
Friday marks the closing weekend of WorldPride, an international festival that is being held this year in Washington, D.C. There are many events taking place, including concerts, a human rights conference and D.C.'s annual Pride Parade.
The last time WorldPride was in the U.S., in 2019, it was held in New York City, and attendance was estimated at more than 5 million. Corporate sponsors included T-Mobile, L'Oréal, Delta Air Lines, JPMorganChase, Starbucks, the NBA and WNBA.
But this year, festival organizers say attendance and funding have been affected by the Trump administration's policies and rhetoric toward trans people and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
In his first week in office, President Trump issued executive orders targeting DEI. One such order called for the termination of "illegal DEI and 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear." He also signed an order banning transgender people from the military.