Dear Pride Bands Alliance Family and Friends:
Pride Bands Alliance stands in unwavering solidarity with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW) and all choruses that are part of GALA Choruses in light of the recent and deeply troubling cancellation of GMCW’s concert at the Kennedy Center. As a peer organization representing LGBTQ+ musicians from around the world, we believe that music and the arts are essential to fostering a just, vibrant, and healthy society. The suppression of artistic expression – especially when it is rooted in identity, community, and resilience – is a direct attack on the values of diversity, inclusion, and free expression that the arts seek to uphold.
We are alarmed by the increasing politicization of the arts, particularly when it is used as a weapon to silence LGBTQ+ voices. The cancellation of this concert is not an isolated event; it is part of a larger pattern of harmful actions directed toward our community. The arts have always been a powerful force for social change, healing, and understanding, and attempts to suppress them only serve to further divide and harm.
We also take this moment to express our steadfast support for the transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse communities, who continue to be unjustly targeted, attacked, and marginalized under the policies of the new presidential administration. We refuse to stand by as any segment of our community is erased or diminished. Gender-diverse voices, lives, and artistry are essential and must be protected. We will not allow fear or bigotry to silence our music, our stories, or our existence.
Pride Bands Alliance remains committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (DEIAB), and we will continue to uplift and celebrate the voices of LGBTQ+ artists everywhere. We encourage our community to stand together in the face of adversity, to support one another, and to ensure that music remains a force for visibility, unity, and resistance.
We stand with GMCW, GALA Choruses, and all LGBTQ+ artists – now and always.
About Pride Bands Alliance:
The Pride Bands Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting LGBTQ+ musical ensembles. Through performance opportunities, educational initiatives, and community outreach, the Alliance strives to create a world where all musicians, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can express themselves freely through music.
Pride Bands Alliance DEIAB Initiatives
Contact:
Board of Directors, Pride Bands Alliance
