As it Prepares to Host WorldPride, D.C. is Louder and Prouder Than Ever

On my last trip to Washington, D.C., my husband and I had drinks at Red Bear Brewing Co., a LGBTQ+-owned brewery in NoMa where, on any given day, the TVs might show a Washington Nationals game or "RuPaul's Drag Race." Later, on a queer history tour with DC Pride Walks, we learned about William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved man who became the first drag queen in the late 1800s. Then we had dinner at Annie's Paramount Steakhouse, where the rainbow décor matched the queer clientele. This wasn't Pride in D.C., but a typical weekday in October in one of America's most queer-friendly cities. 

For time immemorial, Pride and politics have gone hand-in-hand, and nowhere is this more evident than D.C. Home to the highest percentage of LGBTQ+ adults (14.3%), as well as the epicenter of American government, it's a social synergy that has, over time, vacillated between contention and progress. Today, with a transphobic administration in the White House and WorldPride DC coming in May, the city is once again at the nexus of Pride and politics. But no amount of executive orders can erase the fact that D.C. is louder and prouder than ever.  

From Pickets to Parades

Before Stonewall, the Mattachine Society — one of the first LGBTQ+ rights organizations in the U.S. — held the nation's first organized gay rights picket at the White House in 1965, demanding action on issues like the exclusion of homosexuals from federal employment. It laid the foundation for the city's inaugural Pride celebration in 1975, organized by Deacon Maccubbin, owner of the now-shuttered LGBTQ+ bookstore Lambda Rising. 

"It was just a block party basically, and they didn't allow photographers because a lot of people didn't want their faces appearing in the newspaper," details James Kirchick, author of "Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington." "It was a very different time in Washington." That same year, the Civil Service Commission lifted the ban on homosexuals working in the federal government.

With social taboos ebbing, subsequent Pride celebrations grew, eventually parading down Pennsylvania Avenue. In 2024, 600,000 people attended the locally organized Capital Pride. From May 17 to June 8 this year, D.C. is hosting international Pride event  WorldPride for the first time, and that number is projected to reach 3 million. 

Pride is Year-Round

Pride is evergreen and omnipresent in D.C., with a largely liberal population that fosters a sense of sanctuary and a Mayor who runs an advocacy office of LGBTQ+ affairs. 

It's on the menu at Annie's Paramount Steakhouse, a Dupont Circle institution known as much for allyship as filets. Open since 1948, it remains a staple for the LGBTQ+ community, thanks to its namesake, Annie Kaylor, sister to founder George Katinas and an ally who famously told her gay customers, "You don't have to hide that here."

"As the neighborhood started to become the original gayborhood, she was the cornerstone of that because she welcomed everybody," explains general manager Georgia Katinas, George's granddaughter. "For the men coming in, so many had estranged relationships with their mothers, and she was a mother figure for a lot of them, but also a friend. It poured into the staff and the ethos of the place." 

Today, Annie's is going strong, earning an America's Classics award from the James Beard Foundation in 2019. "It's a place people come when they feel they need to be connected," says Katinas. "In some ways, we're a port in the storm." 

Annie's, like Red Bear Brewing Co. and DC Pride Walks, represents a city that defies stereotypes and constructs, where queer culture is multi-faceted, ubiquitous, and ever-growing. In 2023, Thurst Lounge became the only Black-owned LGBTQ+ bar in town, and recently, Spark Social House marked the first non-alcoholic gay bar in the country — both are near the U Street Corridor. The Little Gay Pub, which opened in Logan Circle in 2023, is staunchly inclusive, with signage amplifying trans voices and women's reproductive rights. And just as vocal as the bars, Little District Books is a queer-owned bookstore in Barracks Row that hosts an LGBTQ+ book festival, Lavender Con, in June. 

"People from all over the country come to D.C. to find this community, and it's powerful in making people feel safe and welcome," Katinas adds. "Annie famously said 'you don't have to hide that here,' and our mantra going into Pride this year is that we're not going anywhere." 

Louder and Prouder Than Ever

In the face of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, D.C.'s queer community is rallying together. And as is often the case, drag queens are at the forefront of the fight. 

"D.C. has one of the highest percentage populations of queer people in the country, and it's always at the center of stuff like this," says Tara Hoot, the self-described "Tater Tot Casserole Queen" from Terre Haute, Indiana, whose husband recently lost his job in the federal government after 37 years. "I always think of the AIDS crisis, and groups like ACT UP and the things that they used to do, like the die-ins (where people protested by lying down and feigning death in public spaces). What creative ways are we using to push back as a community? There's uncertainty, but there's a desire to fight back." 

She's done so at rallies, as well as by fundraising for LGBTQ+ youth organizations like SMYAL and doing drag story time, reading books with kids and families to provide a safe sense of community and camaraderie for all ages.

Another emboldened queen, Pussy Noir, a drag artist who brought drag to the Kennedy Center as an art form, fights back through Zoom calls, a documentary about her fellowship at the Kennedy Center, and fashion. On her website, Mx Noir, she uses fashion to "give queer people the ability to experience another identity outside of code-switching and nightlife." 

"I'm not gonna stop because you want me to be terrified," she adds. "I'm gonna make things bolder and more beautiful and let people live in the love. Because love helps you evolve, and we need to evolve." 

With WorldPride looming, all eyes are on D.C.

"When people are pushed too much, people will push back in a social way, and we're not going to stop our queerness or identity," says Pussy Noir. "The Constitution, at the end of the day, wants us to do the right thing."

It's that intrinsic convergence of Pride and politics that paves the way. From Sarah McBride becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress in 2024 to the enduring legacy of allied restaurants, and drag queens using their platforms — and platform heels — for good, D.C. has never been louder or prouder. 

At a Glance: Top Spots to Show Pride Year-Round

Eat and Drink:

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse: A family-owned steakhouse since 1948 and the 2019 winner of the James Beard America's Classics.

Red Bear Brewing Co.: A LGBTQ+-owned craft brewery with 14 beers brewed on-site on tap, as well as cocktails, local ciders, and pub fare.

Thurst Lounge: The only Black-owned LGBTQ+ bar in town, and a multilevel space with dancing, hookah, and live performances.

Spark Social House: The first non-alcoholic gay bar in the country that doubles as a coffeeshop and workspace by day. 

The Little Gay Pub: A stylish, art- and antiques-covered pub where bathroom selfies are practically mandatory (the bathroom is a work of art).

Shop:

Little District Books: A queer-owned bookstore that celebrates LGBTQIA+ authors and stories.

Miss Pixies: A queer-owned boutique filled with eclectic furniture, art, homewares, and gifts.

Do:

DC Pride Walks: A walking tour company dedicated to the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in D.C.

WorldPride 2025: A Pride celebration that marks the 50th anniversary of such events in Washington, D.C. (May 17-June 8, 2025).

Lavender Con:  A book festival celebrating LGBTQIA+ authors and stories (June 14-15, 2025).