Douglas Emhoff, Billy Porter kick off Capital Pride festivities
Douglas Emhoff, the husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who has the title of Second Gentleman, was among the speakers at a press conference on Saturday, June 8, at the location of the start of D.C.’s Capital Pride Parade that was called by Capital Pride organizers.
Emhoff and nationally acclaimed singer Billy Porter, who performed the next day at the Capital Pride festival and concert, and who also spoke at the press conference, each emphasized the importance of the LGBTQ rights movement at a time when lawmakers in states across the country are pushing legislation to curtail LGBTQ rights. “It’s great to be here again to enjoy the ambiance and to celebrate with the generations of LGBTQ+ Americans who have fought for their right to live openly and proudly and authentically,” Emhoff told those attending the press conference, which included Capital Pride officials and supporters. “I love coming to Pride,” Emhoff said. “I was here with my wife, your vice president, in 2021, when she became the first sitting vice president ever to march in a Pride parade.
We go to Pride parades all over – San Francisco, L.A., and love doing it,” he said. Porter joined Emhoff at the press conference urging people to vote “blue” in the November election. “I don’t care who you are.
I don’t care where you come from,” he said. “It’s an election year and our democracy is at stake, period,” he continued. “There is one choice.