WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., was meant to be a global celebration of resilience, history, and solidarity. But with the event just weeks away, it has become the center of an international debate over safety and visibility for LGBTQ+ people under the Donald Trump administration’s sweeping rollback of rights.
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On Saturday, the African Human Rights Coalition called for a boycott of WorldPride, citing grave concerns about the safety of foreign LGBTQ+ attendees, especially transgender individuals and people of color. The organization, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Africans and asylum seekers, likened attending WorldPride in the U.S. to legitimizing apartheid-era South Africa, arguing that visibility in a hostile environment does not guarantee safety or progress.
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“The United States is no longer a free democratic country that WorldPride signed up for,” AHRC Executive Director Melanie Nathan wrote in a statement. She pointed to recent anti-LGBTQ+ policies, the administration’s gutting of asylum protections, and increased hostility toward trans and nonbinary people as reasons for the boycott.
Organizers of WorldPride are pushing back against the boycott call, emphasizing that participation in the event is an act of resistance.
“A boycott of WorldPride sends the wrong message,” Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said in a statement to The Advocate. “We need to show up together, show resilience and resistance to ensure we remain visible and heard.”
WorldPride, licensed by InterPride and put on by Capital Pride this year, is a global LGBTQ+ gathering that has been hosted in cities such as New York, Toronto, and Sydney. This year’s event, set for May 17 to June 8, coincides with the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital and is expected to draw millions from around the world.
Related: Booz Allen Hamilton drops sponsorship of WorldPride, cites Donald Trump's anti-DEI order
Despite the boycott call, organizers have insisted previously that cancelingor relocating the event is not an option. Instead, they argue that WorldPride in D.C. is an opportunity to push back against the administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies and demonstrate collective strength.
The AHRC remains firm in its warning, particularly for transgender people and other marginalized groups who may face increased risks when entering the U.S.
“Trans people especially will not be safe entering U.S. airports or crossing borders for this event,” the AHRC stated. The group warned that foreign visitors — regardless of visa status — could face heightened scrutiny, denial of entry, or placement in detention centers that do not recognize their gender identity.
In February, a directive from the State Department, spearheaded by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, raised alarms over potential travel restrictions for transgender people entering the U.S. The memo, which the administration framed as a policy targeting transgender athletes, included language requiring all visas to reflect an applicant’s sex at birth. Immigration attorneys and LGBTQ+ advocates warned that the vague wording could be used to deny visas to any transgender person, not just athletes.
Since Trump took office in January, LGBTQ+ people who have made plans to attend WorldPride have raised concerns in online forums dedicated to this year's events. However, D.C. residents in those forums often explain to visitors that the District is more than just the federal government.
Related: WorldPride 2025 expects huge ‘visibility’ march & rally in D.C. amid Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ agenda
Capital Pride Alliance has emphasized that it is working with law enforcement and federal agencies to ensure safety, but the AHRC argues that under Trump’s leadership, those agencies cannot be trusted. The group has urged attendees to consider whether traveling to the U.S. is worth the potential risk.
Bos directly addressed these concerns, offering reassurance to transgender and nonbinary people considering attending WorldPride.
“To the transgender and nonbinary people who are considering joining us in D.C. for WorldPride, I want you to know that we are working tirelessly with agencies and advocates to ensure that you are able to safely and securely travel to and from the U.S.,” Bos said. “Our local community is vibrant and diverse, and we are excited to welcome everyone. For those that choose not to, or are unable to, join us in D.C., know that we need you to remain a part of this movement. Please stay active where you are and join us virtually if you are able.”
Organizers say that rather than a purely celebratory event, WorldPride 2025 will serve as a direct act of protest. A large-scale march and rally is planned for June 8, modeled after the 2017 Women’s March, to highlight global LGBTQ+ struggles.
Still, the political climate has already had an impact. Booz Allen Hamilton, a major defense contractor, recently withdrew its sponsorship, citing Trump’s executive orders restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Percerforming Arts, now under Trump’s leadership, also removed a National Symphony Orchestra concert tied to WorldPride from its website, raising concerns about LGBTQ+ erasure from cultural institutions.
Related: Kennedy Center scrubs LGBTQ+ Pride concert after Donald Trump takeover
Even as political tensions escalate, WorldPride is moving forward with its full slate of events, including the largest LGBTQ+ music festival in history. The festival, running June 6-8, will feature performances from Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, Doechii, Kim Petras, and RuPaul, among others.
In a major moment for visibility, R&B star Khalid, who was outed last year, will perform at the free WorldPride DC Street Festival and Closing Concert on June 8, Out, The Advocate's sibling publication, reports. The Grammy-nominated artist, who has largely kept his personal life private, confirmed his sexuality in November after social media speculation. Now he will be celebrating with the LGBTQ+ community in what will be his first Pride event.
