Members of the LGBTQ+ community gathered at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts last Saturday to show off their pride and oppose President Donald Trump’s takeover of the organization.
The March for Drag was a response to Trump’s removal of the Kennedy Center’s previous executive board. He replaced them with his own appointees and declared himself the organization’s chairman. His new board includes Fox News personalities Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo.
The president broke precedent set by his predecessors and skipped the Kennedy Center Honors during his first three years in office. In 2017, three honorees—Norman Lear, Lionel Richie and Carmen de Lavallade—threatened to boycott if Trump were to attend.
Since Trump’s revamp of the board, the Kennedy Center has seen more than 20 cancellations, including the hit musical “Hamilton” and performances by Issa Rae.
At the march, local drag performers and other guest speakers emphasized their goal of restoring queer shows and other performances to the center, which they say should not be used for political purposes.
“Queer people have existed since the beginning of time and I know we’re gonna make it through this stronger than ever,” said drag artist and event organizer Mas Vusi. “I hope that we could utilize and sustain this momentum past a Donald Trump presidency. Whether it’s a Democrat or Republican in the White House, we know our community is under attack, and we need to stand up and fight back.”
