Sherri Berglund visited D.C. for the first time this June. As any first-timer in the nation's capital, Berglund, a San Diego resident, spent time completing the typical D.C. itinerary: memorials, the Eisenhower Building and the Capitol building.
Yet upon arriving at the White House for her very first time, she described feeling something atypical to the other tourist destinations — nauseous.
Berglund brought her infant granddaughter to an event that contrasted her emotions at the White House: World Pride. The international festival is an event intended to promote awareness of issues faced by LGBTQ+ people through events like parades, concerts and rallies.
This year, D.C. celebrated 50 years of Pride celebrations in the city by hosting an international celebration. Intended to be a festival for the entire globe, World Pride offers people from all nations a place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, while typical pride celebrations usually spotlight the queer community of a local area.
Pride-goers closed the three-week celebration with a parade on June 7 and a rally on June 8. At the six hour parade on Saturday, June 7, hundreds of thousands attendees lined up along the 1.8 mile stretch of floats, flags and performers.
Berglund and her granddaughter observed the celebrations from the sidewalk of 14th Street, the festival acting as a foil to her feelings visiting the White House.
“[The festival] is so helpful,” Berglund said. “This is inspiring, and it brings hope.”
June 7: Celebration and declaration at World Pride Parade
Pride celebrations offer LGBTQ+ people a space to celebrate their identity while simultaneously highlighting inequity. Jamal Brown, attending from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, shared his personal evolution, stepping into his truth and seeking connection.
“I used to keep to myself, always focused on work,” Brown said. “But now, I want to build real connections with those like me and those who bring fresh perspectives.”
As discussions unfolded over the weekend, critical issues took center stage — misgendering, discrimination and societal prejudice.
“People always try to shape others into their expectations instead of accepting them as they are,” Brown told The Eagle. “We deserve a world where love, not judgment, leads the way.”
This year, Pride took on another issue as well. President Donald Trump recently penned a series of executive orders targeting the LGBTQ+ community, making hosting the festival in the president’s backyard the perfect declaration.
For D.C. native Donte White-Harris, Pride was more than a moment — it was a statement.
“We are here, we are queer, and we’re standing strong,” White-Harris said.
Mikaela Stephens, a University of California, Los Angeles, graduate student and Fairfax, Virginia, resident, missed the famed West Hollywood Pride festival to attend World Pride with her family. Witnessing participants from across the globe partake in the march solidified Stephens’ excitement to take part in this movement.
“This year in particular, I'm so concerned about trans rights and so much transphobia, homophobia,” Stephens said. “It’s right in your face all the time, and it's affecting students on my campus.”
In the face of hostility towards LGBTQ+ people, Stephens said it was important to continue to vocalize “how much this matters.”
Brian Sink traveled from Boston with his family and partner to attend World Pride. Standing at the barrier separating the parade and attendees, Sink waved a massive flag for all to view.
In clear, white lettering, the flag plainly stated “F— Trump, and f—- you for voting for him.”
“I love [D.C. ]. Trump is a dark cloud over what’s going on,” Sink said. “I think I felt compelled to come out here with family and my partner to add to the numbers to show we're not going anywhere, f— Trump, and we're gonna survive this fascist administration.”
Though Sink explained he felt apprehensive of how the flag may come across, his statement had gone across better than he anticipated.
“It's brought a lot of people joy, it seems. It's felt very cathartic for me as well,” Sink said.
Tucked behind a wall of parade viewers, Barbara Michaelman held her neon poster high enough for those on the opposite side of the street to see. Even across a sea of parade floats and drag queens, any attendee would be able to spot Michaelman’s offer for free mom hugs.
Michaelman, a resident of northern Virginia for the past 30 years, has been attending Pride celebrations since before the pandemic. This year was a whole new experience- not only because of the international aspect, but also because of the stories she heard.
“To hear somebody say I had to go back into the closet because I'm afraid I'm gonna lose my job?” Michaelman said. “I've never heard that at Pride.”
Amid uncertainty for the LGBTQ+ community, Michaelman still saw numerous individuals wearing clothing openly defying Trump’s new legislation. Shirts demanded the president “let them serve,” referencing Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
“What I love about World Pride is the world gets to see we are not what the world thinks we are right now,” Michaelman said. “And that makes me really proud that this area that I call home is hosting World Pride.”
June 8: Rally and march on Washington ‘for freedom’
Despite the humid, rainy Sunday morning, thousands of demonstrators assembled at the Lincoln Memorial. A crowd of umbrellas and ponchos amassed the memorial steps, reflecting the pool and surrounding lawn.
From a large stage, a variety of speakers addressed the crowd. Political figures and members of the LGBTQ+ community alike supplied the crowd with support and stories, reminding them of the purpose of Pride.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance, delivering a speech that underscored the urgency of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
“This isn’t just a celebration,” Harris said. “This is a battle for our future.”
Event organizers reinforced what Pride stands for — a revolution, a demand for justice and an unwavering commitment to equality.
“This isn’t just a party,” Board President of Capital Pride Alliance Ashley Smith told The Eagle in an interview. “This is a rally for our rights,” he added.
Chris Mosier, an Olympic Trial and World Championship athlete in triathlons, duathlons as well as in racewalking, spoke about his experience as a transgender athlete. Mosier made history in 2016 as the first out transgender athlete to join a United States national team different from his sex assigned at birth.
Trump established transgender participants in sports as a massively divisive topic early in his presidency. In May, he withdrew $175 million in federal funding from the University of Pennsylvania, citing the University’s 2021-22 athletic season when a transgender athlete competed for the school in compliance with NCAA guidelines. .
Further, the president’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order said permitting athletes who were assigned male at birth to participate in women’s sports was “demeaning, unfair and dangerous to women and girls.”
Mosier criticized this ban, saying the order was not truly in women's interests.
“If this was really about women, they’d be able to name more than one WNBA player,” Mosier said.
Despite his dissent toward Trump and his policies towards transgender Americans, Mosier said he was still proud to wear his United States jersey as he represents queer and transgender Americans.
Japer Bowles, Director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, reinforced the apparent underlying message of this year’s festival: Pride is more than just a celebration.
“We stand not just as individuals, but as an entire movement,” Bowles said.
The crowd of thousands cheered and partook in call-and-response chants with various speakers, preparing for the march ahead. Though the rain cut some speakers short and melted makeup and posters, demonstrators persevered.
“Rain will not stop us,” Bowles said to the crowd. “And after the rain, we’ll bring rainbows.”
This article was edited by Samantha Skolnick, Neil Lazurus, Abigail Hatting and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting and Emma Brown.
