Latest news with #TransPride
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
'We see you': In Trump-era Washington, World Pride 2025 organizers aim to bring 'hope' to LGBTQ+ community
Pride Month in the nation's capital this year is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of participants across three weeks of programming consisting of over 300 events for World Pride 2025, an annual international festival that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. Organizers for the global celebration this year told ABC News they are emphasizing messages of resistance, resilience and, above all, hope at a time when LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly the transgender community, are being targeted on various fronts by the Trump administration. World Pride 2025 makes its way back to the U.S. for the first time since 2019, when organizers chose New York City to host the festival the same year as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. World Pride 2025 events began May 17 and will culminate the weekend of June 7 and 8 with the annual parade and street festival. Included in the programming are events and partnerships with minority groups, including DC Latinx Pride, API Pride, Trans Pride, DC Black Pride, Youth Pride and DC Silver Pride for senior members of the LGBTQ+ community. Ryan Bos is the executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which organizes Pride Month programming in D.C. each year. He has been spearheading the planning of World Pride since last year and says that the celebration this year is "more important than ever." "It's surreal on days to think that the country that I was born into, the country that I have grown to have a lot of pride in -- a country that I have devoted my professional and personal time in regards to creating spaces for people to feel welcome, to feel included, to make sure people feel seen and are valued -- that in that country, we are now in a space where overtly, our federal government is saying certain people aren't as valued," Bos said. "And that hurts, and it's scary." During his first weeks in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government will only recognize a person's gender assigned at birth. More executive orders targeted the transgender community in the military and in athletic spaces. Marissa Miller, founder of the National Trans Visibility March, said that with attention focused on her community, this year, "humanity is on the line." "This is a revolutionary time," she said. "We've been somewhere near here before, but I think that it's been a while since we have been here." As a Black transgender woman, Miller emphasized that some members of the community have always felt like they had target on their backs. "These are dangerous times -- not unprecedented, dangerous times -- for trans people, even more dangerous than they have been because there has been a permission set that says we do not exist," Miller said. In leading Pride Month planning this year, Bos said that security and safety have been at the forefront of many conversations. While D.C. is ready and welcoming, he said that it's important for attendees and participants to understand any potential risks their international friends may have in travel. Organizers and groups from several countries have already opted out of coming to World Pride this year, including those from Canada and some countries in Africa, Miller told ABC News. Ry Schissler, a swimmer and cyclist from Toronto who decided not to travel to the United States for World Pride this year, citing decisions by the Trump administration. Schissler, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary, holds Canadian-American dual citizenship. Schissler's team, the Toronto Purple Fins, a self-described "gender free" swimming group, had planned to come to D.C. in June for the IGLA+ Aquatic Championships and World Pride, but Schissler didn't want to lead the team to a country where the group didn't feel welcomed. "There's so many benefits to participating in sports, particularly team sports, and ... trans people have been discouraged from that and actively banned from it," Schissler said. "In a lot of cases, it's so important to recognize how difficult it is for us to do that, much less travel internationally, to show up to an event where we're clearly not wanted by a lot of people." Even though Schissler and the rest of the team planned to make the trip, they decided against it in the winter following Trump's executive orders. "Wherever I go, I have to be on my toes. And when I'm outside my comfort zone -- the places that I go and know that there are people to support me -- it's hard," Schissler added. With the Trump administration's executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ spaces and diversity equity and inclusion practices, Bos, the World Pride organizer, said that corporate partnerships this year have been more difficult to secure out of fear of losing federal funding. Another one of Trump's January executive orders not only banned DEI practices in the federal government, but also called on those in the private sector to end what the order calls "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences." According to Bos, some companies that had regularly sponsored Capital Pride in the past were "dragging their feet" to commit to World Pride 2025 as they waited for the outcome of the 2024 presidential election and some eventually backed out or lessened their support. Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Comcast and Darcars are some of the companies that previously supported the Capital Pride Alliance that will not be sponsors for World Pride 2025, according to Bos. ABC News has not received a response after reaching out to the companies for comment. But Bos says that he hopes the community persists, believing that "human decency and respect will ultimately win out." "My hope is that we can show that through World Pride and letting, again, folks know that there are people standing in our corner, that there are people willing to stand up, to be visible, to be heard, and that they're not alone. And that they see hope in the future," he said. 'We see you': In Trump-era Washington, World Pride 2025 organizers aim to bring 'hope' to LGBTQ+ community originally appeared on
18 hours ago
- Politics
'We see you': In Trump-era Washington, World Pride 2025 organizers aim to bring 'hope' to LGBTQ+ community
Pride Month in the nation's capital this year is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of participants across three weeks of programming consisting of over 300 events for World Pride 2025, an annual international festival that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. Organizers for the global celebration this year told ABC News they are emphasizing messages of resistance, resilience and, above all, hope at a time when LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly the transgender community, are being targeted on various fronts by the Trump administration. World Pride 2025 makes its way back to the U.S. for the first time since 2019, when organizers chose New York City to host the festival the same year as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. World Pride 2025 events began May 17 and will culminate the weekend of June 7 and 8 with the annual parade and street festival. Included in the programming are events and partnerships with minority groups, including DC Latinx Pride, API Pride, Trans Pride, DC Black Pride, Youth Pride and DC Silver Pride for senior members of the LGBTQ+ community. Ryan Bos is the executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which organizes Pride Month programming in D.C. each year. He has been spearheading the planning of World Pride since last year and says that the celebration this year is "more important than ever." "It's surreal on days to think that the country that I was born into, the country that I have grown to have a lot of pride in -- a country that I have devoted my professional and personal time in regards to creating spaces for people to feel welcome, to feel included, to make sure people feel seen and are valued -- that in that country, we are now in a space where overtly, our federal government is saying certain people aren't as valued," Bos said. "And that hurts, and it's scary." During his first weeks in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government will only recognize a person's gender assigned at birth. More executive orders targeted the transgender community in the military and in athletic spaces. Marissa Miller, founder of the National Trans Visibility March, said that with attention focused on her community, this year, "humanity is on the line." "This is a revolutionary time," she said. "We've been somewhere near here before, but I think that it's been a while since we have been here." As a Black transgender woman, Miller emphasized that some members of the community have always felt like they had target on their backs. "These are dangerous times -- not unprecedented, dangerous times -- for trans people, even more dangerous than they have been because there has been a permission set that says we do not exist," Miller said. In leading Pride Month planning this year, Bos said that security and safety have been at the forefront of many conversations. While D.C. is ready and welcoming, he said that it's important for attendees and participants to understand any potential risks their international friends may have in travel. Organizers and groups from several countries have already opted out of coming to World Pride this year, including those from Canada and some countries in Africa, Miller told ABC News. Ry Schissler, a swimmer and cyclist from Toronto who decided not to travel to the United States for World Pride this year, citing decisions by the Trump administration. Schissler, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary, holds Canadian-American dual citizenship. Schissler's team, the Toronto Purple Fins, a self-described "gender free" swimming group, had planned to come to D.C. in June for the IGLA+ Aquatic Championships and World Pride, but Schissler didn't want to lead the team to a country where the group didn't feel welcomed. "There's so many benefits to participating in sports, particularly team sports, and ... trans people have been discouraged from that and actively banned from it," Schissler said. "In a lot of cases, it's so important to recognize how difficult it is for us to do that, much less travel internationally, to show up to an event where we're clearly not wanted by a lot of people." Even though Schissler and the rest of the team planned to make the trip, they decided against it in the winter following Trump's executive orders. "Wherever I go, I have to be on my toes. And when I'm outside my comfort zone -- the places that I go and know that there are people to support me -- it's hard," Schissler added. With the Trump administration's executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ spaces and diversity equity and inclusion practices, Bos, the World Pride organizer, said that corporate partnerships this year have been more difficult to secure out of fear of losing federal funding. Another one of Trump's January executive orders not only banned DEI practices in the federal government, but also called on those in the private sector to end what the order calls "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences." According to Bos, some companies that had regularly sponsored Capital Pride in the past were "dragging their feet" to commit to World Pride 2025 as they waited for the outcome of the 2024 presidential election and some eventually backed out or lessened their support. Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Comcast and Darcars are some of the companies that previously supported the Capital Pride Alliance that will not be sponsors for World Pride 2025, according to Bos. ABC News has not received a response after reaching out to the companies for comment. But Bos says that he hopes the community persists, believing that "human decency and respect will ultimately win out." "My hope is that we can show that through World Pride and letting, again, folks know that there are people standing in our corner, that there are people willing to stand up, to be visible, to be heard, and that they're not alone. And that they see hope in the future," he said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DC prepares for summer filled with major events
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — In the District, officials are planning for a summer full of major events. 'We are proud to be a city that brings people together, and when it comes to hosting major events, no one does it quite like Washington, DC,' said Mayor Muriel Bowser. The summer lineup includes events such as World Pride 2025 from May 17 to June 8. DC bars allowed to be open 24 hours for WorldPride, FIFA matches 'It's a time we all must remain visible, stand up, show up,' said Ryan Bos, Executive Director of the Capital Pride Alliance. Bos said the District has already held its Trans Pride and Black Pride events. This weekend will mark the welcome ceremony and concert at Nationals Park, featuring Shakira. Next weekend is the Pride Parade. 'World Pride and Pride in general is universal. It's about having a safe space regardless of how we identify. To be there and be our authentic self,' he said. Police Chief Pamela Smith said her team has been planning for World Pride for about a year. At this point, she said there is no known credible threat. 'MPD will have an increased presence citywide,' said the Chief. 'We will activate our specialized units, and we will supplement our department with officers from our neighboring jurisdictions. These officers will assist with crowd management, traffic control, and maintaining a strong public safety presence throughout the duration of the festivities.' Her team will continue to monitor intelligence and adjust as needed. WMATA is also making adjustments for World Pride. Metro will run until 2 a.m. June 6th through June 8th, with the yellow line extended to Greenbelt. Tap-to-go also launched this week, allowing customers to pay their fare by tapping their credit or debit card. Other major upcoming events include the annual Fourth of July celebration, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the 250th Army Parade, set for June 14th. 'The Army 250 and the display of equipment and history of the army may be pretty spectacular,' said Bowser. Bowser said planning information from the District is limited at this time, as the event is a designated National Special Security Event, meaning the US Secret Service takes the lead on planning security. However, she did note the NTSB alerted her and her team that there could be disruptions to the airspace that weekend. As with all major events, Bowser reminds people that if they see something, say something. 'Something that doesn't feel right, doesn't look right, doesn't sound right to you,' she said, For more information on World Pride, text DC World Pride to 888-777. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sir Ian McKellen to front adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night featuring only trans and non-binary cast
Sir Ian McKellen will open a new adaptation of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night starring only trans and non-binary performers. The Lord of the Rings legend, 86, who is a longtime LGBTQ + advocate, will join the performance in London on July 25. Sir Ian is expected to introduce the adaptation of Twelfth Night - but will not be playing any of the roles. It is being produced by the theatre company Trans What You Will and will be staged at The Space Theatre - on the eve of London Trans Pride. The show is expected to explore the themes of gender identity and queerness through a trans lens. Sir Ian, who is openly gay, said: 'Twelfth Night is perhaps the funniest and most moving of Shakespeare's plays. 'This is achieved through the complexity of gender and sexuality from first to last. 'I'm really looking forward to the impact of this latest version of the play at The Space. I hope to see you there!' Twelfth Night follows the story of Viola who disguises herself as a man called Cesario to work for a Duke but falls in love with him. The Duke, however, is already in love with Countess Olivia - who subsequently falls for Viola, thinking she is a man. Director Phoebe Kemp said: 'Twelfth Night already toys with gender and performance, it feels like Shakespeare wrote it for us. 'This reading is about joy, solidarity and showing what's possible when trans and nonbinary artists are at the centre of the story.' Trans What You Will spokesperson added: 'With mistaken identities, cross-dressing, and declarations of love across shifting gender roles, Twelfth Night has long explored the complexity of identity. 'This production makes that queerness explicit, reclaiming the story through the lived experiences of trans and nonbinary artists.' However, the announcement of the performance has sparked some backlash on social media. Journalist and Reform UK councillor Darren Grimes posted on X: 'This isn't 'inclusive.' It's absurd. 'The arts have become a playground for ideology, not excellence. Shakespeare didn't need rewriting — and neither does reality. While another user posted on X: 'Are they legally allowed to hire only trans actors? Does that not breach the Equality Act?' A third said: 'More taxpayer money wasted on 'national treasures' and their silly virtue signalling pet projects, whilst young artists get nothing.' The Equality Act, which was passed in 2010, does allow exemptions in the field of casting where the characteristics are essential for the role being cast. Others, on the other hand, welcomed the announcement. One person wrote on Instagram: 'Booked the live stream. Exciting!' Another added: 'Ahhh this is incredible!! Congrats!!' Sir Ian has appeared in many Shakespeare plays, including Richard II, Macbeth, Coriolanus, Iago, Richard III, and King Lear. He is openly gay, having famously come out in 1998 during a BBC radio interview aged 48. Since then, he has been one of the most prominent British gay stars and is an advocate of LGBTQ+ issues.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Sir Ian McKellen to open trans Shakespeare production
Sir Ian McKellen will support an all-transgender and non-binary version of Twelfth Night. The Shakespearean actor, 86, will introduce the one-night-only performance at the Space Theatre in London. It will consist of a reading of the play conducted entirely by those who identify as non-binary or transgender. The play will also be directed by Phoebe Kemp, who prefers they/them pronouns, in a new London production. The production will also include a trigger warning alerting viewers to the fact that the comedy contains 'Shakespearean humour'. Kemp said: 'Twelfth Night already toys with gender and performance – it feels like Shakespeare wrote it for us. This reading is about joy, solidarity and showing what's possible when trans and non-binary artists are at the centre of the story.' The performance will take place on July 25, on the eve of a scheduled Trans Pride march through London. The production will be the first staged by theatre company Trans What You Will, which is 'in the business of putting on Shakespeare with trans and non-binary performers'. The company has stated: 'We believe in the importance, now more than ever, to provide opportunities for those under the trans umbrella to come together and make us laugh and cry and show the world how precious and wonderful gender diversity can be.' Mistaken identity Twelfth Night is known for the comedic tropes of mistaken identity and gender-swapping disguises. Twins Viola and Sebastian are shipwrecked on an island, ruled by lovelorn duke Orsino. Viola, disguised as a boy, falls in love with Orsino, who is in love with countess Olivia. The countess, meanwhile, falls in love with Viola, whom she believes is a man. In the end, all cases of mistaken identity are resolved and the main characters are paired off for marriage. The play's new version will not be the first time that casting decisions on Shakespearean works have been used to aid diversity and boost minority representation. London's Globe theatre has consistently staged gender-fluid productions, in which famous roles are played by people of either gender. In 2022, the theatre made Joan of Arc non-binary. The Maid of Orleans, a saint who led the French fight against the English in the Hundred Years' War, was given the pronouns 'they/them' rather than 'she/her'. Women's rights campaigners raised concerns that the move was an example of female figures being 'erased' from history. The issue of racial representation has also caused controversy, with performances of Slave Play holding 'black out nights', to which only non-white people were invited. This was to ensure that the intended all-black audience would be free from the 'white gaze'. A spokesman for Rishi Sunak, the prime minister at the time, said it was 'concerning' that West End shows were seeking to racially segregate audiences.
