Why 2026 Demands a Different Kind of Pride
BY PATRICK TSAKUDA
As we gather for Pride 2026, the atmosphere is a complex blend of defiance and somber reflection.
Unlike the celebrations of the early 2020s, which often felt like a steady, if hard-won, march toward mainstreaming and legislative security, this year’s Pride is a return to our roots: Pride as Protest.
The landscape of 2026 is defined by a stark divergence between federal policy and community resilience. For many, the joyful spirit of years past has been replaced by a defiant energy necessitated by a rapid shift in the national political climate.
THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY
Compared to previous years, the LGBTQ+ community currently faces a federal environment that has actively sought to de-institutionalize our rights. Since 2025, a series of executive actions have reshaped the federal definition of “sex,” moving away from inclusive interpretations toward a strict, biological binary. This erasure is evident in our infrastructure, where the removal of “X” gender markers on passports and the cessation of data collection in healthcare signify an intent to make the community invisible in official records.
The current setbacks serve as a reminder that progress is not a straight line, but a cycle of struggle and renewal.
Furthermore, a mounting healthcare crisis has emerged. The rescinding of nondiscrimination protections under the Affordable Care Act has created a “healthcare desert” for transgender individuals, as federal funding for gender-affirming care is effectively frozen and many clinics have shuttered under legal pressure. Similarly, in education and sports, schools are navigating a maze of federal directives that discourage inclusive curricula and exclude transgender athletes from programs receiving federal aid. However, where the state has withdrawn, the community has filled the void. Pride 2026 is seeing record numbers of attendees, with themes like Washington D.C.’s “Exist. Resist. Have the Audacity!” reflecting a community that is no longer asking for a seat at the table, but is building its own.
THE PATH TO RESTORATION: LOOKING TOWARD 2028
While the current climate is challenging, the groundwork for restoration is already being laid. The hope for a new administration in 2028 isn’t just about a change in leadership; it is about a fundamental re-codification of rights to ensure they are no longer subject to the whims of the Executive Branch. Restoring Pride in 2028 will likely require a multi-faceted strategy that prioritizes the Equality Act to provide permanent, statutory protections that cannot be undone by executive order. Administratively, this involves re-establishing the White House Gender Policy Council and restoring inclusive language to all federal forms and agencies. From a judicial standpoint, it requires appointing jurists who recognize that “sex discrimination” inherently includes sexual orientation and gender identity, as established in the Bostock precedent.
RESTORING THE SPIRIT
Restoration in 2028 will also mean moving beyond defense. For Pride to
be fully restored, the next administration must not only stop the harm but also proactively address the intersectional crises—such as housing instability among queer youth and the disproportionate violence against Black trans women—that have worsened during this period of federal withdrawal. As Marsha P. Johnson famously noted, there is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.
This year, we march not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. The current setbacks serve as a reminder that progress is not a straight line, but a cycle of struggle and renewal. By the time we reach 2028, the goal is not just to return to the status quo of 2024, but to build a future where our rights are so deeply woven into the fabric of the law that they can never be unraveled again.
