Global LGBTQ+ advocates gather ‘on Trump’s doorstep’ at World Pride despite travel anxiety

WASHINGTON AP Days before she was to deliver opening remarks to World Pride s human rights conference in Washington Phyll Opoku-Gyimah the co-founder of UK Black Pride disclosed she was denied entry to the United States after her visa was revoked due to her travels to Cuba earlier this year Opoku-Gyimah widely known as Lady Phyll revealed she applied instantly for a nonimmigrant visa The earliest date she was given September I ve called I ve written I ve pleaded she disclosed over a video livestream And the answer was a cold bureaucratic No A large number of LGBTQ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip World Pride due to anxieties about safety confines policies and a hostile political state Yet cross-national strategizing has still been central to the gathering as international attendees echoed that they craved to send a clear message of opposition to U S administrators with their presence This is World Pride on Trump s doorstep mentioned Yasmin Benoit a British model and asexual activist And that s all the more reason to be here We want to show the U S that there s a lot of eyes on what s happening here New policies make visiting more complex World Pride gathers LGBTQ advocates from around the globe and has taken place the majority not long ago in Australia Sweden and Denmark This year which marks the th anniversary of Washington s Pride festival is the first time the city is hosting the gathering Yet for multiple the global celebration has been complicated by President Donald Trump s policies targeting transgender people and diversity equity and inclusion initiatives Trump a Republican has declared that whether a person is a man or woman is determined by that person s biological characteristics at birth and about two-thirds of U S adults agree with him according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Inhabitants Affairs Research poll He has denounced DEI policies as a form of discrimination that threatens merit-based decision-making Several countries including Denmark Finland and Germany issued cautions for LGBTQ travelers visiting the U S for World Pride culminates in a closing festival this weekend with a parade a rally and concerts Capital Pride Alliance which organized World Pride D C included an advisory for transgender and nonbinary international travelers alongside safeguard protocols Egale Canada one of the country s largest LGBTQ advocacy organizations disclosed in February that its members would not attend any events in the U S through June including World Pride It cited concerns for transgender and nonbinary staff members I didn t feel it was safe to have our staff navigating into the U S with the current hostilities through law and rhetoric declared Helen Kennedy the organization s executive director The African Human Rights Coalition meanwhile called for a boycott of World Pride in Washington because the event is being held in a venue governed now by an antagonistic fascist regime which presents distinct dangers to foreign LGBTQI attendees the organization commented in a declaration Jessica Stern a former U S special envoy for the human rights of LGBTQI people acknowledged that plenty of possible attendees decided to skip World Pride as they wonder if they ll be safe in U S airports and on our streets Thank you for coming to the U S amid a time of great uncertainty she commented in her opening remarks before an emcee later instructed attendees to shout out where they had traveled from Answers included New Zealand Sweden England Zimbabwe Australia Nigeria and India As an increasing number of international travelers have expressed anxiety John Tanzella president of the International LGBTQ Tour Association commented he has assured people that Washington is an inclusive city but advised them to stay informed of local policies connect with LGBTQ organizations on the ground and book with trusted businesses with track records of inclusion The organization is working on guidance for transgender and nonbinary travelers in the U S for the World Pride parade and march Safety dependably comes up especially in the current conditions but there s also a deep desire to bring our society together he declared For a great number of World Pride in Washington D C feels extra meaningful given its location There s caution yes but above all people want to show up be seen and be heard A bad experience while trying to enter Benoit s friends had warned her not to advance to the U S and her anxiety was mounting in the days leading up to her flight She planned to avoid telling customs agents she was traveling for World Pride But when that information surfaced she announced agents took her passport and sought her questions for an additional hour about where she was staying and for how long Still she stated it is more pivotal now than ever to send a message to Trump in his own backyard and to embrace the global nature of World Pride The ability to bring people together to understand how interconnected everything is how this harmful rhetoric may bleed over to other countries is really fundamental she revealed And it s an opportunity to access guidance and people you may not have access to back home Essy Adhiambo executive director of the Initiative for Equality and Non Discrimination deleted all the social media apps on her phone before her -hour journey from Mombasa Kenya worrying that her phone might be searched Still Adhiambo noted being visible as an international LGBTQ group is powerful amid threats to the area across the globe We must continue to protest in the current context we are in she disclosed Those of us who are able to make this journey have to hold space for those who could not especially our trans siblings We want to amplify our message on the land of the people who are supporting homophobia Nikki Phinyapincha co-founder of Trans Pride Thailand set off on a -hour journey to World Pride from Thailand after issuing a expedition advisory from her organization for Thai LGBTQ people The political environment and instability is not new but it makes it more major that we are here she reported We need to keep doing this work strategizing together and being adaptive For people from marginalized communities Opoku-Gyimah revealed just traveling to speak truth can often feel like a mountain We have to prove our worth at every confines every checkpoint she declared Yet Opoku-Gyimah applauded the international nature of World Pride amid connected coordinated and increasingly violent attacks against LGBTQ communities across the globe She declared the U S leadership s rolling back of DEI initiatives protections for the transgender society and reproductive rights have had ripple effects abroad including in the U K When the U S sneezes she mentioned other parts of the world catch that cold Source