At first glance, it reads like a matter of protocol. A White House dinner, a curated guest list, a question of presidential discretion. But when Donald Trump reportedly chose to invite only Republican governors to a traditional gathering during the National Governors Association winter meeting, the absence of certain names became impossible to ignore.
Among those excluded are Jared Polis, the only openly gay governor in the United States, and Wes Moore, the country’s only Black governor. Their absence is not just political. It resonates on a deeper level, where representation still feels fragile and visibility remains hard won.
Official statements framed the decision as a matter of choice. Politics as usual. Yet for many across LGBTQIA+ communities in the United States, in Brussels and across Europe, these gestures echo beyond borders. They remind us how quickly inclusion can be treated as optional.
The response tells another story. Polis, measured and wry, redirected attention to his work. Moore spoke openly about the personal weight of exclusion. At the same time, a collective reaction emerged, with governors pushing back and institutions reconsidering their participation. It is a quiet form of resistance, but a real one.
And sometimes, not being invited only makes the community stronger outside the room.
You may also like
-
Expressions Mixtes 3: Brussels gets a festival where queer stories refuse to fit in one box
Every June, Brussels quietly grows a new kind of Pride: one made of dance floors,
-
European Testing Week: turning testing into queer self‑care
If Pride is about visibility and joy, European Testing Week is about something just as vital: making
-
“Baimenik Gabe”: the trans man under Jorge Sevilla’s brush opens Madrid Pride’s queer art route
Madrid is getting ready for Pride season, and this year one of the first signals
-
Eurovision 2026: Bulgaria wins big, all eyes on Sofia next year
An electrifying night of glitter, emotion, and powerful performances crowned Bulgaria as the winner of
-
IDAHOT DAY 2026 – After 216,000 people in the streets, the fight doesn’t go on pause
Yesterday, Brussels Pride marked its 30th edition with an estimated 216,000 people filling the city centre. Under the banner “When Times Get