Donald Trump can be sworn in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol because the forty seventh president on Monday, turning into the second individual in historical past to ever return to the Oval Workplace after dropping an election. As fencing and roadblocks start to pop up in preparation for a weekend of Trump supporters gallivanting on the Nationwide Mall and throughout the capital, many LGBTQ individuals in Washington have made plans to depart the District.
Nick Gomez, a 27-year-old music director for iHeartRadio and host of PRIDE Radio advised the Washington Blade he’ll depart the town for northern Maryland with a gaggle of kickball crew members. Gomez defined that this weekend being each a federal vacation (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and a weekend when he didn’t wish to stay in Washington, it made sense to hitch some mates on a visit.
“I believed that it was a small group, nevertheless it’s truly a really giant group of us trying on the group chat now,” Gomez stated. “We’re getting a bit cabin out in northern Maryland.” He stated 27 members of his LGBTQ Stonewall Kickball crew are planning to journey out the inauguration away from Trump supporters and MAGA hats.
“Usually a bit kickball crew cabin weekend occurs yearly, however we did coordinate it to occur on inauguration weekend this 12 months — decidedly after Nov. 5 is after we booked the Airbnb,” he stated.
Gomez’s selection to depart Washington was not a snap judgment although. For some time he contemplated what to do and if he ought to depart the town in any respect.
“I’ve considered this rather a lot, truly,” he stated. “I used to be considering, ‘What’s it going to be prefer to dwell on this metropolis whereas the administration is energetic outdoors of simply inauguration weekend?’ There was part of me that’s like, ‘I don’t must be caught up in all that. I do know that that’s in all probability not going to be good for me. And it very nicely might flip right into a fucking hellscape out right here.’ However there was one other a part of me that’s like, ‘Nicely, why am I going to depart? As a result of that is my metropolis. I’m the one who lives right here!’ And that form of went into eager about the inauguration weekend.”
Gomez understood this might not be like all earlier inauguration, given the inflammatory president-elect and his largely anti-LGBTQ followers.
“The distinction about inauguration weekend is that this inauguration is going on on the twentieth, however there’s additionally that rally occurring on the nineteenth,” he stated. “Something that we are able to get caught up in on the nineteenth is simply merely not going to be helpful for queer individuals within the metropolis, or the town itself.”
The twice-impeached president-elect is planning to carry a “victory rally” for 20,000 supporters the day earlier than he’s sworn in. It will mark the primary time Trump will communicate to a crowd in Washington since Jan. 6, 2021, when teams of his supporters stormed the Capitol in hopes of overturning the truthful election of Joe Biden. Trump’s followers, and their inclination to enterprise towards violent conduct, Gomez explains, is a big purpose for why he selected to depart Washington for the weekend.
“There are going to be so many individuals from out of city right here, individuals from across the nation right here whose solely goal is to help this man. We all know what that appears like when individuals help this man in a bodily sense. In the event that they’re going to do this for 2 days, I don’t must be right here for that. I additionally don’t have to validate their presence by welcoming them to my metropolis.”
He understands that some LGBTQ neighborhood members could really feel that’s the precise purpose to remain in Washington.
“Possibly there are some differing opinions on that,” Gomez added. “Possibly individuals suppose, ‘You realize what, I’m going to take a seat right here and stand my floor’ and like, ‘That is my metropolis it doesn’t matter what.’ I simply suppose that there’s a smarter strategy to stand my floor in my metropolis than subjecting myself to no matter chaos goes to be right here on these two days.”
“It’s extra of a refusal to depart on my half,” stated Luke Stowell, 22, the queer assistant director of music on the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church who’s hunkering down within the District this weekend. “I dwell right here. I pay lease right here. I’m not going wherever, simply because 650,000 Republicans are coming. That is my dwelling.”
Stowell defined that he’s on the facet of staying in Washington for the inauguration, if nothing else to be a voice of resistance towards the Trump regime.
“I virtually want that there wasn’t such a want for exodus,” they added. “I want that there have been a bit bit extra of a ‘Hey, like, No, we’re truly going to face our floor.’ I respect the defiance, however I see it extra as a protection of this territory. It’s clearly, as we all know, a massively liberal territory.”
Stowell has debated shifting his every day routine forward of Sunday’s MAGA rally to keep away from the Gallery-Place/Capital One Enviornment space.
“They’re saying that there’s an enormous rally earlier than the inauguration down at Capital One Enviornment, and that’s truly the place my Planet Health is,” they stated. “I’m very to see if I attempt to go to the fitness center on Sunday, will it even be open? Will it’s overrun with MAGgots? In any other case on Monday, I’ve choir. I’ve issues to do on Monday. My life doesn’t actually cease simply because the inauguration is going on. Some individuals don’t even have time without work for the MLK Day vacation. It appears so loopy that these are on the identical day, however yeah, I’ll be round.”
Sam Parker, a 30-year-old managing strategist at a political consulting agency, selected to make use of this weekend to flee from the town and to get nearer to his accomplice after experiencing the primary Trump inauguration from a really shut distance.
“My boyfriend and I are going to Philly for the weekend, all the way in which till Tuesday to keep away from the inauguration, and to get out for the three-day weekend,” Parker stated. “It’s undoubtedly largely predicated on the truth that I lived in Foggy Backside the final time he was inaugurated.”
Parker has since moved away from any of the neighborhoods that can be absolutely locked down throughout the inauguration however would relatively simply keep away from any repeated feeling of being locked down as he was eight years in the past.
“It was solely within the shutdown zone — there have been armored vehicles on the road. It was inescapable. My present neighborhood might be rather less… omnipresent. … However I’ve form of gotten over the concept there’s some form of ‘noble purpose’ being witness to all these things, and that it’s form of higher for my psychological well being to simply get out of city. Additionally, politics apart, it feels just like the city will get form of locked down for an inauguration. It’s form of good to make use of some Amtrak factors and go someplace else. Have a much less anxious weekend.”
Justin Westley, a 28-year-old fundraising skilled for an environmental NGO, can be utilizing this weekend as a chance to develop nearer to their boyfriend, Matt. Matt, who works for the federal authorities, requested anonymity as a consequence of considerations about potential repercussions for talking out towards the incoming administration, however wholeheartedly agreed about wanting to depart the town forward of Trump’s arrival.
“We’re going to Boston this weekend,” Westley stated. “We’re visiting Matt’s sister, who lives up there. We’re going to remain and go to for some time, and this simply appeared like an excellent alternative. It’s very sensible, as a result of we had been eager to see Matt’s sister anyway. … I do know most of our mates are both doing cabin journeys or small weekend getaways anyway. We in all probability would have left regardless. I do suppose going to Massachusetts, a really blue state, and Boston, a really blue metropolis, can be good to not have to fret in any respect about interacting with these individuals [Trump supporters] on the day-to-day.”
“Yeah,” Matt agreed. “Visiting a metropolis that has voted primarily blue the previous a number of elections presents a political consolation. But additionally, there’s a enjoyable facet of exploring a brand new metropolis. Justin’s by no means been there. After which there’s consolation there — visiting a member of the family. That’s additionally simply form of like a security internet.”
Matt added that he has already seen legislation enforcement start taking precautions within the District forward of Monday’s occasions, solidifying the selection to depart forward of regardless of the weekend holds.
“I truly dwell fairly near the White Home, within the basic Logan Circle space, and so they’ve been testing drones,” Matt stated. “I keep in mind seeing the information articles that they’re going to be testing them all through the week, main as much as the inauguration. I haven’t been down close to the precise mall, however the visitors patterns have already modified, simply strolling across the neighborhood. And the transportation company has launched what streets are going to be closed and navigating the world round my residence is simply going to be a nightmare.”
This induced Westley to mirror on the place he, and the town, was 4 years in the past.
“I’ve simply been considering again to Jan. 6 — the disrespect, the terrorism, the white supremacy, but in addition simply the disrespect towards the individuals who dwell right here,” Westley stated. “4 years later, in any case of that, these individuals are going to be coming again underneath the presumption of ‘Welcome to the town!’ For the primary Trump administration, I lived in Nashville and in Pittsburgh. These are each purple and like purple states, respectively. The cities themselves really did really feel like… not being in a bubble, however like, a real insulated neighborhood the place I wasn’t on edge about seeing Trump supporters — like MAGAs within the streets essentially…There may be simply going to be much more Trump supporters [in Washington], and that simply makes me really feel rather a lot much less safe.”
Regardless of feeling much less safe this time round, Westley echoed Parker’s earlier sentiment on the significance of prioritizing his psychological well being whereas navigating this weekend, and the subsequent 4 years.
“Whereas I can’t management being round staffers within the streets for the subsequent 4 years, I can management after I’m across the type of enthusiastic supporter that may be coming to the inauguration,” Westley stated. “Eradicating myself from the scenario felt just like the healthiest factor for me, particularly eager about the subsequent 4 years and for the power that I’ll need to dedicate to defending the individuals I like, the individuals near me, in addition to the neighborhood extra broadly. I wish to be sure that I’m beginning that from a spot of security and resilience and never concern.”
Stephen Hayes, 37, a non-profit fundraising skilled, will use the lengthy vacation weekend to have a good time his marriage ceremony anniversary and keep away from pointless political battle with individuals who could not help him and his husband.
“I had already deliberate on going out of city this weekend,” Hayes advised the Blade. “It’s my husband and my eleventh marriage ceremony anniversary. We obtained married in New York and we return yearly for our anniversary. Our anniversary occurs to fall in the midst of the week, so we’re going the weekend prior.”
Hayes initially was extra hopeful the nation would go in a distinct path than a second Trump presidency and stored that in thoughts when initially planning his anniversary weekend.
“I had initially deliberate to return in time for the inauguration, as a result of I used to be hopefully optimistic that issues would go the opposite method. However as soon as we discovered that they didn’t go the way in which that I’d like, I modified my plans to increase my keep in New York via the inauguration and return the next day, hopefully avoiding the general public who can be right here on the town for the occasion.”
This journey, Hayes remembers, appears to be similar to his vacation weekend throughout Trump’s first inauguration two phrases in the past.
“It’s form of humorous as a result of eight years in the past I used to be in New York throughout among the first protests [against Trump] with the ‘pussy hat/pink hat’ protests that occurred in New York,” he stated. “I wasn’t planning to be there throughout the inauguration, and I wasn’t but a D.C. resident, however now it is going to be attention-grabbing to be in New York Metropolis once more for the inauguration.”
“It appears like there’s lots of unknown proper now,” Hayes added. “Personally, I form of have my guard up. The individuals coming to city won’t be as pleasant as your common customer so I’d simply be hyper vigilant. Concentrate on what’s occurring round you. I wish to say that queer areas are secure areas, however they could be a focused place. I don’t suppose that’s going to occur, however the pessimist in me says be ready.”
“It’s tremendous simple to really feel actually helpless and we’re all allowed to really feel helpless, however ultimately one thing has to return of that helplessness,” Gomez added. “I’ve little question that the queer neighborhood on this metropolis will do this, and one thing will come out of it. However I believe if there’s something that I’d wish to share simply from my private expertise during the last nonetheless many weeks, it’s that helplessness is OK, and it’ll not final ceaselessly. There’s a whole metropolis of individuals round you which might be there to lean on.”
Trump’s inauguration occurs Monday, Jan. 20 at midday on the Capitol steps. If you happen to’re staying on the town, Metro has launched data relating to the change in transportation schedules forward of the three-day weekend.
“Metro is ready to maneuver clients for Inauguration Day with extra prepare service and earlier hours,” WAMATA introduced. “Per the request of the USA Secret Service and the USA Capitol Police, Metrorail will open at 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20 to accommodate the crowds. 5 stations can be closed, and trains will bypass these stations for safety causes from Sunday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. till 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21: McPherson Sq. (Blue, Orange, Silver traces), Federal Triangle (Blue, Orange, Silver traces), Smithsonian (Blue, Orange, Silver traces), Mt. Vernon Sq.-Conference Heart (Inexperienced, Yellow traces), Archives-Navy Memorial (Inexperienced, Yellow traces).”
For extra data on public transportation in Washington forward of the vacation weekend, go to inauguration.dc.gov/ or wmata.com/service/inauguration-2025.
