Alexandria Celebrates Pride Month with Plethora of Events, Activities
ALEXANDRIA, VA – One June night in 1990 a King Street bar kicked out two lesbian women for dancing the Texas two-step together. They filed a complaint with the City of Alexandria and took legal action after being ejected. According to a post on Historic Alexandria’s official social media, the women won their case—thanks to a local ordinance in place at the time that prohibited such discrimination.
The bar owner issued a formal apology, but the judge also cited a 1934 Virginia law that banned bars from serving gay patrons. The case helped pave the way for broader legal challenges to that outdated and discriminatory state law.
“For years, the gay women and men in Northern Virginia have had to drive into Washington DC if they wanted to go to a bar to be with their gay friends,” a local TV program host said in 1991 when the city’s first openly gay bar, The French Quarter, opened at 80 King Street.
That same year, the French Quarter, Barnhard and one other plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the 1934 discriminatory law. Federal judge Albert V. Bryan ruled it unconstitutional, significantly advancing gay and lesbian rights in the city already considered LGBTQ+ friendly. Alexandria had been prohibiting civil discrimination based on sex and marital status since 1975, and its code expanded to include sexual orientation in 1988 making it the first municipality in the state with such protections.
The city expanded the code again to include gender identity in 2019.
Today, Alexandria is one of the most accepting cities in the nation, having earned 100 out of 100 points on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for the past five years. “Earning a perfect score… for five years in a row is a clear sign of how committed we are to creating a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for all LGBTQIA+ individuals,” stated Mayor Alyia Gaskins.
This pride month, the city is more committed than ever to welcome and support the queer community. Keep your eyes out for two DASH buses outfitted with rainbow designs (“Free to Love, Free to Ride”), and make sure to check out the Alexandria library’s Gay Page and make Pride-themed arts and crafts at the library’s events this week.
Local organizations are just as enthusiastic as the city to show off their Pride. Last Friday, there was a Gay Trivia and Games night hosted by Gadsby’s Tavern in conjunction with the Office of Historic Alexandria. “We had a blast chatting with our tablemates, playing games and learning about drag and queer history through edge-of-your-seat Jeopardy-style trivia. As a non-binary person myself, the event was especially nice as I got to know and become more engaged with my own community,” said one player.
On Saturday, June 28, the city will host its eighth annual Pride Fair at City Hall/Market Square from 3 to 6 pm. Look forward to live music and dancing, local food trucks, a mobile art lab and family-friendly activities for all ages. Stop by the 75+ tables of supportive programs and local businesses, access free and confidential health services, or come to Drag Story Hour in City Hall at either 4 or 5 pm.
This year the fair falls on June 28th, the same day as the raid on the Stonewall Inn in 1969, which kickstarted the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement nationwide.
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