From parading the streets of Pennsylvania Avenue to marching in resilience at the Lincoln Memorial, WoldPride 2025, celebrated in alliance with D.C. Pride, culminated its three-week series with a nod to the storied rejoice and resilience of the Pride movement of more than 50 years.
An estimated crowd of hundreds of thousands – whether atop the floats of Saturday’s Pride Parade, or rallying in arms bright and early Sunday – swarmed the nation’s capital unmoved by hot temperatures, violent acts, or the Trump administration’s decisions to roll back protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
For parade attendee Marz Disco X, who uses “they/he” pronouns, the celebratory momentum was just as evident as the continuous strive for LGBTQ freedoms; though, they noted a moment of unity amid the backdrop of the June 7 tradition.
“Looking across the street, seeing people selling trans flags, it means the world,” they said. “The vibes have been off in D.C., since January, even since before that, so seeing the world come together really means everything.”
WorldPride (May 17-June 8), which hosted its first year in Washington, D.C., was held at a time of blatant attacks against the queer community, with numerous executive orders pushing for the elimination of trans and gender identity protections and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
Revered ‘Empress of Pride’ Rayceen Pendarvis shared how this year’s festivities underscored the mission to continue the fight, reflecting on the breadth of LGBTQ+ culture in all its unapologetic glory.
“Seeing the smiles on people’s faces, receiving the hugs from individuals who are experiencing Pride for the very first time, meeting people from all over the world, teaches me the importance of why we must continue to stand in our light,” Pendarvis told The Informer. “Pride is far greater than parades, parties and people. It’s the spirit of resilience, determination, liberation, freedom and justice.”
Inaugural Organizer Reflects on 50 Years of ‘D.C. Pride’
Kicking off at 2 p.m. on 14th Street & T Street, the June 7 WorldPride Parade — combining the annual Capital Pride parade with the global celebration — was double the fun, amid an all-day festival uplifting D.C.’s LGBTQ+ residents and queer communities worldwide.
While Grand Marshals and lively music topped ornate floats reveled in rainbows, Pennsylvania Avenue transformed with more than 300 groups and causes participating in the parade. Among the marchers advocating for queer visibility include: DC Health initiative Sex Is…, Pro-Palestininan marchers, D.C. 51st State Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, and the Office of the Attorney General, led by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb.
Beyond the tradition’s usual hype, this year was particularly pertinent in recognition of 50 years of D.C. Pride, which began with the inaugural Gay Pride Day organized by Deacon Maccubbin in 1975.
“It’s ironic. The goal probably hasn’t changed much,” said Maccubbin, who served as an honorary co-chair and Grand Marshall at this year’s parade. “The main focus of our original 1975 Pride was that we wanted to help the community organize, we wanted to be visible, we wanted to promote the political agenda. Those things are still high on the agenda for today.”
Maccubbin, who founded D.C.’s first LGBTQ bookstore Lambda Rising in 1974, has told the story of the inaugural block party that came into fruition when someone suggested a local Pride celebration while discussing attending New York’s Pride Day.
That June, 1724 20th Street NW – where the bookstore once stood in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood – turned into a coalition of organizers and game changers united in a mission that’s only blossomed throughout the course of the last 50 years.
Notable evolutions of the D.C. Pride celebrations include scaling from an inaugural crowd of 2,000, to regularly drawing hundreds of thousands to the heart of Washington. In addition, Freddie Lutz, proud owner of Northern Virginia’s only straight-friendly gay bar (Freddie’s Beach Bar), pivoted from skipping the 1975 festivity out of fear of losing his job, to marrying Johnny Cervantes, his partner of 28 years, atop the 2025 WorldPride stage on June 7.
Maccubbin further commended the bout of love and joy present in the large crowds on 14th Street, noting the diversity and inclusion evident in the celebration despite continuous attacks against LGBTQ+ representation.
“There are times when it’s important to be with your own kind, so to speak, and there are times when it’s important to be out in the world with everybody else,” Maccubbin said, “and Pride gives you a chance to do that.”
A March on Washington for the World
Impassioned in a spirit of loud and proud, hundreds gathered on the National Mall on Sunday to commemorate the rich history of Pride and recognize the movement that was established with the New York Stonewall uprisings of 1969.
The International Rally + March on Washington for Freedom demonstrated an empowering intersection of culture, identity, and resilience, amplified through a massive resistance of rainbow flags and protest signs that surpassed the cloudy skies.
As speakers from various backgrounds, cultures and sexual orientations and identities spoke atop the Lincoln Memorial, one message rang clear: No one wins, unless everyone wins.
“When Dr. King marched on Washington in 1963, right here on these steps, he wasn’t just speaking for one group, he was planting a seed for all of us,” said Ashley Smith, board president of Capital Pride Alliance. “This is not just a rally, this is a beginning. We must march towards freedom together.”
The gathering came less than 24 hours after reports of a shooting and double stabbing in Dupont Circle late Saturday night, following a week of pushback over the controversial decision to initially close the historic “gayborhood” amid the weekend of Pride celebrations.
The incident hasn’t been officially linked to Pride festivities, though some attendees, such as Eli Zimmerman, spoke to how threats of violence and upheaval reveal an urgency in societal reform.
“I have to [use] a binder clip because if someone disagrees with me and tries to strangle me, it’ll break,” Zimmerman told The Informer, reflecting on his choice to wear a transgender flag as a cape. “Freedom would be, I get to wear this and I don’t have to think someone’s going to try to strangle me for wearing it.”
Sunday’s event featured dozens of national and international voices, with speeches from musicians, activists, organizers and politicians all gathered to highlight the need for change and solidarity on a local, global and intercontinental scale.
Bianca Sprague, executive director of Trans Pride Washington D.C., touted the necessity to “strengthen our resolve” and build connections among the queer community. Other speakers addressed issues ranging from anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and racial injustice, to immigration rights and healthcare.
The tone was urgent and hopeful, as listeners and speakers alike shared the struggles of liberation and power across borders.
“We are here to tell the world: ‘Enough with the politics of hate,’” said Sen. Carla Antonelli, Spain’s first trans senator, who spoke on stage alongside an English translator. “The world must open its eyes to this miserable smoke screen that the right and far-right have constructed about our lives just to cover up their miseries and the actual policies that they carry out in parallel.”
Some notable activists not in attendance on Sunday touted the generations of freedom fighters that continue to mobilize in a path to justice – not just for queer communities, but all those under attack by Trump legislation.
Maccubbin emphasized the need for more organization in defense of individuals being impacted by attacks on “DEI, or plainly fairness.”
Among multiple priorities, including an increase in volunteerism, voter turnout, and financial support for LGBTQ+ businesses and owners, Pendarvis underscored that the best way to forge longevity is by honoring “the history of what Pride is all about.”
“Our mere existence is the spirit of resilience. To thrive in a time, especially today, it is important for young people to unify, mobilize, get involved,” Pendarvis told The Informer.
To that point, rally-goers like Amy Schwartz recognize that celebrating Pride in its various forms isn’t just about visibility – it’s about responsibility.
“If I’m going to the parade, I’m also going to come to the march. It’s important to celebrate Pride as a protest, as well as a celebration,” said Schwartz. “I’m [here] to show my support and stand in solidarity with my people.”
Despite WorldPride wrapping up, June’s Pride Month is still in full effect, and championing equity for marginalized communities remains a rallying cry year-round.
In the meantime, D.C.’s queer community aims to continue the fearless march towards the bells of liberation, refusing to be erased, silenced or forgotten.
“The future we’re fighting for is not some distant dream or distant reality, it’s happening right now,” said Kelley Robinson, president of Human Rights Campaign, during the June 8 rally. “It’s happening right here and we don’t have a second to waste.”