On June 1, members of the D.C. Council joined Mayor Muriel Bowser and a crowd of LGBTQ activists and supporters at the city’s fourth annual LGBTQ Pride flag raising ceremony outside the John A. Wilson Building, which serves as D.C. City Hall.
The event has served as the official kickoff to D.C. Pride Month since Mayor Bowser started it four years ago, culminating this year with the annual June 20th Capital Pride Parade and June 21st Pride Festival, held on Pennsylvania Avenue NW near the U.S. Capitol.
“Let me tell you this: We are celebrating Pride Month in the gayest city in the world,” Bowser told a crowd that included city officials and council members on the front steps of the Wilson Building.
“51 years of pride in our future 51st state,” she said, adding, “And both movements are rooted in the same belief: that all people have the right to be seen, heard, and fully represented.”
In addition to Bowser, others who spoke at the event included Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb; and D.C. Council President Phil Mendelsohn (D-At-Large).
“This year is special,” Bowles told the gathering. “This is special because we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs,” he said. “For 20 years, this office has helped make Washington, D.C., one of the most welcoming and affirming cities in the world.”
He added, “We have expanded LGBTQ services across government agencies, invested millions of dollars in community organizations, championed culturally appropriate care and training, supported LGBTQ-supportive businesses and workers, and celebrated our history.”
Schwalb said the D.C. Attorney General’s Office continues to uphold city laws that protect residents from discrimination, but expressed concern about the High Court’s ruling that continues to roll back civil, voting and human rights.
“We’re seeing cases where they’re restricting medical care for transgender youth and at the same time giving the green light to so-called conversion therapy,” he said. He cited examples and policies that “exclude transgender girls from participating in sports and banish picture books featuring LGBTQ characters from school libraries.”
He said his office is committed to protecting all residents, including LGBTQ residents, from all forms of discrimination. “And that includes the right to be who you are, to freely express your identity, to express who you are, and to love who you love.”
Mendelsohn also expressed strong support for the LGBTQ community and future Pride events, noting that 10 of the council’s 13 members participated in the Pride flag raising event, including gay Rep. Zachary Parker (D-5th District).
“I came here with a sense of gratitude,” Parker told the Washington Blade. “There’s a lot to be thankful for and a lot to fight for,” he said. “So flying this flag is a reminder that our government is here to serve all of our residents, no matter who you are or who you love.”
Shortly after Mendelsohn spoke, D.C. City Councilmember Janice Lewis George (D-4th District), who is running for mayor in the city’s June 16 primary, arrived at the event, becoming the 11th City Council member to attend.
Those attending the event included Ryan Voss and June Crenshaw, two executives from the Capital Pride Alliance, the organization that organizes D.C.’s annual LGBTQ Pride event.
Bowser, who is not running for re-election this year and plans to retire as mayor in January 2027, thanked those who attended the Pride flag raising event for their role in an all-inclusive city.
“We say with one clear voice that Washington, D.C., is a welcoming city,” she said in her remarks. “But we also know that our work is solid, but it’s not done yet. We’re flying this flag in front of the John A. Wilson Building because it tells a story,” she said.
“This work tells the story of a city that takes care of itself,” she added. “And we take care of each other. We are a diverse and welcoming city.”
Tara Foote, a longtime D.C. drag performer, served as the event’s emcee and introduced Bowles as the first speaker.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
