African LGBTQ+ advocacy group calls for WorldPride boycott

An African organisation advocating for LGBTQ+ rights has urged a boycott of WorldPride in Washington D.C, U.S.A..

According to ‘Washington Blade’, in a press release issued on Monday, the African Human Rights Coalition announced that it is “urging LGBTQI+ Africans and LGBTQI+ individuals globally to refrain from participating in WorldPride in the United States. This is due to the event's location, Washington D.C., USA, being under the current governance of a hostile fascist regime, posing significant risks to international LGBTQI+ visitors.”

“While acknowledging the efforts of WorldPride, Capital Pride Alliance, and InterPride in organizing this event over several years, the unforeseen current situation in the USA necessitates a reassessment with grave concern,” stated the African Human Rights Coalition.

The coalition recognised the logistical challenge in relocating WorldPride at this juncture. Nonetheless, they argued that WorldPride should “consider canceling its presence in the USA and issue a strong statement denouncing the U.S. for the hazardous atmosphere it creates for incoming LGBTQI+ individuals, as well as the ongoing human rights violations and the erosion of democracy, trans rights, and the wider attacks on LGBTQI+ communities within the U.S. and globally.”

“This is a time for resistance, not celebration,” remarked the African Human Rights Coalition.

WorldPride is slated to be held in D.C. from May 17 to June 8.

U.S.A. President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting transgender rights have raised increasing alarm among international governments and advocacy organisations.

On March 5, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office released a travel advisory for trans and nonbinary individuals planning to visit the U.S., highlighting Trump’s order prohibiting the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender indicators.

InterPride, responsible for organising WorldPride events, recently issued its own advisory for trans and nonbinary people intending to travel to the U.S. for WorldPride. In February, Egale Canada, one of the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in Canada, declared that its members would not participate in WorldPride or any event in the U.S.A. due to the policies of the Trump-Vance administration.

The African Human Rights Coalition mentioned it has “contacted” WorldPride. Capital Pride informed the Washington Blade on Monday that it was “unaware” of the boycott call, but is “formulating a response and investigating this matter further.”