World Pride 2025 kicks off this weekend in the D.C. region and the event promises a long list of activities to mark the occasion. While some of the events feature renowned entertainment acts, such as Jennifer Lopez, off the stage, one option is learning D.C.’s LGBTQ+ Pride history.
“Washington, D.C. has had LGBTQ+ related organizations … going all the way back into the ’40s,” said Liam Gideon, CEO of Unscripted Tours.
His company will be providing walking tours throughout World Pride which tell the story of the struggles and celebrations for D.C.’s gay community.
Gideon said the tour will touch on the pre-Stonewall era in D.C., during which many residents who were gay had to keep their sexual orientation a secret. That meant many gay clubs and bars would be in buildings with no windows.
While several early clubs have closed, among them the Omega club, other important spots remain open, including Annie’s and JR’s in Dupont Circle.
“Annie’s and JR’s, which are still alive and active today, are both deeply related to the origins of the High Heel Drag Race here in Washington, D.C.,” Gideon said.
The 17th Street High Heel Race remains a popular event, but Gideon said what many people may not realize is that the first drag shows in D.C. date back to the 1800s.
“We had our very first drag balls in D.C. in 1869, and so there’s a very long history of drag in D.C.,” he said.
Gideon said the tours will also tell the story of the struggles of federal workers who found themselves targets in the 1950s, during what was known as the Lavender Scare, when there were mass dismissals of federal workers who were discovered to be gay.
“They were actively hunting out anybody who was potentially gay/lesbian in that time and removing them from their career,” Gideon said.
There are also homes on the tour, which Gideon said have stories to tell. Among them is the Northwest D.C. home of Franklin E. Kameny, who was a co-founder of the Mattachine Society, one of the earliest gay rights organizations.
For residents who were Black and gay, Gideon said there was “segregation within segregation” in some areas of the city.
“There was still a separation that we highlight in here as we go from the west side of Dupont (Circle) to the east side of Dupont,” Gideon said. “There were certain areas that you were not allowed to be, really, if you were Black, even within that subset.”
A tombstone at the Congressional Cemetery in D.C. serves as an important marker in the District’s gay history. The tombstone belongs to Leonard Matlovich, and its inscription illustrated the struggle for members of the gay community — even those who served in the military, Gideon said.
It read: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
“That deeply rooted history and boldness within Washington, D.C., within the community, I find was fascinating,” he said.
The tours will take place during World Pride, which goes from May 17 to June 8. For other events and activities, check the World Pride 2025 guide.
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