WorldPride events are being pulled from the Kennedy Center because of Trump's ongoing attacks. Join the more than 41,000 MoveOn members who are speaking out.
Dear MoveOn member,
Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office included an abrupt and unprecedented takeover of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., a historic cultural institution to celebrate performers from across the nation and the world. Trump specifically named his intention to stop all drag shows at the Center—a targeted attack against the LGBTQ+ community.1
With Pride just around the corner, organizers of WorldPride are sounding the alarm about hosting its annual celebrations at the Kennedy Center. They've "proactively relocated” events originally slated for the Kennedy Center “to ensure our entire LGBTQ+ community will be welcome."2
This is another escalation of what we've always known to be true: that attacks on drag performances impact all of us. Will you add your name to show that you support LGBTQ+ performers and support ALL creative expression?
Artists have spoken out in protest of Trump's Kennedy Center takeover—performers including Issa Rae, the "Hamilton" cast, and Rhiannon Giddens have cancelled their shows. And several performances have been canceled, including a performance by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., leading the WorldPride organizers to take this drastic measure.3
But performers need to know that we have their back. The Kennedy Center is powered by donations from individuals and foundations—their website lists thousands of donors with giving levels ranging from $1,800 to over $1 million. We need them to speak out too and make it clear that they will not fund censorship and discrimination.
WorldPride event organizers are being forced to scramble at the last minute out of fear for the safety of performers and attendees. This is the opposite of freedom of expression. Add your name if you agree.
In the aftermath of Trump’s takeover, WorldPride event organizers and performers described communication from the Kennedy Center as coming to a standstill.4 Partnerships have fallen apart, and even as groups pivot to find new locations, the realization that the Kennedy Center has become a potentially hostile environment for LGBTQ+ performers is troubling and deeply painful.
"We're doing our community a disservice. Not just the queer community but the entire community," said one participant who had organized the first-ever drag brunch on the Kennedy Center rooftop in 2024.5
Make no mistake—this is about who gets to exist in public spaces and whose stories get to be told on America's stage. Will you sign the petition to demand the end of this political takeover?
We all benefit when diverse groups of artists are able to express themselves creatively. Ahead of Pride this June, it’s up to us to demand that the Kennedy Center maintain its independence—and that it continue to be a safe space for LGBTQIA+ performers and all artists, performers, and creators.
Click here to add your name, and share this petition with three friends who would agree that we must protect the freedom of expression for everyone.
Thanks for all you do.
–Blaq Dinamyte and the team at Qommittee
Sources:
1. "All the Kennedy Center Cancellations Under Trump," Vulture, March 28, 2025
https://www.vulture.com/article/kennedy-center-canceled-events.html
2. "WorldPride moving events from Kennedy Center," The Hill, April 28, 2025
https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/5271307-worldpride-kennedy-center/
3. "All the Kennedy Center Cancellations Under Trump," Vulture, March 28, 2025
https://www.vulture.com/article/kennedy-center-canceled-events.html
4. "Kennedy Center’s events scheduled for LGBTQ+ pride celebration canceled, organizers say," Associated Press, April 25, 2025
https://apnews.com/article/world-pride-kennedy-center-trump-lgbtq-69fbf0ca20c2f9c36f49f8311f8bf1b6
5. Ibid.
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