“I would say this year has been a standout year, for sure, and part of what makes it so meaningful is that the requests that I made came from the community and from advocates,” Parker said in an interview shortly before the Capital Pride Parade in Washington, D.C., noting contributions from the DC LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition and the Rainbow History Project. “I think it’s evidence that representation really does matter.”
The city has the highest per capita population of LGBTQ+ adults in the country, with an estimated 80,000 people living there. According to a study comparing Washington, D.C., to states in 2023, “It’s one of the reasons Mayor Bowser often calls Washington the gayest city in America,” Parker said. Supporters say the budget investment would go a long way. Especially before an international tournament The World Pride LGBTQ+ festival will be held in Washington, DC, next summer, marking the 50th anniversary of pride celebrations in the District, and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (Democrat) has set aside about $5 million to prepare the city for the festival. The event is expected to draw millions of people to the nation’s capital and bring a lot of energy to the downtown core, and Capital Pride Alliance executive director Ryan Voss said much of this weekend’s pride festivities are a test run for next year.
“We’re really excited to bring World Pride to Washington, D.C., but we’re really excited to bring the world to Washington, D.C., and use this opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and the movement and talk about how we are a leader in LGBTQI+ rights and resources,” said Japer Bowles, director of LGBTQ issues in the Mayor’s Office.
Heidi Ellis, lead coordinator for the DC LGBTQ+ Budget Coalition, said the FY2025 budget investments in the LGBTQ+ community are especially meaningful given a tough budget year in which many agencies are considering cuts due to slowing revenue growth and the expiration of federal pandemic aid. While Ellis said advocates know they won’t get everything they fought for, she noted that both the 20 dedicated housing vouchers and the $1 million to complete construction of Shaw’s new community center are the most impactful investments.
“The capital deserves a central community centre, especially in the run up to WorldPride,” Ellis said, “so that extra $1 million was really important.”
Boss said the space will be jointly leased by the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center and Capital Pride Alliance and will provide a one-stop shop for a variety of services, from mental health support to a network of support for homeless people, including clothing, food pantries, laundry and showers.
“D.C. has been known for many years for having the highest percentage of openly LGBTQ people in the country,” Voss says, but “our community center is probably the smallest. So we’ve always wanted to grow and expand so we can serve more community members.”
Data shows that LGBTQ+ youth and young adults experience homelessness at disproportionate rates. A recent study in Washington, D.C., found that about 12 percent of homeless adults identify as LGBTQ+, while 34 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. Parker said the statistic is haunting. “It shows we need to work more urgently to provide housing,” he said. “Twenty vouchers certainly may not meet all the needs, but it’s a move in the right direction.”
Ellis said the 20 vouchers are a “tiny amount” but have a big impact for those who receive assistance. He noted that LGBTQ+ people may face rejection at home and need a safe place to turn to. They may feel uneasy in traditional homeless shelters or other services that aren’t culturally appropriate or responsive to their specific needs, he said.
Ahead of WorldPride, Bowles said the organization is working to provide cultural competency training to housing providers across Washington, D.C., along with training for other personnel such as police and emergency responders.
Other parts of the budget include grants to promote LGBTQ+ businesses in Ward 6’s retail corridors, as well as funding sent through the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs for the creation of a Black LGBTQI+ History Project aimed at documenting the contributions of various leaders who may have been overlooked in D.C.’s history. Parker said the project is scheduled to be completed as part of an exhibit before World Pride.
“I would say a lot of the history around the LGBTQ movement and this community is missing from the official record,” he said, “and that’s especially true for Black LGBTQ members. So what this committee is going to do is research and work to engage with living legends and pioneers and learn from the oral traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation.”
The effort to boost LGBTQ+ businesses in Ward 6 comes courtesy of Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen (D), and follows a community-wide crowdfunding effort to help As You Are, a queer community space and bar on Barracks Row, through financial difficulties.
The Barracks Row neighborhood was once a hotspot for lesbian bars and other LGBTQ+ nightclubs that flourished in the 1970s and grew out of it, with one of its iconic establishments, Phase One, being the longest-running lesbian bar in the United States when it closed in 2016, according to a paper documenting its history by University of Maryland researcher Ty Ginter.
When As You Are opened in 2022, it was seen as an ode to that era and a way to bring some of that culture back to the Barracks Row neighborhood. Fans and customers eager to keep the gathering place alive helped owners Joe McDaniel and Rach “Coach” Pike wipe out $150,000 in debt through donations this year before building repair issues forced them to temporarily close.
McDaniel said seeing grants to support local LGBTQ+ businesses included in next year’s budget made her feel like lawmakers were “recognizing the value we give to the community.”
“For government officials to recognize that these spaces are more than just restaurants and bars, they are also safe havens and gathering places for large parts of the district’s communities is to advocate for our residents by protecting their safe spaces,” Pike said.
