DC Trans Picnics on March 22 held a gathering in Malcolm X Park to celebrate joy and networking in the city’s transgender community ahead of Transgender Day of Visibility.

DC Trans Picnics is a collective known for offering space for trans and gender nonconforming members of the local queer community to spend time with and connect with one another. The March 22 event was geared specifically to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals to help them connect with those of similar and different cultures, but anyone was allowed to come and celebrate if invited.

The gathering itself was not just one of sharing food, laughs, games and music, but a bolstering of the network of organizations, resources, and collectives in the community.

One of the volunteers for the event gave the Washington Blade a statement about some of the resources DC Trans Picnics offers in order to help as many trans people as possible. These efforts specifically target trans women who are early in their transition by connecting them with organizations that help people who are at risk of homelessness, voice training resources, and message boards with information about other resources.

Another event volunteer was a member of the Metro DC DSA, a group founded on achieving bodily autonomy and reproductive justice for queer and trans people in the DMV.

“It’s still TDOV, but it’s Trans Day vision instead of visibility.” the volunteer told the Blade. “The idea with that one is that trans people have a hypervisibility right now. Like nobody hasn’t heard of trans people or like, doesn’t know, not trans people.”

“That’s not the problem. The problem is that people don’t know the problem is they can’t see us. We’re trying to get the focus on instead of being seen, it’s about seeing trans people’s vision and like and shifting the perspective from like, instead of looking at us to looking with us.”

The Trans Day of Vision is taking place on Sunday, the day before Trans Day of Visibility. 

Metro DC DSA is holding the event at Malcolm X Park. The group received permission to alter and use the TDOV acronym from Rachel Crandall, who founded the Trans Day of Visibility.

“Trans people actually have something unique to contribute,” the Metro DC USA volunteer said. “Our vision as a society and where we think we’re going and that trans people just because of our lived experiences, we know how to take the situation as it seems to be and say I don’t want that. There is so much need, demand, energy, and enthusiasm for change in our society, and trans people know what that feels like to know that they feel like things have to change.”

Other groups aside from Metro DC USA attended the event in solidarity. They include Lavender Evolutions, a BIPOC group focused on expanding their work from helping lesbian community members to supporting trans and nonconforming people in the area.

“This inclusionary event has encouraged queer and trans POC to come out and celebrate together.” said a Lavender Evolutions member. 

The group aims to continue to work with DC Trans Picnics to help bring more events that promote unity for BIPOC members of the community to avoid any whitewashing in the future. 

Another group that participated is the DC Area Transmasculine Society or DCATS, a support network that aims to provide transmasculine people in the D.C. area with resources about which they may otherwise not know in this political climate. Apart from providing binders, resources on homelessness, mutual aid networks, and other beneficial services, DCATS was taking any and all recommendations for resources that would benefit transmasculine people. 

DC Trans Picnics can be found on Instagram at @dctranspicnics.

Officials at Whitman-Walker Health revealed that the organization’s Institute for Health Research and Policy is facing a 40 percent cut to its federal funding due to President Trump’s ongoing effort to reduce federal government spending. 

The news was announced at a weekend drag brunch fundraiser held at Her Diner. 

A spokesperson for Whitman-Walker told the Blade that final numbers of the cuts are not yet available and the full impact of the federal funding loss is not yet clear. The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker works to advance good health outcomes via research, clinical trials, and evidence-based policy solutions. So it’s fair to assume the cuts will impact research into HIV and cancer treatments. 

In related news, last week the U.S. government terminated at least 68 grants to 46 institutions totaling nearly $40 million, according to a report from the AP. 

“Most were in some way related to sexual minorities, including research focused on HIV prevention. Other canceled studies centered on cancer, youth suicide and bone health,” AP reported.

Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon said the agency is “dedicated to restoring our agencies to their tradition of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based science.”

One canceled project at Vanderbilt University was following the health of more than 1,200 LGBTQ people age 50 and older, the AP said.

This is a developing story; the Blade will update this with details on the Whitman-Walker cuts when they are available.

Excitement for this year’s WorldPride celebration in Washington grows more palpable by the day as more iconic performers are added to festival lineups and a steady stream of new events are announced. It’s clear that Washington is preparing for something big.

But as with any major event, concerns are emerging about how to ensure the safety of the LGBTQ community as people from around the world gather to celebrate the diversity that makes it so special.

Washington is home to about 20 bars that cater to the LGBTQ community. Some bar owners worry that as the celebration approaches their venues will bear the brunt of the influx of visitors. Without federal support, they fear the challenges that come with accommodating such large crowds will only intensify.

The Washington Blade spoke with several gay bar owners following a community meeting that included bar owners, D.C. police, and staff from the mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. The discussion focused on safety concerns for WorldPride and potential solutions to ease the growing burden on these businesses.

“I think a lot of the bar owners just felt like we needed to all coordinate what we’re doing together with the 2 to 3 million people they say are coming to town,” said Stephen Rutgers, co-owner of Crush, an LGBTQ dance bar on 14th Street. (Rutgers also serves as the Blade’s sales and marketing director.) “There are 16-ish, maybe a little more, LGBTQ bars in the city, which maybe hold 3,500-plus people total. We’re sort of the backbone of the community, and so we’re going to be inundated no matter what. It is great for business, but it also brings a lot of concerns for a lot of the business owners.”

Originally not intended to focus on security, the mid-February meeting quickly shifted to safety concerns, according to Ed Bailey, co-owner of Trade and Number 9. Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, attended, taking notes as bar owners voiced their fears.

“As Japer started the conversation, there was a little bit of a general ‘WorldPride is coming. These are the dates. Here are a few marquee events that are scheduled.’ We went through the basics — when the parade is, when the main downtown festival is, the other music festival, and some other things. And then within 10 minutes of the meeting starting like that, the question of security and safety was brought up. I don’t even remember how, and I don’t think it was the topic at hand. It just became part of the topic, and then it became the only thing that was discussed for the rest of the meeting.”

The discussion centered on how to financially support bar owners in securing the additional staffing needed to handle the influx of millions of LGBTQ tourists. Many attendees emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure safety for these visitors, especially considering that WorldPride 2019 drew 5 million people to Manhattan.

“WorldPride is going to be the largest event that has ever happened in Washington, D.C., ever, of any kind,” Bailey said. “More people will be here for WorldPride than have been here for any other thing in history. The city has a complete, 100% obligation to manage this, make it safe, be as welcoming as possible, and ensure everything is in its best form.”

This becomes more complicated given that the District’s resources are ultimately controlled by the Republican-led federal government.

“Is Washington up to that task as a city government? I don’t think it’s ever been tested like this,” Bailey added. “It is unprecedented for Washington — a city essentially controlled by the federal government — to try to maintain, manage, and operate an event of this magnitude without federal assistance. It just puts a stranglehold on the D.C. government.”

David Perruzza, owner of Pitchers, a queer sports bar, and A League of Her Own, a lesbian bar in Adams Morgan, said he sees potential security issues arising not at official WorldPride events but closer to home.

“So now it’s WorldPride, and there will be other events. And God forbid Trump does another counter-event. What are we going to do if we have an issue?” Perruzza said. “Our main concern is security for these establishments, not so much the events. The events have tons of cops for them and everything, but we just want to make sure that we’re going to be taken care of.”

Rutgers echoed Perruzza’s concerns about the possibility of interference from the president and other Republicans in power.

“I do think people have a lot of questions about whether the bigger stuff is going to be able to happen. It does raise those concerns for us. We’re on private property, so we’re safe, but if things start to get canceled, there will be fewer and fewer spaces for people to go, which then, I think, overwhelms us even more,” Rutgers said. “There are only so many bars. There are only so many larger venues that can hold big private parties that the administration can’t touch. And if they somehow take over city permitting and cancel the street festival, where are those couple hundred thousand people going to go?”

The possibility of increased police presence in LGBTQ spaces was also discussed. Initially seen as a potential solution to growing concerns, it now appears less viable as the full scale and demands of WorldPride on city resources become clearer.

“They used to have a program where bars and restaurants could hire off-duty MPD officers,” Rutgers explained. “The city would cover a portion of the cost of overtime, and the bar would cover the rest. One issue is that it wasn’t funded in the budget this year, so there’s no money for it. And, two, when MPD is fully activated, there are no off-duty officers available. MPD is already short-staffed. I think there are just flaws in the program — it’s great, we would want to hire people, but we can’t.”

“All of the bar owners were concerned. They feel like they are easier targets, and while there will likely be significant security and police presence at the festival and large events, there probably won’t be much visible police coverage in the areas where the bars are,” Bailey added. “Every single officer employed by the Metropolitan Police Department will be working that weekend. No one will have time off. There will be no extra officers in the nightclub and bar world.”

Beyond the lack of officers and funding, a police presence doesn’t always guarantee a safer space, especially considering that the first Pride was a rebellion against police.

“I also am astutely aware that having police at your establishments is not something that is welcome or comfortable for a very large portion of our community, so that becomes tricky,” Bailey said. “But I believe that given the scenario and the situation, if there were a way to create a system where neighborhoods could collectively pay a fee to have an officer in a patrol car on the block — so businesses could access that officer when significant issues arise — that might bring some comfort. Removing that officer from directly standing at the bar would lessen the impact on customers who may not feel comfortable with a police presence.”

Bowles from the mayor’s office issued a statement to the Blade responding to the bar owners’ concerns.

“We are proud to welcome more than 3 million visitors to Washington, D.C. for WorldPride 2025,” the statement reads. “Washington, D.C. has extensive experience providing world-class security and hospitality for large-scale public events, and this will be no exception. The District continues to work diligently with community organizers and partners to ensure that WorldPride is a safe, accessible, and bold celebration of our community.”

Capital Pride issued a statement to the Blade in response to the concerns: “The Capital Pride Alliance (CPA) continues to navigate the evolving political circumstances impacting WorldPride and our local community, which is preparing to host visitors and events around the city. We understand the urgent need for confidence in this historic undertaking and we are working with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, as it is the lead agency charged with supporting our local LGBTQ community. Programmatic support includes ongoing workshops and trainings, in partnership with the Equality Chamber of Commerce DC (ECCDC) and other DC government agencies. CPA is also working directly with the Mayor’s Special Event Group and an interagency Health and Safety Committee, to ensure the proper agencies responsible for public safety have a complete picture of all the events taking place.”

Regardless of how it’s achieved, safety remains the top priority for LGBTQ bar owners, even if it means sacrificing profits or taking on additional responsibilities, the owners said.

“Everybody’s got to step up,” Bailey concluded. “It’s a long, difficult, hard weekend from a working standpoint, but hopefully, a joyous and remarkable experience.”

The MPD released a statement to the Blade addressing the bar owners’ safety concerns: “The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is working closely with our local, state, and federal partners as we prepare for World Pride 2025. As with any other events in the District, it is our priority to ensure the safety and security of District residents and visitors. 

“Further details about securing these events, road closures, and additional impacts will be released as we get closer to these events. 

 “While there are no known threats to World Pride 2025, we always encourage the public to remain vigilant. If you see something, say something. Please report threats and emergencies to 911. Keep your community safe by reporting suspicious activity by calling 202-727-9099, texting 50411, or visiting iwatchdc.org.”