District of Columbia
Pride weekend brings parade, festival, fireworks amid perfect weather
‘I just love to celebrate being queer!’
Pride weekend in D.C. means rainbow floats filling a crowded 14th Street, bubbles floating above rooftops, Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” blasting from speakers, and groups of enthusiastic locals and tourists eagerly gripping the barricades ready for the parade.
With shouts of “Happy Pride” from the top of a double-decker bus wrapped in the 2025 World Pride logo and cheers from the audience lining the street, the long-awaited Capital Pride Parade had begun.
It seemed that all of D.C. was out in rainbow outfits on Saturday to celebrate the strides of the LGBTQ community. The parade procession, which lasted nearly six hours, featured floats from a wide array of participants. These included organizations that support the LGBTQ community, local and international businesses, local sports teams, political candidates and their supporters, including second gentleman Doug Emhoff, various embassies, and many more. Unlike previous years when D.C.’s infamous heat and humidity have strained participants and spectators alike, the weekend’s weather featured clear blue skies and comfortably moderate temperatures.
Martie Fulp-Eickstaedt traveled from Richmond to soak in all the queer love and community. “I am celebrating with my friends, my dear pals that I adore,” she said. “It’s really just about celebrating with the community. I love seeing other people’s outfits and seeing the joy on people’s faces. People coming together to celebrate love.”
Fulp-Eickstaedt continued, explaining that the joy she experiences is hard to match. “I just love seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces. And the dancing. I love the dancing. This one loves to dance,” she said while pointing to her friend sitting next to her on the curb. “Seeing her dance is one of the best things.”
There was no shortage of dancing this weekend. From the opening RIOT! dance party, 17th Street block party, Flashback Tea Dance, Pride festival and concert, countless private bars and parties hosting events, you could dance your feet off in the name of Pride with no problem.
Other parade visitors, like 73-year-old former Navy sailor Eric Kearsley, who traveled to D.C. from Philadelphia with his partner, have more emotional connections to Capital Pride.
“I’m here today because I wouldn’t miss a Washington, D.C. Pride Parade and Festival,” Kearsley said. “It’s the first parade I went to after coming out in 2005.” He told the Blade that he has made the trek every year since then to watch the parade.
“Every time it’s an emotional thing for me,” he added. “The first time I saw the military services — the Honor Guard coming through, it just blew my mind. And I always run into friends. It’s just a wonderful experience and it makes me feel full of pride.”
Despite the familiar sights of flying beads and confetti in the parade, this year’s route was different. In years past the parade would go through the historic “gayborhood” of Dupont Circle. This year, parade organizers chose to travel down 14th Street until it met with Pennsylvania Avenue, ending at Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Street, N.W. This new route was supposed to be a test run for next year’s massive 2025 World Pride, which D.C. is hosting.
Mary Nichols, a 29-year-old from Tysons Corner, felt filled with pride and was enthusiastic for D.C. to host World Pride. “I’m very excited for DC World Pride,” she said. “I feel like it’s gonna be like the gay Olympics!”
She continued, explaining why Pride celebrations make her so happy. “I love Pride. I loved it when I was an ‘ally,’” Nichols said while laughing. “I just love the dancing, the music, the celebration. I love seeing people’s outfits. But mostly I love hanging out with my friends. And I just love to celebrate being queer!”
In addition to the parade, a newer D.C. Pride tradition returned: Pride on the Pier and Fireworks display, sponsored by the Washington Blade, and hosted at the Wharf. This year’s event attracted thousands who came to watch drag kings and queens, dance to DJs, and, of course, to watch the fireworks.
In addition to the parade and pier events on Saturday, the Capital Pride Festival and Concert was held on Sunday toward the end of Pennsylvania Avenue. The festival included more than 300 exhibitors providing LGBTQ-centered advocacy, selling Pride-related merchandise, food and drinks, and educating the public on issues of importance for the LGBTQ community.
Once the sun began to lower in the sky, the concert started at the stage end of the festival walk. Performers including Exposé, RuPaul’s Drag Race star Sapphira Cristál, Grand Marshal KeKe Palmer, Billy Porter, and headliner Ava Max all danced, sang, and celebrated the LGBTQ community with the Capital as a perfect backdrop.
Despite the jubilant energy of the weekend, many people celebrating also pointed out that there was still work to be done in gaining equal rights for all in the LGBTQ community.
Scotty Moore, 22, who lives in the Logan Circle neighborhood of D.C., brought up the struggle for transgender people in the U.S.
When asked what the biggest threat to the LGBTQ community was he answered without skipping a beat. “A lot of the anti-trans legislation,” Moore said. “I think that we are having a massive roll back on a lot of the progress that we had in the past 10 years. We’re having generations that are raised with a lot of reactionary media that is not very pro-gay. I think that’s a major threat to us, not only now but also in the future.”
Moore continued, explaining this was the exact reason why the LGBTQ community must continue celebrating Pride.
“I think it is important to celebrate Pride because Pride is not something that is in the past,” he said. “Pride is something that we have now. And we need to stay consistent and make sure that the community knows that we’re here.”
Japer Bowles, director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, said he was “excited and proud” to be part of the D.C. government’s parade contingent, which was led by the mayor and included between 200 and 250 LGBTQ community members and D.C. government employees.
“We had a record involvement, including an LGBTQI drum corps and we had the D.C. Mobile Go-Go Museum,” he said, referring to the large bus with a stage on its roof on which D.C.’s popular Go-Go Experience Band performed to loud cheers as the bus traveled in the parade. Go-Go Museum founder Ron Moten said the bus’s appearance in the parade was sponsored by the Go-Go Museum and Check It Enterprises, the D.C. LGBTQ youth operated retail store and advocacy group.
“We had two, not one, firetrucks and we had D.C. Health, and they had a float,” Bowles said, referring to the Department of Health. “And then our Department of Aging and Community Living, our seniors and older adults, we had a trolley for them as well,” said Bowles. As if all that were not enough, he said LGBTQ students from Howard University and organizers of Howard’s LGBTQIA+ Center joined the mayor’s parade contingent.
Vincent Slatt, who serves as chair of the D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission’s Rainbow Caucus, said members of the LGBTQ caucus and its straight allies and supporters marched in the Pride parade this year “for the first time ever.” Added Slatt, “It was great for us to walk through and be with those fellow commissioners to raise our profile across the city and to get more people involved in local democracy.”
District of Columbia
Judge rescinds stay-away order in Capital Pride anti-stalking case
Evidence hearing to determine if order should be reinstated against Darren Pasha
A D.C. Superior Court judge on April 17 rescinded an anti-stalking order he approved in February at the request of Capital Pride Alliance against local LGBTQ activist Darren Pasha.
In a ruling at a court status hearing, Judge Robert D. Okum agreed with defendant Darren Pasha’s stated concern that the initial order was too broad and did not specify who specifically he must stay at least 100 feet away from, as called for in the order.
Okum ruled on April 17 that the initial order, which he noted was oral rather than written, would be suspended until an evidentiary hearing takes place in which Capital Pride will need to present evidence justifying the need for such an order.
“I’m fine with scheduling a hearing at which the plaintiff can present evidence, and the defendant can present evidence,” Okum said. “But I’m not fine with just continuing this oral TRO [Temporary Restraining Order] that Mr. Pasha really doesn’t even have notice of. That seems unfair,” he said.
After asking both Pasha and Capital Pride Alliance Attorney Nick Harrison when they would be available for the evidence hearing, Okum set the date for April 27 at 11 a.m. in Superior Court.
The case began when Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C.-based LGBTQ group that organizes the city’s annual Pride events, filed a Civil Complaint on Oct. 27, 2025, against Pasha, accusing him of engaging in a year-long effort to harass, intimidate, and stalk Capital Pride’s staff, board members, and volunteers.
The complaint was accompanied by a separate motion seeking a restraining order, preliminary injunction, and anti-stalking order prohibiting Pasha from “any further contact, harassment, intimidation, or interference with the Plaintiff, its staff, board members, volunteers, and affiliates.”
In his initial ruling in February, Okum issued an order requiring Pasha to stay at least 100 feet away from Capital Pride staff, board members, and volunteers until the April 17 status hearing. He reduced the stay-away distance from the 200 yards requested by Capital Pride.
Pasha, who has so far represented himself in court without an attorney, has argued in multiple court filings and motions that the Capital Pride stalking allegations are untrue. In his initial 16-page response to the complaint, Pasha said it appears to be a form of retaliation against him for a dispute he has had with Capital Pride and its former board president, Ashley Smith, who has since resigned from the board.
“It is evident that the document is replete with false, misleading, and unsubstantiated assertions,” Pasha’s court response states.
At the April 17 hearing, Okum also ruled that, as standard procedure for civil complaints such as this one, he has ordered both parties to enter into court-supervised mediation to attempt to reach a settlement rather than go to trial.
In an earlier ruling Okum denied Pasha’s request for a jury trial, stating that civil cases such as this must undergo a trial with the judge determining the verdict under existing civil court statutes.
The April 17 court hearing was held in a courtroom at the courthouse, but as allowed under current court rules, Capital Pride attorney Harrison and Capital Pride official June Crenshaw participated virtually through a video connection. Pasha attended the hearing in the courtroom.
“This matter is proceeding through the court in the normal course,” Capital Pride released in a statement. “We look forward to presenting the relevant evidence at the scheduled hearing. Capital Pride Alliance remains committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for our staff, volunteers, and community, and to addressing concerns through appropriate channels.”
“This is clearly a case of retaliation,” Pasha told the Blade after the hearing. “Today the judge removed the stay-away order and asked Capital Pride Alliance to present enough evidence and examples to see if a stay-away order should be granted,” he said. “Because Pride is coming up in June, we need to see where this is going.”
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
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