After the raucous rainbow-hued festivities of Saturday’s parade, the ultimate day of World Satisfaction 2025 within the nation’s capital kicked off on a extra downbeat be aware.
Greater than 1,000 individuals gathered underneath grey skies Sunday morning on the Lincoln Memorial for a rally that may lead right into a protest march, because the group gathers its energy for a looming struggle underneath President Trump’s second administration.
“This isn’t only a celebration,” Ashley Smith, board president of Capital Satisfaction Alliance. “It is a rally for our lives.”
Smith acknowledged that worldwide attendance numbers for the biannual World Satisfaction had been measurably down, with many potential attendees avoiding journey to the U.S. due to both concern of harassment or in protest of Trump’s insurance policies.
“That ought to disturb us and mobilize us,” Smith stated.
Greater than 1,000 individuals cheered on LGBTQ+ activists taking the stage whereas waving conventional Satisfaction flags and flags representing transgender, bisexual, intersex and different communities. Many had rainbow glitter and rhinestones adorning their faces. They held indicators declaring, “Combat again,” “Homosexual is sweet,” “Ban bombs not loos” and “We is not going to be erased.”
Trump’s marketing campaign in opposition to transgender protections and oft-stated antipathy for drag reveals have set the group on edge, with some hoping to see a renewed wave of avenue politics in response.
“Trans individuals simply need to be beloved. Everyone needs to stay their very own lives and I don’t perceive the issue with all of it,” stated Tyler Cargill, who got here sporting an elaborate costume with a hat topped by a reproduction of the U.S. Capitol.
Wes Kincaid drove roughly six hours from Charlotte, N.C., to attend this yr. Sitting on a park bench close to the reflecting pool, Kincaid stated he made a degree of attending this yr, “as a result of it’s extra necessary than ever to point out up for our group.”
Reminders of the cuts to federal authorities packages had been on full show Sunday. One attendee waved an enormous rainbow flag affixed on the identical employees as a big USAID flag; one other held a “Proud homosexual federal employee” signal; and a 3rd held an umbrella with the logos of assorted federal packages dealing with cuts — together with the PBS emblem.
Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric had fueled fears of violence or protests focusing on World Satisfaction individuals; at one level this spring, rumors circulated that the Proud Boys had been planning to disrupt this weekend’s celebrations. These considerations prompted organizers to put in safety fencing across the whole two-day avenue celebration on a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue.
However to this point, the one clear act of aggression has been the vandalizing of a queer bar final week. Late Saturday night time, there have been violent incidents close to Dupont Circle — one of many epicenters of the World Satisfaction celebrations. Two juveniles had been stabbed and a person was shot within the foot in separate incidents. The Metropolitan Police Division says it’s unclear whether or not both incident was immediately associated to World Satisfaction.
Fernando, Hussein, Martin and Pesoli write for the Related Press.
