"Our Art Is Not A Crime": Hundreds Rally for Drag at Kennedy Center
Credit: DuHon Photography. For more photos from the rally, visit: https://duhonphotography.smugmug.com/Kenn-Ctr-Drag-March-Credit-biz-or-DuHon-Photography/n-8LhdgZ
Hundreds of supporters gathered in Washington DC to march from Washington Circle to the Kennedy Center in a powerful demonstration against artistic censorship. The Rally & March for Drag came in response to the Trump administration's unprecedented takeover of the Kennedy Center and the explicit ban on drag performances at the national arts center. Qommittee supported and spoke at the event, which was organized by the DMV Social Activist Collective.
Standing Up for Free Expression
"This is America's stage. They say we don't belong. They are wrong," Dinamyte told the crowd. "What's happening isn't new. Throughout history, we've seen this before. The Nazis banned what they labeled degenerate art – anything that didn't fit their narrow vision of culture. Art that showed freedom, difference, complexity, all banned."
The rally highlighted how attacks on drag performances are part of a broader attempt to control artistic expression and silence marginalized communities.
"They target drag because we are liberation," Dinamyte continued. "Our art makes a world where you can be who you are—whoever that is. We are a threat to governments that want to control how we live and express ourselves."
A Direct Message to Kennedy Center Donors
Blaq Dinamyte addressed the crowd at the Kennedy Center. Photo credit: DuHon Photography
In one of the most pointed moments of the speech, Dinamyte addressed the financial supporters of the Kennedy Center directly:
"And to the donors and supporters who fund the Kennedy Center – your money is now funding censorship. If you stand for artistic freedom, stop writing checks to institutions that ban artists and start supporting those of us who've been silenced and pushed off stage!"
This call to action reinforces Qommittee's petition, which has gathered nearly 40,000 signatures calling on Kennedy Center donors to suspend funding until artistic independence is restored.
Historical Context
The connection between controlling art and broader political suppression wasn't lost on the crowd. Dinamyte pointed out that drag performers are often "the canary in the coal mine" for authoritarian movements:
"Drag performers have always been at the front lines. Here in DC, we're seeing this play out on federal property. These bans hit our communities first, but they never stop with us."
Media Coverage
The event drew significant media attention:
The Washington Post: Trump's Drag Ban at Kennedy Center Faces Backlash
The Guardian: US Protests: Drag, Kennedy Center, Science
Washington Blade: March for Drag at Kennedy Center
NBC Washington: Activists March for LGBTQ Shows at Kennedy Center
Sky News Italy: Washington: Manifestanti Drag Protestano Contro Trump
The Pink Times: Drag Queens vs. Trump at Kennedy Center
The Advocate: Kennedy Center Protest Drag Trump
Moving Forward
As Dinamyte concluded in their speech: "We must grow stronger. We must welcome more voices. We WILL keep creating art that challenges and celebrates. They cannot take away our creativity or silence us. We belong on ANY stage in ANY community."
The fight for artistic freedom continues. To support this effort, sign the petition calling on Kennedy Center donors to suspend funding until artistic independence is restored: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/stop-the-political-takeover-of-the-kennedy-center-protect-free-expression-1
