick visit and home-cooked meal. Iโve been in the City Beautiful ever since and have loved getting involved in the local community.
Come Out With Pride Group (Photo by Corey Williams)
There are a number of large LGBTQ+ events in Orlando. Which events would you recommend most to someone whoโs planning on visiting Orlando?
The Come Out With Pride Orlando Pride Parade (https://comeoutwithpride.org/) is absolutely one of the top events in the city! It occurs every October, usually the 2nd Saturday of the month, and it will be held this on October 18, 2025. I would strongly recommend participating in the event if you can. It is a BLAST. If your organizationโs Orlando location participates in the parade, it would be an enriching experience to walk in the parade or join a float.
Girls in Wonderland Outdoor Group (Photo by Girls in Wonderland)
While Orlando hosts a wide variety of large-scale LGBTQ+ events, many tend to cater primarily to the gay male community. Thatโs why it’s especially important to highlight Girls in Wonderland (GIW) ย an extraordinary weekend dedicated to women who love women. Hosted every June in Orlando, GIW offers a full lineup of signature pool parties, nightlife events, and appearances by queer celebrities from across the country. The Saturday pool party is a MUST. It features hundreds of lesbians and women loving women in a pool with drinks and great entertainment!
For my Disney lovers, RED Shirt Pride Day (https://www.visitorlando.com/event/red-shirt-pride-day-2025/15975/) at Magic Kingdom takes place annually on the 1st Saturday in June. Some folks call it GayDays @ Disney but it isnโt an official Disney event. You can purchase a normal Disney admission ticket, but donโt forget to rock your red shirt!
Red Shirt Group (Photo by Gay Days Inc)
What other events, large or small, are happening during 2025 in Orlando that might be of interest to the LGBTQ+ community?
Come Out With Pride is hosting Orlandoโs first Queer Juneteenth event this year, and I couldnโt be more excited! Love & Liberation: A Boldly Unapologetic Juneteenth Pride Celebration (https://www.eventeny.com/events/love-liberation-a-boldly-unapologetic-juneteenth-pride-celebration-20112/) is a one-of-a-kind experience that uplifts the voices, history, and contributions of Black queer and trans communities while honoring the continued fight for liberation. Outside of these major events, we have our outstanding Orlando Pride (https://www.orlandocitysc.com/pride/) womenโs soccer team with games going on all throughout the summer. It is so much fun to catch a game at Inter & Co stadium.
What are your favorite LGBTQ+ or LGBTQ+-friendly hangouts these days?
District Dive
I really love District Dive on a Saturday night for drinks with friends and great music. We will likely venture into Southern Nights to see a phenomenal drag performance as well as GIRL the Party (https://www.facebook.com/girltheparty/), a lesbian burlesque performance put on every Saturday night by Ivy Les Vixens and her burlesque troupe. Both District Dive and Southern Nights are dedicated LGBTQ+ spots. There are so many LGBTQ+ friendly hangout spots in the Mills 50 District (https://www.visitorlando.com/things-to-do/beyond-theme-parks/neighborhoods/mills-50/) of Orlando. It is my favorite area of town due to the artsy vibe and amount of craft cocktail lounges. I would strongly recommend stopping by Sunroom (https://www.sunroomcocktails.com/) for a lovely martini and then walking over to TaKo Cheena (https://www.instagram.com/takocheena/?hl=en) for some damn good tacos.
Do you have any interesting anecdotes or comments that youโd like to share with the LGBTQ+ community about Orlando Orlando is so much more than the theme parks, and the city has way more to offer once you step outside of that bubble. I-Drive (https://www.internationaldriveorlando.com/) has that fun, touristy energy, and Winter Park (https://www.visitorlando.com/things-to-do/beyond-theme-parks/neighborhoods/winter-park/) feels like a little hidden gem with great food and art. We donโt have a huge number of LGBTQ+ spaces, but honestly, almost everywhere Iโve gone has felt super welcoming and inclusive.
(Photo by Corey Williams)
Please finish this sentence: Donโt leave Orlando withoutโฆ
Stopping by the Pulse Memorial (https://www.pulseorlando.org/Memorial) if you can. It is important to honor the lives that were stolen and the strength that rose from tragedy. The Pulse shooting shattered Orlando, but it also ignited an unbreakable bond within our LGBTQ+ community. The memorial stands as a powerful and beautiful tribute to the 49 angels we lostโgone but never forgotten. We live boldly for them. We love fiercely for them. And we never stop fighting for them.
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11 Fantastic LGBTQ_ Events That Make Orlando a Rainbow Paradise
11 Fantastic LGBTQ+ Events That Make Orlando a Rainbow Paradise
