The press in Washington | A message for Trump

Despite the concerns of the security and boycott of activists outside the country, a festive and noisy crowd of hundreds of thousands of people celebrated WorldPride in the American capital. An important and historic parade for the LGBTQ+ community in the United States.

A few hundred thousand people applauded the very long procession on Saturday which paraded for five hours on a journey of more than three kilometers in downtown Washington. The crowd was however less dense than that of two to three million people hosted by the organizers of the WorldPride, the absence of visitors from abroad having been felt.

The participants celebrated, but also manifested loud and clear against the Trump administration. “Freedom is not a crime,” read a banner. Brett and Calvin, twins, traveled from Palm Springs. On site, they fraternized with Gwen and Chrissy Brown, Hampton, Virginia. “We could not miss this pride, in the current political context where we see our rights melt one after the other. »»

Anti-Trump slogans could be read, including the one with the word starting with an F, on several t-shirts and macaroons. Others were more moderate, such as this banner of Trans veterans of the American army: “Bravoure has no gender”. Or that on the municipal firefighters truck: “Fire does not discriminate. We either. Hundreds of people also deployed a 300-meter-long rainbow flag! “Let’s save our flag. Let’s stop hatred. Let’s stop lies. »»

Laverne Cox trauma

Just before departure, with the “dykes on bikes” which, for 50 years, have opened the parade by making their motorcycles, the actress Trans Laverne Cox addressed to the media. “Since last November, old trauma has resurfaced. I remembered the time when I saw myself as a monster. We have to love ourselves and fight fascism. I do not trust the Republicans or in any government. But I have confidence in you! »»

The political message of this WorldPride was clear. Since the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House, his administration has collided front with the LGBTQ+community. In six months, the president adopted a series of decrees that mainly target trans and non -binary people.

But also symbols of their struggle, such as recognition of the month of pride; Or the naval supply ship baptized in honor of the homosexual activist and politician Harvey Milk, assassinated in 1978.

We should also mention the decrees to prohibit the presence of trans persons in the army and the prohibition of the transition for minors. To end the “transgender delirium”. And a decree excluding transgender athletes from female sports categories. Latest attack against these people, the president plans to cut federal state subsidies to schools that would allow transgender students to be members of women’s sports teams.

Last May, the Trump administration also saved in health research by canceling half of the federal subsidies – around $ 800 million – to programs helping LGBTQ+patients, and withdrawn the medication of the Medicare program for HIV patients.

“We must not agree with this administration and its horrible decrees against members of our community. We have to go out to stand up to the people who wish to see us disappear, “said June Crenshaw, director of the capital Pride Alliance, the organization that oversees the WorldPride 2025. Same bell in the part of the Democrat mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, who walked with his family” to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

We saw posters Make America Gay Again. But no red Maga cap along the journey, supervised by a strong police presence and trailers to block the intersections and avoid attempts to attacks béliers.

The dean of the parade

The press No doubt met the dean of the parade, Randy Wicker. At 87, he came from Hoboken, New Jersey, with friends because he finds it important to go out on the street, even at his age. “I was there before the riots of Stonewall, with Marsha P. Johnson,” he said. He talks about the trans activist and a figurehead of the revolt that took place for a week in New York, in June 1969, after a police descent at the Stonewall bar. The event is considered to be the founding act of the movement for LGBTQ+ rights in the world.

Darlene, a trans woman, came with her spouse Monica d’Atlanta at the WorldPride. She prefers not to give her last name. She has just lost her job at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and does not want to harm the public health organization. “I am one of the hundreds of thousands of federal employees licensed with the DOGE cups, the Department of Government Elon Musk. I saw political polarization at the heart of my own family. My mother is a democrat, my father is pro-Trump. »»

Does his father accept his gender transition? “He has no problem with that. My father supports Donald Trump because he loves firearms. For him, shooting is a sport. Like golf … “

Divorce

The divorce between the LGBTQ+ community and Trump in the United States seems final. “Trump’s attacks on our community have dissuaded foreign visitors from coming to the WorldPride this year. However, despite this hindsight, we are not going to erase ourselves. We will continue to celebrate and protest, even if our “allies” fall like flies under the petty threats of Trump, “says Kevin Naff, editor of the chief of the chief of the Washington Bladethe only LGBTQ+ media to have access to the White House, referring to the withdrawal of many companies once sponsors of the Pride in 2025. However, several companies were displayed during the parade.

Kevin Naff feared that this 50^e Anniversary of Capital Pride be “a Dark Pride”. However, people have come in large numbers to recall that their city has been a very progressive and pro-LGBTQ place for decades for decades.

Is he pessimistic for the future of his community in the United States? “Like many of my friends, I think about expatriating myself by my retirement. The Americans elected a criminal as president. How can you go below? »»

If Donald Trump does not recognize the parade or the month of pride, the president confirmed this month the holding of a military parade on the National Mall. It will be made up of 150 military vehicles and tanks, 50 planes and nearly 7,000 soldiers. The celebration will take place next Saturday, June 14. To mark the 250^e army anniversary … and the 79^e President’s anniversary.

Washingtonians are already talking about the “Trump Parade” with disdain. And they want it to attract fewer people than pride.