JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STONEWALL DEMOCRATS & CAPITOL STONEWALL DEMOCRATS PRESIDENTS JEREMY COMEAU & HOWARD GARRETT JR.

WASHINGTON, DC – Washington, DC stands as a fortress for a vibrant, unapologetic LGBTQ+ community. Here, queer people—especially Black and Brown LGBTQ+ residents—have forged powerful lives, built thriving businesses, and nurtured loving families, turning our capital into a shining beacon of inclusivity, resilience, and bold progress. Yet despite their indispensable contributions—engaging fully in civic life, paying taxes, and strengthening the very fabric of our nation—DC residents are systematically denied the fundamental rights afforded to every other American.

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“The budget cuts and this power grab are nothing more than a thinly veiled attack on the communities who live and work in DC—especially those who have long been the backbone of this city,” said Jeremy Comeau, President of the National Federation of Stonewall Democrats. “We reject any notion of monarchs in America. We refuse to kneel before self-anointed kings or fascists who seek to strip us of our rights, defund our communities, and dismantle our progress.”

Now, extremist forces are unleashing a brutal assault on DC’s hard-won autonomy, its democratic principles, and its right to self-governance. For decades, DC has led the charge in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights—a city where queer individuals, particularly Black and Brown LGBTQ+ residents, have cultivated a sanctuary of safety and vital protections that many states simply refuse to provide. An attack on DC’s self-rule is an attack on all of us. Strip away DC’s power, and you dismantle the essential protections that have made our city a beacon of progress—from reproductive rights and nondiscrimination laws to the critical safeguards for trans lives.

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Compounding this crisis, the newly passed federal spending bill slashes over $1 billion from DC’s budget, an unprecedented and devastating blow to essential city services. These cuts threaten the very programs that uplift and protect our most vulnerable communities—from public safety and healthcare to education and housing. This draconian financial sabotage is a direct attack on DC's ability to govern itself and provide for its residents, particularly its LGBTQ+ community, which relies on these vital resources for survival.

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“Make no mistake—this is not an isolated policy misstep but part of a coordinated, expansive campaign designed to silence and erase our community,” said Howard Garrett Jr., President of the Capitol Stonewall Democrats. “The same extremists undermining DC’s self-governance are waging an aggressive, nationwide war on LGBTQ+ rights. We will not allow our capital to be exploited as a pawn in their toxic culture war, nor will we permit our community to be collateral damage in their relentless political games.”

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We call on every LGBTQ+ person and every ally across the country: Raise your voices. Contact your representatives and demand that they honor DC’s right to govern itself, reject these devastating budget cuts, and support DC statehood. Our struggle transcends one city—it is a battle for our democracy, our rights, and the future of our community.

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