The planned closure of Dupont Circle during WorldPride 2025 raised concerns among D.C.'s queer community, who viewed it as an act of exclusion. The National Park Service's chaotic reversal of the closure led to heightened tensions on what was expected to be a celebratory occasion. This June is particularly significant, marking the 50th anniversary of Pride events in D.C. and the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision, legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Many hoped for a triumphant Pride; instead, they faced confusion and emotional turmoil.
The park and its namesake neighborhood, a longtime hub of gay life in Washington, D.C., were expected to be packed during WorldPride 2025.
For many residents, there was a sense of fear that the federal government was intentionally excluding queer people from a beloved green space.
This was supposed to be an unambiguously triumphant June, one marking multiple important anniversaries, but the situation evolved into a heavy-handed metaphor for emotional whiplash.
The change was fortuitous, in part because it coincided with the 50th anniversary of Pride events in D.C.
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