A storm of color, music and solidarity swept the streets of Washington, D.C., as thousands of members and supporters of the LGBTQ+ community flooded the city for World Pride Day. With this year’s event more timely than ever, the message was loud: unity and resistance to Trump’s agenda . The center of power, just four miles from the White House, was transformed into a battleground for rights, with Jennifer Lopez leading the charge.
J.Lo’s Message: “We’re causing mischief in their backyard!”
June, Pride Month, is celebrated around the world – or wherever it’s not criminalized to live your life the way you want. This year, Washington led the way, hosting a massive, celebratory parade and concerts that transformed the city. At the center of the WorldPride Music Fest, Jennifer Lopez took to the Festival Grounds stage at RFK Campus, delivering a message of inclusion, love, and solidarity.
“We’re singing and dancing here in their backyard, making mischief. Yes! That’s what we do,” Lopez told the crowd, expressing her support and gratitude to the community. “Throughout the years, your love and support has been a source of strength for me, and today I’m here to celebrate you. I’m so happy that I can be here to celebrate community, diversity, love and freedom.”
A Star Shines on Pride
In addition to J.Lo, the first day of the event hosted a host of famous artists, including Marina (of Greek and Welsh descent), Paris Hilton , Rita Ora , Galantis , LP Giobbi , Tinashe , Betty Who and Zedd . Paris Hilton, in a rainbow butterfly outfit, closed her set with the iconic “Stars Are Blind”, sending a message of joy and acceptance.
Jennifer Lopez wowed the audience with a sneak peek of her upcoming “Up All Night” tour, which kicks off in Egypt in July. She performed her song “Save Me Tonight” live for the first time, featuring David Guetta, and revealed the trailer for her upcoming film “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” which is due out in October.
“We Are United”: The Resistance in the Streets
In the shadow of the White House’s aggressive policy on LGBTQ+ rights, thousands of people flooded the streets of Washington, sending a clear message. The large gathering took place as part of WorldPride, an international event that this year takes place amid concerns about the restrictions on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community following the re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.
“We need to show this government that we are united and that they cannot defeat us,” said 46-year-old artist and teacher Amy Frohlich , wearing a rainbow jumpsuit. “All the laws, all the protections that we worked so hard for, are being overturned. We need to stand up for our trans brothers and sisters.”
The “Biological Truth” and the Reactions
Since the beginning of his new term in the White House, Donald Trump has targeted the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, with a particular focus on transgender people. On his inauguration day, he declared that there are “two genders, male and female,” and a single “biological truth.” Since then, he has tried to ban LGBTQI+ people from serving in the military and limit access to gender transition treatments.
The White House, for its part, argues that Trump’s policy is aimed at protecting women’s rights by keeping transgender women out of spaces reserved for women. It also points out that Trump has appointed openly gay people to government positions or the judiciary, and that his administration has taken steps to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide. “The president is honored to serve all Americans,” White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a statement.
Voices of Resistance and Hope
At the forefront of the march was Laverne Cox , the transgender American actress known for the series “Orange is the New Black.” “I knew I had to be here, surrounded by my community, because you give me so much hope. I don’t trust our government (…) but I have faith in you, in each and every one of you,” she said from her podium, as the government’s policies worry everyone.
“People are hiding again,” activist and academic Jeannie Kinsey commented with concern. Bill George , 74, who has taken part in dozens of marches since coming out about his sexual orientation in 1975, stressed: “Conservatism is a wave that is attacking us again. So we are protesting against everything that it does that seems unfair to us.”
International Pride Day in Washington was not just a celebration. It was a statement. A statement that love, diversity, and inclusion will continue to fight for visibility and acceptance, even in the “backyard” of rivals.
