From celebration to protest, WorldPride DC rally invokes Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to challenge ongoing attacks on LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities
WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) — In a powerful show of resistance and reflection, LGBTQ+ individuals and allies gathered on Sunday at the historic Lincoln Memorial — the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech — to rally for equality and denounce policy rollbacks under the Trump administration.
The event, one of the marquee political moments of WorldPride 2025, followed Saturday’s celebratory parade through the streets of the U.S. capital. While the parade pulsed with joy and festivity, Sunday’s rally took on a sharply political tone.
Speakers from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum took the stage to condemn former President Donald Trump’s actions during his time in office, particularly executive orders that curtailed transgender rights, banned transgender people from the U.S. military, and dismantled anti-discrimination protections.
They also drew attention to the broader climate of fear for marginalized communities in America — especially trans people, immigrants, and refugees — as nationwide protests erupt in response to aggressive immigration enforcement tactics in cities like Los Angeles, where the National Guard was deployed over the weekend.
“LGBTQI+ people are under siege, especially our trans siblings, who are being targeted by legislation, rhetoric, and violence in every region,” said Ashley Smith, president of the Capital Pride Alliance and one of the rally’s organizers. “Immigrants, refugees, and undocumented folks are living in fear of deportation. This is not the America we dreamed of.”
Mimi Gonzalez, a comedian and activist, brought a moment of levity with a sharply satirical rendition of “I Will Survive,” poking fun at Trump and Elon Musk while celebrating LGBTQ+ solidarity. “Our pronouns,” she said, “are ‘we, us, ours.’ That’s what unites us.”
Meanwhile, the White House under Trump has defended its rollbacks of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs as necessary to prevent “reverse discrimination” and claimed its transgender policies are meant to protect cisgender women. Officials also pointed to openly gay cabinet appointees and judges as proof of inclusivity.
But LGBTQ+ advocates remain unconvinced.
Bianca Sprague, executive director of Trans Pride Washington DC, warned the crowd of an “unprecedented assault” on trans rights, citing a wave of state laws across the country banning gender-affirming healthcare for minors. “These attacks are not just legislative,” she said. “They are deeply personal. They inflict harm, fear, and despair on our community.”
Standing at a site long viewed as sacred ground for the civil rights movement, Smith reminded the crowd of their connection to broader struggles for justice. “When Dr. King marched here in 1963, he wasn’t just speaking for one group,” she said. “He was planting a seed for all of us.”
Despite the significance of the location, attendance at the rally was relatively modest, far from the historic crowd that gathered in 1963. Organizers did not immediately release turnout figures.
Nevertheless, the message was clear: LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, and activists are not willing to surrender decades of hard-won progress. As WorldPride continues across Washington DC, participants vow to keep resisting — loudly, proudly, and with purpose.