WorldPride Washington 2025: Safety Concerns for Queer Visitors to the US

Amid escalating attacks on the LGBTIQ+ community by the US government, concerns are growing about the safety of attendees at the upcoming WorldPride 2025 in Washington DC.

With each edition held in a different city, WorldPride is a global event that promotes visibility and awareness of LGBTIQ+ issues. It features parades, festivals, and a human rights conference.

The 2025 outing is set to take place in the US capital from 17 May to 8 June, with an anticipated three million attendees, inclusive of two million visitors. However, the country has changed significantly since the Capital Pride Alliance was selected to host the event in the city back in 2022.

Trump’s Anti-LGBTIQ+ Crackdown Sparks Alarm

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, amid a rising tide of conservatism and anti-LGBTIQ+ sentiment, the country’s queer community has come under increasing attack.

In particular, the transgender community has been deeply impacted by the administration’s new regressive two-gender policy. The US government now refuses to recognise transgender and gender-diverse identities in official documents, sporting events, and even in the military.

InterPride Issues Travel Advisory

On 12 March, InterPride, the organisation that grants rights to host WorldPride, issued a travel advisory for international visitors planning to attend the event.

“Due to an executive order issued by the US president on 20 January, all travellers must select either ‘male’ or ‘female’ when applying for entry or visas. The gender listed at birth will be considered valid,” the organisation stated.

“If your passport has ‘X’ as a gender marker or differs from your birth-assigned gender, we strongly recommend contacting the US diplomatic mission before travelling to confirm entry requirements,” it added ominously, noting that a more detailed guide is being developed.

Call for a Boycott of WorldPride 2025

The US-based African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) has now called for an international boycott of WorldPride 2025.

The organisation urged LGBTQI+ Africans and people worldwide “to refrain from attending WorldPride in the United States of America because the event is being held in a venue, Washington DC, [in] the USA, [which is] governed now by an antagonistic fascist regime which presents distinct dangers to foreign LGBTQI+ attendees.”

AHRC Executive Director Melanie Nathan warned in a statement that trans people, in particular, may not be safe entering US airports or crossing borders for the event.

“You are more likely than not to have a mark on your back. That can ultimately lead to detention by customs and border officials,” she said.

Nathan: ‘WorldPride Must Consider Withdrawing the Event’

While praising WorldPride, the Capital Pride Alliance, and InterPride for their efforts in organising the event, Nathan argued that the current political climate in the US could not have been predicted.

“Although probably impossible to hold elsewhere at such late notice, WorldPride must consider withdrawing the event from the USA,” she asserted.

She also called on the hosting organisations to “come out with a strong statement condemning the U.S. for the dangerous environment it presents to LGBTQI+ people entering the country, the current human rights infractions, and the decimation of democracy, trans rights, and the general attack on LGBTQI+ communities, in the US and around the world.”

Comparisons to Apartheid-Era Boycotts

Nathan compared a tourism boycott of the US to the international sanctions and boycotts imposed on apartheid South Africa. She urged travellers to avoid spending money in the country, particularly in Washington DC.

“Many of the businesses you will be supporting have provided funding and votes that got Trump elected. This pro-fascist regime will benefit from your spending. Do not bring your tourist dollars,” she said.

WorldPride Washington Promises Safe Event

WorldPride Washington has not directly addressed concerns about the suitability of the US as a host country but has issued a general statement on safety.

“The health and safety of all attendees, participants, and volunteers of our events, as well as the communities in which the events take place, are our highest priorities. Our plans include coordinating with municipal and federal agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security, as well as using safety teams made up of community members with diverse representation. We will ensure that our events are safe spaces for our community.”

Amsterdam is set to host WorldPride in 2026, followed by Cape Town in 2028.