Pride Month is incredibly important. However, it is especially important in Washington, D.C., where it’s known for having a strong and prominent LGBTQ+ community. As of 2021, there are over 200,000 LGBTQ+ people living in D.C. However, these people didn’t show up out of nowhere. The LGBTQ+ community has a long history in D.C., with a major impact on the district and its culture.
History of Pride in D.C.
Numerous major events in the gay rights movement have taken place in Washington D.C. Because of this, D.C. has become an anchor for the LGBTQ+ community. The district had its first pride event in 1972. Protests against the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals have been occurring as early as 1961 when the Mattachine Society formed its first D.C. chapter. The Mattachine Society was a gay rights organization first formed in 1950. Its Washington chapter was formed by Frank Kameny and D.C. native Jack Nichols after the government fired several thousand people that they suspected to be gay or lesbian. The group organized demonstrations at multiple government buildings, including the White House and the Pentagon.
Across the United States, Black people have been at the forefront of the fight for gay rights. Washington, D.C. is not an exception. As a matter of fact, Washington, D.C. has been a stronghold for the Black LGBTQ+ community. The first ever Black gay pride took place in Washington D.C. in 1991. It was organized by Black leaders Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland, and Ernest Hopkins. They organized this event because they felt that Blacks were being ignored by white members of the LGBTQ+ community.
They also felt the need to raise awareness about AIDS. At the time, the disease was spreading at an alarming rate, and it was affecting Black LGBTQ+ individuals. Michael VanZant, a Pastor at Faith Temple Church in D.C., said “I remember going to a funeral 3 times a month.” This led to the creation of organizations such as Best Friends of D.C., which provided emergency financial assistance to Black LGBTQ+ individuals who were living with AIDS.
LGBTQ+ Rights Organizations in D.C.
Best Friends of D.C. and the Mattachine Society are far from being the only LGBTQ+ organizations with ties to D.C. A large number of LGBTQ+ institutions and organizations are based in DC. Many LGBTQ+ and AIDS organizations in D.C. are connected to each other in some way. For example, the organization Us Helping Us, People into Living Inc, developed as an evolution of support systems and networks formed by The Clubhouse. The Clubhouse – an extremely popular Black gay club – played a vital role in supporting the black LGBTQ+ community. In 1979, the club hosted a Rally Ball and used money made from ticket sales to help fund the Third World Gay Conference, a meeting of lesbian and gay people of color. When club members started becoming sick with AIDS in the 1980s, The Clubhouse hosted pajama parties, dance marathons, date auctions, and many other events to raise money for them.
These organizations laid the groundwork for AIDS outreach and education within Black communities both in D.C. and throughout the nation. They worked alongside LGBTQ+ media outlets Blacklight and Diplomat founded by activists Sidney Brinkley and Parris Bryant respectively. Their collaboration to address issues within their community has had a long-lasting impact on D.C.
Pride month is a great opportunity to celebrate the progress and the changes that the LGBTQ+ community has fought so hard to create.