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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
WorldPride parade-goers march through Washington in defiance of Trump
Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas Members from the DC Public Schools group marching in the parade, sort pride flags for distribution, ahead of the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis A person wearing a costume pulls a cart with an animal figure, during the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis WASHINGTON - LGBTQ+ people and supporters from around the world marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday with a mixture of joyful celebration and a show of defiance in the face of President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route passed within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration, as revelers waved rainbow flags, including one stretching several blocks long, and danced to pulsating beats. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Since returning to office in January, Trump has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Thousands lined the parade route, marched or gathered for a festival on Pennsylvania Avenue with the U.S. Capitol in the background. Neither parade organizers nor police in the District of Columbia estimated the size of the crowd. Parade-goers pledged to preserve remaining rights and fight the Republican president's agenda. "We're going backwards," said Patricia Johnson, 70, who works for a nonprofit group supporting seniors in Washington. "But never give up hope." As the Pride Month of June began, the U.S. Navy took steps to rename an oil tanker that had been named after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, in the Pentagon's latest measure against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. "That pissed me off more than anything. Harvey Milk is one of our heroes," said Mike Brubaker, a retired business analyst from Long Beach, California. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. 'LET THEM SERVE' Parade organizers gave prominent space near the head of the parade to displays of patriotism including military veterans with the banner "Operation Resist" and a group carrying flags for each branch of the armed forces with signs reading, "Let them serve." Washington's Metropolitan Police Department had its own contingent marching in the parade, as did the district's fire department, carrying a sign that said, "Fire doesn't discriminate. Neither do we." The parade route was lined with members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies like Carrie Blanton, a 58-year-old school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was attending her first event for LGBTQ+ rights, saying her religious beliefs previously kept her from showing support. "I wanted to grow as a Christian and realized my own hard-heartedness. This is a way to give back to the community for having been so cold-hearted in the past. God is here for everyone," said Blanton, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election and for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. Lisa Tusick, 62, an accounting clerk from Delaware, said she feared how far Trump may go. "He started with trans kids and he's going to keep going until he gets rid of gay marriage," Tusick said. "We don't want to think about it too much. We just want to enjoy the day." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
WorldPride paraders march through Washington in defiance of Trump
Workers place barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Barricades are placed at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura The Dupont Circle Fountain stands behind barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura A barricade stands at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Workers place barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas Members from the DC Public Schools group marching in the parade, sort pride flags for distribution, ahead of the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis WASHINGTON - LGBTQ+ people and supporters from around the world marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday in a joyful celebration meant to show defiance of President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route passed within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. The parade route was lined with members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies like Carrie Blanton, a 58-year-old school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was attending her first event for LGBTQ+ rights, saying her religious beliefs previously kept her from showing support. "I wanted to grow as a Christian and realized my own hard-heartedness. This is a way to give back to the community for having been so cold-hearted in the past. God is here for everyone," said Blanton, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election and for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. Girard Bucello, 30, a queer writer from Washington, staked out a position near the White House before the head of the parade arrived, saying there was "no better place" than the U.S. capital for WorldPride. "Showing up in D.C. is a way for us to feel safe in a moment that does not feel safe," Bucello said. Washington was chosen as the site for WorldPride before Trump won the 2024 election. Since returning to office in January, the Republican president has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. 'FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED' Event organizers said they were unaware of any counterprotests or anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations planned for Saturday or Sunday. The National Park Service, however, fenced off Dupont Circle, a popular public space, until Sunday night at the request of the U.S. Park Police, which said closure was necessary to "secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences." Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, said it was "frustrated and disappointed" at the closure. "This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting," the alliance said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
