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During the week, when the city was deeply reminiscent of the trauma of the country, with the March of Our Lives at the National Mall and the Capitol Uprising Hearings, the DC Capital Pride Parade on Saturday was an exercise in joy.
Bubbles were flying, drag queens were pushing, children were rejoicing over their parents’ shoulders.
Thousands gathered for the parade, which returned entirely in person after two years of modified celebrations due to the pandemic. The long celebration spread along a 1½ mile route through Shaw, Logan Circle and Dupont Circle of neighborhoods.
Zanet Olson, 50, her two daughters and one of their friends arrived at the parade after attending the March for Our Lives rally earlier in the day. Exhausted after participating in anti-gun protests, they were thrilled to enjoy the Pride celebrations.
Still, Olson said they know they are not only there to celebrate, but to continue to stand for equality and security for all.
“We are definitely appearing more, making our voices heard, calling our congressmen and informing them that we are not defending it,” she said of recent legislation restricting LGBTQ rights.
This year’s parade comes at a time of political uncertainty over LGBTQ rights across the country. Florida lawmakers recently passed a bill on parental rights in education that bans education or discussion on LGBTQ issues in schools for younger students; critics call it a “don’t say gay” bill. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (right) ordered an investigation into the use of gender-based care for transgender children.
“These are bills that affect us and our education,” said Natalia Pena, 18, who has just graduated from Hayfield. Fairfax County High School.
Ryan Boss, executive director of the Capital Pride Alliance, said legislation threatening LGBTQ rights underscores the purpose and value of the Pride parade and celebrations.
“This is our voice. “It’s time to be visible, to be heard,” he said. “With the threats around, this simply overemphasizes the need for these events on a global scale.
Members of Whitman-Walker Health, a clinic that focuses on health care for LGBTQ and HIV / AIDS, gathered at the start of the parade wearing purple T-shirts with the words “We say gay.”
“We are lucky to live in a community that can be open to this, but not everyone can be so noisy,” said Heather Alt, 38, who works as deputy director of nursing at the clinic.
Kim Herman, 37, pediatrician in Whitman-Walker, said it was crucial to demonstrate the importance of the care it provides.
“I serve the trans community as a primary care physician and as their gender-responsive provider,” she said. “I’m here to really protect them and allow them access to health care like everyone else.”
This year marks Hermann’s first pride in the District of Columbia, and compared to events she attended while living in the Midwest, she said Capital Pride feels much more like a holiday. She said she was excited to relax and enjoy the parade with her wife.
“There is so much community here,” she said. “She doesn’t feel so anxious.”
In front of a restaurant, 40-year-old Jackie Segler added another rainbow flag to her motorcycle just before the parade. In his the basket sat her broken but festive skeleton, Che.
Segler lived in the area for six years she has visited Pride in the past, but this is her first since the beginning of the pandemic. She was ready to test the energy of the celebration again.
“I feel like no one is judging you here,” Segler said. “Pride is my favorite holiday of the year in DC. I have friends who go out that I haven’t seen in years and it will be great to see them again. “
Last year, DC celebrated Pride with weakened crowds along with a car caravan. In 2020, as the marches were largely canceled, Pride organizers around the world offered virtual parades and events.
The big return of Capital Pride: Parade, Joe Jonas and many parties
Saturday’s parade topped a list of Capital Pride events this month. Joe Jonas’ band DNCE will play at the Capital Pride Festival and Concert on Sunday, along with the winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Willow Pill and Symone.
On Saturday, the revelers wore their best Pride fashions: peacock feather capes, spiked leather vests and fishnet tops. Rainbow flags and T-shirts were surpassed by rainbow angel wings, rainbow boots to the hips, and crocheted rainbow bikinis.
Dupont Circle was full of thousands of people. Bus benches became observation posts as observers climbed in to applaud children from DC public schools who waved flags and jumped over asphalt. At the end of the parade route, Mid-Atlantic Leather men posed for photos near vendors selling iced tea and unicorn masks.
Across the country, the presence of Pride law enforcement has caused tensions in many cities. In the District of Columbia, protests against the parade in 2017 led to the creation of a policy of the Capitol Pride Alliance, which prohibits uniformed officers from marching on the parade. Ahead of this year’s parade, a Capitol Pride spokesman told The Washington Post that the policy remained in place.
“We have been in talks with law enforcement, expressing their desire to acknowledge the community’s concerns about the presence of uniformed parade staff,” Marcia Parnell said in an email.
But on Saturday, many DC police officers they wore their full uniforms as they marched with the cohort around Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). They handed out rainbow wrists and beads, stopping along the way to greet and hug fans. Dozens of other uniformed officers and DC police cruisers were stationed along the route, watching the crowds.
The parade sparked small counter-protests. At Dupont Circle, a small group shouting about sin was muffled by a brass band beating “Shots, Shots, Shots.” But most parade attendees did not engage with the protesters, instead ignoring or laughing at them as they passed.
The latest discussions on whether corporate sponsorship has a place in pride celebrations came at this year’s celebration.
Several companies, including Target, Visa, Mastercard, Airbnb and Lockheed Martin, had their floats for the parade.
A visitor to the parade held up a large check with the words “End Corporate Pride” with the inscription in a rainbow. Protesters in 2017 disrupted the parade, saying Capital Pride was more interested in corporate sponsors than in supporting marginalized communities.
Boss said he believes there must be a balance and recognizes that many of those marching in the parade are members of the community working for corporations and demanding change within their companies.
“At times when the government is not protecting us, sometimes corporations are with us,” he said. “So our community is everywhere. We are in the churches, we are in the social groups. We are in non-profit organizations, we are in corporations and we are in government. We are all members of the community. ”
Back on the route of the parade, many of the celebrants said they were eager to show their support for LGBTQ causes.
Chris Amon, a 51-year-old teacher living in Falls Church, believes his role as an ally of the LGBTQ community is to support those who trust him, especially his students.
“I have flags like the ones you see all around us and the students ask who they are for,” Amon said. “And I tell them they’re for everyone.”
As applause erupted from the crowd, Amon admired the colorful views of P Street.
“When people go out for it, they dress for the crowd, but also for the truest version of themselves,” Amon said. “When this community overcomes obstacles, they abandon their vigilance and live their truest lives.”
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