The Kennedy Center has abruptly cancelled a Pride event featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC (GMCW) and the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), a move widely seen as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on LGBTQ+ representation in the arts.
The event, A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride, was originally scheduled for May 21–22, 2025, coinciding with WorldPride in Washington, D.C. Although tickets had been on sale since June 2024, the performance was quietly removed from the Kennedy Center’s website on February 13, sparking backlash from the LGBTQ+ community.
An Ongoing Attack on LGBTQ+ Representation
In response, the GMCW expressed its disappointment in a February 19 statement, vowing to “continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country.”
NSO musician Jeffrey Weisner, whose husband is a member of the GMCW, revealed in a now-deleted Facebook post that the performance had been “abruptly cancelled without explanation.” He warned that this was part of a broader effort to erode LGBTQ+ rights, writing, “Expect moves to remove us from anti-discrimination laws, plus lawsuits aimed at giving the Supreme Court the chance to overturn decisions that gave us rights.”
The show’s centrepiece was an original choral piece based on A Peacock Among Pigeons, a 2015 anti-bullying children’s book by Tyler Curry-McGrath. “It’s ironic that a story about embracing who you are is now being bullied out of the Kennedy Center by the president of the United States,” Curry-McGrath told Advocate.
Trump’s “Golden Age” of the Arts
The cancellation follows President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he would fire members of the Kennedy Center’s board and install himself as chairman. Days later, he appointed Richard Grenell—an openly gay conservative and former ambassador—as the centre’s interim head, declaring, “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA — ONLY THE BEST.”
The Kennedy Center has since cancelled other productions, including Finn, a children’s musical about a shark who “wants to let out his inner fish.” The show’s creators, Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond, responded defiantly, stating, “We will not be silenced. We will not abandon the kids we wrote this show for.”
Artists Take a Stand
In protest, multiple artists have distanced themselves from the Kennedy Center. Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, musician Ben Folds, and actress and opera singer Renée Fleming have stepped down from their roles. Actor Issa Rae and rock band Low Cut Connie also cancelled their upcoming performances.
The cancellation of the GMCW’s Pride concert has fueled fears that LGBTQ+ representation in the arts is under direct threat from the Trump administration. As the 2025 WorldPride celebrations approach, many are questioning what other queer events will be targeted next.
