WorldPride gathers in Washington as Trump rolls back LGBTQ+ rights
Source: Reuters
June 5, 2025 6:03 AM EDT Updated 9 hours ago
WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - LGBTQ+ people from around the world gather in Washington this week for a parade, a political rally and cultural performances marking WorldPride to channel joy in sexual and gender diversity as well as outrage over the Trump administration's rollback of their rights. WorldPride, which takes place in a different city around the world every two years, has been running for weeks and will continue until the end of June, bringing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators nearly to President Donald Trump's doorstep.
The WorldPride parade will march within a block of the White House grounds on Saturday, and the rally will be held on Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, the site of Martin Luther King's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech. Trump is certain to be the target of protests. He has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banned transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinded anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
His actions have been applauded by conservatives.
As many as three million people, including two million from outside the region, could attend, according to the non-profit travel and trade group Destination DC, even as some potential attendees have suggested a boycott in protest of Trump policies or have raised concerns about safety given the U.S. political climate. The White House did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. It has said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces such as domestic abuse shelters and workplace showers, and has described DEI as a form of discrimination based on race or gender. Proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities.
Ryan Bos, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which is leading WorldPride coordination, said many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer people "fear for their security, their safety, their mental health, and don't see a lot of hope right now." That makes this "the year that we need to ensure that we remain visible and seen so folks know that there's a place for them, that there are people fighting for them," he said.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/worldpride-gathers-washington-trump-rolls-back-lgbtq-rights-2025-06-05/