LGBTQ+ Activists Rally for Visibility at World Pride \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ World Pride 2025 begins in Washington D.C. with a vibrant lineup of LGBTQ+ events, though international attendance may dip due to rising fears over Trump-era policies. Advocates are urging visibility despite the political climate. Shakira headlines the main concert on May 31, with major festivities through June 8.
Quick Looks
- World Pride festivities kick off with Trans Pride on May 18.
- Concert headlined by Shakira set for May 31 at Nationals Park.
- More than 100 LGBTQ+ events planned across Washington, D.C.
- International turnout expected to decline due to Trump policies.
- UN, advocacy groups warn of potential travel risks for trans attendees.
- Concerns over enforcement of binary gender recognition at U.S. borders.
- Kennedy Center pulled out of Pride programming after Trump takeover.
- LGBTQ+ organizers moved events to alternative venues.
- Black Pride, Latin Pride, and two-day closing festival scheduled.
- Capital Pride Alliance calls for visibility amid hostile climate.
- Activists urge showing up as a form of defiance.
- Hotel bookings down 10% compared to same time last year.
Deep Look
As World Pride 2025 descends upon Washington, D.C., the city is bracing for a powerful mix of celebration, resistance, and uncertainty. While the official welcome concert featuring global pop icon Shakira is slated for May 31 at Nationals Park, the festivities begin this weekend with Trans Pride, the first of many localized events culminating in a massive, two-day closing celebration on June 7 and 8. It will include a pride parade, concerts by Cynthia Erivo and Doechii, and a rally on Pennsylvania Avenue.
But unlike previous World Prides, this year’s event unfolds under a cloud of political tension and legal anxiety, largely stemming from the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration, which have taken a sharply conservative turn on LGBTQ+ issues, especially regarding transgender rights.
A Celebration Shadowed by Caution and Concern
World Pride, held every two years in a rotating global city, typically draws over 1 million participants from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum and from around the world. In 2023, Sydney, Australia hosted the event with vibrant success. But this year’s D.C. edition has already been marred by warnings from global advocacy groups and concerns about safety and discrimination under Trump’s renewed presidency.
Organizations such as Egale Canada and the African Human Rights Coalition have gone so far as to advise against travel to the United States, citing potential difficulties at U.S. borders for trans and non-binary travelers under new gender recognition rules.
“It’s a fair assumption that international numbers won’t be as high due to the climate and the uncertainties,” said Ryan Bos, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, the lead organization behind the event. “At the same time, we know there’s an urgency and importance to showing up… to remain visible and protect our freedoms.”
LGBTQ+ Rights Under Renewed Pressure
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has made the rollback of transgender rights a central policy goal. Measures already implemented or in progress include:
- Banning transgender girls and women from female sports competitions
- Removing transgender service members from the military
- Restricting federal funding for gender-affirming care for those under 19
- Threatening research funding for institutions that offer such care
- Enforcing binary gender classification at immigration checkpoints
While many of these efforts are tied up in court challenges, some, like the military ban, are already being enacted. According to an AP-NORC poll, there is mixed public support for some aspects of Trump’s transgender policies, deepening the social divide.
Kennedy Center Fallout and Reshuffling of Events
In February, Trump made waves by asserting control over the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, promising to eliminate drag performances from its programming. Shortly afterward, the Kennedy Center withdrew from hosting the International Pride Orchestra, which was part of a weeklong World Pride crossover event titled “Tapestry of Pride.”
The Capital Pride Alliance responded by canceling the week entirely, relocating events to alternative venues and using the controversy to underscore the need for solidarity in politically fraught spaces.
Activists Split on Whether to Attend – or Boycott
The backlash has had real consequences. Some international performers, delegates, and attendees have chosen to boycott the event as a stance against the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Others, however, have called for a mass mobilization—arguing that defiant participation is the most powerful response.
“We’ve been here before. There is nothing new under the sun,” said D.C. Council Member Zachary Parker, the city’s first openly gay Black council member. “A fight for humanity is not new to those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
In a recent editorial published in The Blade, Argentinian activist Mariano Ruiz echoed that view, writing that “the symbolic weight of showing up anyway” should not be underestimated.
“If we set the precedent that global LGBTQI+ events cannot happen under right-wing or anti-LGBTQI+ governments, we will effectively disqualify a growing list of countries from hosting,” Ruiz wrote. “To those who say attending World Pride in D.C. normalizes Trump’s policies, I say: What greater statement than queer, trans, intersex, and nonbinary people from around the world gathering defiantly in his capital?”
Impact on Tourism and Local Economy
Although precise figures are still forthcoming, early signs suggest that international participation may indeed dip. According to Destination D.C., hotel bookings are 10% lower for the same period in 2024. However, the organization noted that last year’s figures were skewed by a major convention that coincided with Pride Week.
Still, local organizers are optimistic that domestic attendance will remain strong, bolstered by the political importance of the moment and the community’s long-standing tradition of protest through presence.
“The revolution is now,” said Council Member Parker. “There is no greater demonstration of resistance than being present and being you, and that is what World Pride is going to represent for millions of folks.”
What to Expect Over the Next Three Weeks
From Trans Pride to Black Pride, Latin Pride, and a full schedule of rallies, workshops, cultural celebrations, and parties, Washington, D.C. will transform into a vibrant showcase of LGBTQ+ life and resilience. The event will culminate with a grand parade and concerts by award-winning artists on one of the nation’s most historic avenues.
Organizers are encouraging all participants—especially those within the U.S.—to stand in solidarity, especially amid heightened legal and social scrutiny.
As Pride flags unfurl across the capital, the atmosphere may be more defiant than festive, but that, organizers say, is exactly the point.
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