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Globe and Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
World Pride comes to Washington in the shadow of, and in defiance of, the Trump administration
The World Pride 2025 welcome concert, with pop icon Shakira performing at Nationals Stadium, isn't until May 31. But for host city Washington D.C., the festivities start with a string of localized Pride events beginning with Trans Pride on Saturday. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ rallies, seminars, parties, after-parties and after-after-parties are planned for the next three weeks across the nation's capital, including Black Pride and Latin Pride. It all culminates in a two-day closing festival on June 7 and 8 with a parade, rally and concerts on Pennsylvania Avenue by Cynthia Erivo and Doechii. The biannual international event typically draws more than a million visitors from around the world and across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. But this year's events will carry both a special resonance and a particular sense of community-wide anxiety due to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration. Trump's public antipathy for trans protections and drag shows has already prompted two international LGBTQ+ organizations, Egale Canada and the African Human Rights Coalition, to issue warnings against travelling to the U.S. at all. The primary concern is that trans or non-binary individuals will face trouble entering the country if passport control officers enforce the administration's strict binary view of gender status. 'I think it's a fair assumption that the international numbers won't be as high due to the climate and the uncertainties,' said Ryan Bos, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance. 'At the same time we know that there's an urgency and importance to showing up and making sure we remain visible and seen and protect our freedoms.' Opposition to transgender rights was a key point for Trump's presidential campaign last year and he's been following through since returning to the White House in January, with orders to recognize people as being only male or female, keep transgender girls and women out of sports competitions for females, oust transgender military troops, restrict federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19 and threaten research funding for institutions that provide the care. All the efforts are being challenged in court; judges have put some policies on hold but are currently letting the push to remove transgender service members move forward. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found support for some of his efforts. In February, Trump launched a takeover at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, publicly promising to purge drag shows from the institution's stages. Within days of that takeover, the Kennedy Center abruptly pulled out of plans to host the International Pride Orchestra as part of a week-long series of World Pride crossover events entitled Tapestry of Pride. In the wake of that cancellation, the Capital Pride Alliance cancelled the entire week and moved some of the Tapestry events to alternate venues. Some potential international participants have already announced plans to skip this year's events, either out of fear of harassment or as a boycott against Trump's policies. But others have called for a mobilization to flood the capital, arguing that establishing a presence in potentially hostile spaces is the precise and proud history of the community. 'We've been here before. There is nothing new under the sun,' said D.C. Council Member Zachary Parker, who is gay. 'While this is uncharted territory a fight for humanity is not new to those in the LGBTQ+ community.' A recent editorial in the The Blade by Argentinian activist Mariano Ruiz argued for 'the symbolic weight of showing up anyway,' despite the legitimate concerns. '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? What more powerful declaration than standing visible where he would rather we vanish?' The last World Pride, in 2023, drew more than 1 million visitors to Sydney, Australia, according to estimates. It's too early to tell whether the numbers this year will match those, but organizers admit they are expecting international attendance to be impacted. Destination D.C., which tracks hotel booking numbers, estimated that bookings for this year during World Pride are about 10 per cent behind the same period in 2024, but the organization notes in a statement that the numbers may be skewed by a 'major citywide convention' last year that coincided with what would be the final week of World Pride this year. Still, as the date approaches, organizers and advocates are predicting a memorable party. If international participation is measurably down this year, as many are predicting, the hope is that domestic participants will make a point of attending. 'The revolution is now,' said Parker, the D.C. council member. '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.'
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
World Pride comes to Washington in the shadow of, and in defiance of, the Trump administration
WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Pride 2025 welcome concert, with pop icon Shakira performing at Nationals Stadium, isn't until May 31. But for host city Washington D.C., the festivities start with a string of localized Pride events beginning with Trans Pride on Saturday. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ rallies, seminars, parties, after-parties and after-after-parties are planned for the next three weeks across the nation's capital, including Black Pride and Latin Pride. It all culminates in a two-day closing festival on June 7 and 8 with a parade, rally and concerts on Pennsylvania Avenue by Cynthia Erivo and Doechii. The biannual international event typically draws more than a million visitors from around the world and across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. But this year's events will carry both a special resonance and a particular sense of community-wide anxiety due to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration. Trump's public antipathy for trans protections and drag shows has already prompted two international LGBTQ+ organizations, Egale Canada and the African Human Rights Coalition, to issue warnings against travelling to the U.S. at all. The primary concern is that trans or non-binary individuals will face trouble entering the country if passport control officers enforce the administration's strict binary view of gender status. 'I think it's a fair assumption that the international numbers won't be as high due to the climate and the uncertainties,' said Ryan Bos, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance. 'At the same time we know that there's an urgency and importance to showing up and making sure we remain visible and seen and protect our freedoms.' There's major anxiety over Trump's approach to LGBTQ+ rights Opposition to transgender rights was a key point for Trump's presidential campaign last year and he's been following through since returning to the White House in January, with orders to recognize people as being only male or female, keep transgender girls and women out of sports competitions for females, oust transgender military troops, restrict federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19 and threaten research funding for institutions that provide the care. All the efforts are being challenged in court; judges have put some policies on hold but are currently letting the push to remove transgender service members move forward. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found support for some of his efforts. In February, Trump launched a takeover at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, publicly promising to purge drag shows from the institution's stages. Within days of that takeover, the Kennedy Center abruptly pulled out of plans to host the International Pride Orchestra as part of a week-long series of World Pride crossover events entitled Tapestry of Pride. In the wake of that cancellation, the Capital Pride Alliance cancelled the entire week and moved some of the Tapestry events to alternate venues. Some potential international participants have already announced plans to skip this year's events, either out of fear of harassment or as a boycott against Trump's policies. But others have called for a mobilization to flood the capital, arguing that establishing a presence in potentially hostile spaces is the precise and proud history of the community. 'We've been here before. There is nothing new under the sun,' said D.C. Council Member Zachary Parker, who is gay. 'While this is uncharted territory … a fight for humanity is not new to those in the LGBTQ+ community.' Supporters say showing up would carry symbolic weight A recent editorial in the The Blade by Argentinian activist Mariano Ruiz argued for 'the symbolic weight of showing up anyway,' despite the legitimate concerns. '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? What more powerful declaration than standing visible where he would rather we vanish?' The last World Pride, in 2023, drew more than 1 million visitors to Sydney, Australia, according to estimates. It's too early to tell whether the numbers this year will match those, but organizers admit they are expecting international attendance to be impacted. Destination D.C., which tracks hotel booking numbers, estimated that bookings for this year during World Pride are about 10% behind the same period in 2024, but the organization notes in a statement that the numbers may be skewed by a 'major citywide convention' last year that coincided with what would be the final week of World Pride this year. Still, as the date approaches, organizers and advocates are predicting a memorable party. If international participation is measurably down this year, as many are predicting, the hope is that domestic participants will make a point of attending. 'The revolution is now,' said Parker, the D.C. council member. '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.' ___ Associated Press reporter Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
A Jewish Celebration at the E.P.A. Also Has Some Jewish Critics
It was a moment of religious reflection, perhaps a rare one, in a Washington federal building. Lee Zeldin, the first Jewish administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, on Thursday affixed a mezuza — a parchment scroll inscribed with Jewish prayers, encased in a small rectangular case — to the door frame of his wood-paneled executive office at the agency's headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue. The grandson and great-grandson of rabbis, Mr. Zeldin invited the media, saying he wanted to offer others 'a moment to take a break from their normal routine, and to reflect and think about some other spiritual aspects of their day and their life.' He was joined by other members of the Trump administration and representatives from several Jewish organizations. A rabbi attached a second mezuza to another door frame inside the office suite. A mezuza has verses from the Torah, which commands Jews to inscribe those Hebrew words 'on the door posts of your house.' A mezuza is not required in the workplace, but they are increasingly common in Washington. Several members of Congress have placed mezuzas at their office doors. And, during the Biden administration, Doug Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris, affixed one at the entryway of their official residence. Many Jewish religious leaders praised Mr. Zeldin for publicly celebrating his identity. But for Jewish environmental activists, the reflection was on something different: Mr. Zeldin's role in weakening rules designed to limit pollution and global warming. The obligation to repair the world, or tikkun olam, is a central concept of Judaism. But in his position as leader of the E.P.A., Mr. Zeldin is overseeing a profound overhaul of the agency. He is seeking to reduce staffing to levels last seen during the Reagan administration and working to weaken or repeal more than 30 regulations — all of which are considered burdensome by oil, gas and coal companies — that protect the air, water and climate. Those regulations include limits on greenhouse gas pollution from automobiles and power plants; restrictions on mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause developmental problems in infants and children; and limits on fine particulate matter, one of the most common and deadliest forms of air pollution. 'His repealing dozens of environmental protections is an assault on Jewish values, and I would even say a desecration of Jewish values,' said Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, the founder of Dayenu, a Jewish nonprofit climate organization. There is no single interpretation of how Judaism addresses environmental protection. But Jewish tradition teaches, as do other religious groups, that people are stewards of God's creation. In addition to affixing the mezuza, a rabbi on Thursday also inscribed on parchment Hebrew passages from Genesis and Deuteronomy that are related to the environment and that will be incorporated into a new Torah being created in Washington. One was a commandment to 'work and guard' the Earth. Another passage said, 'Do not destroy its trees, for man is like a tree in the field.' Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, the director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said he was moved by Mr. Zeldin's decision to hang a mezuza by his office door and called it a 'beautiful thing.' But he, too, said he was concerned by Mr. Zeldin's actions as E.P.A. administrator. 'The levers of government can either be pulled to protect the planet and to keep creatures healthy and thriving, or they can be pulled in a way that would preference either corporate interests or the accumulation of wealth at the expense of the planet,' Rabbi Pesner said. 'Our hope for Administrator Zeldin is that as he refines the regulations, that they will be grounded in the same values of not only Jewish tradition but other faith traditions that love this Earth that God gave us,' he said. When asked about those criticisms on Thursday, Mr. Zeldin drew a line between faith and policymaking. 'I am not going to start analyzing the decisions we have to make inside of this building based off various interpretations of everyone's religion across this country,' he said. 'It's based off the law, and our obligations, and the merits and the science.' Others defended Mr. Zeldin's actions. 'To the extent Zeldin is saying we need smart regulations or need to make sure the economy is growing while we also protect the air and water, that's not inconsistent with Jewish values,' said Alex Brill, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative policy research group. 'I don't say that as a Jewish scholar, I say it as a Jewish guy' said Mr. Brill, who has advocated for a carbon price to address climate change. 'We need to protect our environment and we need to protect our economy.' Representative Randy Fine, Republican of Florida, who is Jewish, attended the E.P.A. ceremony and called Mr. Zeldin's mezuza 'a proud statement of our faith.' He also dismissed the criticism by Jewish environmental leaders. 'Look, I think there's a lot of people who use Jewish values very conveniently,' he said, adding, 'I think President Trump has been given an overwhelming mandate to run this country.' Herb Leventer, a professor of philosophy and environmental ethics at Yeshiva University in New York, said it was difficult to specify what Judaism says about sustainability since the Torah has 'a zillion complexities' and apparent contradictions. For example, he said, there is a justification in the Torah for chopping down trees, but it also says that, even at a time of war, a tree that bears fruit must not be felled. Mr. Leventer, who is Orthodox, criticized Mr. Zeldin's event and said he felt a public display of religiosity, particularly by a political figure, was inappropriate. 'It's a common enough thing,' he said of hanging a mezuza in a place of work. But, Mr. Leventer said, 'The public ceremony nature of it in the context of politics leaves a bad taste.' Mr. Zeldin's great-grandfather, Moshe Efraim Zeldin, was an Orthodox rabbi who immigrated from Russia in the early 1900s, and was a leader of the early Zionist movement in Brooklyn. His great-uncle was Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, who founded the Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles, and his grandfather, Rabbi Abraham Jacob Zeldin, founded Farmingdale Jewish Center, a synagogue on Long Island. On Thursday, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch, who led the E.P.A. ceremony, recited the Shema, a central prayer in Judaism, with Mr. Zeldin. Rabbi Shemtov said the administrator's great-grandfather 'couldn't imagine in his wildest dreams that this would be happening here.'
Washington Post
09-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
A perfect economic storm might be coming our way
As the White House continues to take up all our attention with its ongoing tariff war against the world, a little ways down Pennsylvania Avenue, Congress is preparing a budget bill that could prove to be almost as consequential. If lawmakers renew President Donald Trump's 2017 tax cuts, enact all his newly proposed ones and do not cut spending, they will add up to $9 trillion to the national debt over 10 years (according to the nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation.) At that point, America would likely be running among its largest deficits as a percentage of gross domestic product in history — and that's in peacetime with no pandemic. At the same time, Washington is raising tariffs on almost all the country's imports. We might have the makings of a perfect storm in the global economy.
