Hawai‘i’s Got Pride, and Plenty of Fight Too

Table of Contents

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono 

Randy Soriano, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation  

Peter Tui Silva, Kumukahi Health + Wellness  

Walter Kinoshita, SafeHaus Wellness Services 

Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i  

Camaron Miyamoto, LGBTQ+ Center at UH Mānoa 

In Just a Few Months, Decades of Progress Have Been Wiped Out 

Introduction by Cynthia Wessendorf

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate Hawai‘i’s rich LGBTQ history and the diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnicities and cultures of the Islands – all the intertwined lives that are sometimes fractious, often harmonious and generally tolerant.

But with an openly hostile administration in the White House, this year is markedly different from recent years. For Pride 2025, Hawaii Business Magazine reached out to people active in the local LGBTQ community, or those in positions to advocate effectively, to express what Pride means to them today, in their own words.

The essays capture their joy, sorrow, worry and determination to maintain a vibrant community where everyone is valued. Because the reality is that basic rights are being steadily chipped away by executive orders, many targeting transgender people.

The first 100 days

On Jan. 20, on his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stating that only two genders, immutable “at conception,” would be recognized by the U.S. government. Passports marked with a gender that’s different from a person’s sex at birth, or the nonbinary X designation, would no longer be issued.

The order also required all programming, grants and other initiatives that “inculcate gender ideology” be reviewed, and employees associated with the programs be placed on administrative leave.

The following day, an executive order revoked protections for transgender employees of the federal government and LGBTQ employees of federal contractors and subcontractors. According to a UCLA School of Law Williams Institute brief, the order affects nearly 14,000 transgender federal employees and over 100,000 LGBTQ employees of federal contractors.

On Feb. 7, the Department of Defense, expanding on another executive memo, banned transgender people from enlisting in the military. Later that month, the department began the process of identifying transgender troops for removal from their positions. At press time, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the ban could be enforced while legal challenges proceed.

Also in February, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dropped seven pending lawsuits involving discrimination against transgender and nonbinary people – all considered by its staff to be clear-cut and winnable – leaving harassed and unfairly fired employees to pursue lawsuits on their own.

Grants for medical research have been severely cut since January. The science journal Nature reported that, as of April 7, the U.S. National Institutes of Health had canceled about 770 grants. Of those, 29% were related to HIV/AIDS and 24% were related to transgender health.

This is the short version of what’s happened so far. Each week brings another restriction, another round of firings, another funding freeze, most of which are being challenged in courts. All the measures spring from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, seen by many as a blueprint for the Trump administration’s second term.

David A. Graham, author of the book The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America, writes in The Atlantic that “Trump has already moved to limit transgender rights, but the Project 2025 agenda is much wider, aiming to return the United States to a country of married families with male breadwinners and female caregivers.”

So what’s next? Will Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry, be challenged? Could adoptions by LGBTQ people be banned, as they were in autocratic Russia in 2014? Will the U.S. emulate Hungary, which has passed a raft of anti-LGBTQ laws, including one in March that outlaws Pride events? After all, the former Soviet satellite state is viewed by many on the right as a “natural” ally of the U.S., according to a Wall Street Journal article.

In the U.S., Bloomberg reported that organizers of Pride festivals and parades across the country were scrambling for funding. Corporate donors were pulling back, with 2 in 5 planning to reduce their Pride month engagement this year. Even powerful companies fear blowback.

A long, hard fight for rights

This sea change happened quickly. Yet it wasn’t long ago that members of the LGBTQ community were routinely denied housing, jobs and services. And police abuse was common, with law enforcement often specifically targeting LGBTQ people and businesses.

It was a violent raid by New York City police on a Greenwich Village gay bar that sparked the Stonewall uprising of 1969 – six days of angry clashes and protests – that ultimately galvanized the gay rights movement.

Marsha P. Johnson, an early activist for transgender rights, participated in the uprising. Called “Saint Marsha” for her generosity, the transgender icon was arrested more than 100 times, sometimes based on discriminatory laws that criminalized cross-dressing. In 1992, her body was found in the Hudson River. Police ruled her death a suicide, but the case was reopened in 2012 and remains unsolved.

The AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s – and the indifferent national response, including from the medical establishment – triggered a highly visible grassroots movement called ACT UP. Activists helped bring needed attention, resources and research to battle an epidemic that claimed 362,004 lives in the U.S. between 1981 and 1999, according to data from the nonprofit research foundation amfAR.

More recently, and locally, the popular nightclub and drag venue Scarlet Honolulu filed a lawsuit in 2021 alleging assault and harassment of transgender customers by the Honolulu Liquor Commission. The suit was joined by Gay Island Guide. On Oct. 8, 2024, they were awarded a $670,000 settlement.

Scarlet Honolulu co-owner Robbie Baldwin told Hawaii News Now at the time of settlement: “[What] I want people to know is to not stop fighting for what’s right. It’s hard, it’s stressful, but if you keep at it, you can really make change.”

One of the most important legal decisions regarding LGBTQ rights happened as late as 2020. In Bostock v. Clayton County, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Yet the impact of this landmark decision is now tenuous, as the Trump administration has instructed the U.S. attorney general to reevaluate how the ruling is applied. According to the Human Rights Campaign website, “If implemented, this directive could allow federal agencies to refuse to acknowledge discrimination against the full LGBTQ+ community in the workplace, education, housing, health care, and more.”

The backlash against transgender, nonbinary and intersex people is fully underway, and the lives of everyone in the LGBTQ community have been rendered less secure, less free from discrimination.

These measures affect millions of people, including my own daughter, 23 and living in Berlin, who can’t safely travel to Hawai‘i, where she was born and raised. With a U.S. passport that lists a name and gender different from the one she had as a child, the document could be destroyed by a petulant border control agent, or she could be accused of traveling under a false identity.

Her German passport also puts her at additional risk of detention, as many international travelers have discovered, including two teenage travelers from Germany who were detained and then expelled when they arrived at the Honolulu airport in April without hotel reservations.

As the age of progress swings into a time of setbacks, the activism of the past seems relevant and vital again. In an interview about her 2021 book Let the Record Show, which documents the raucous ACT UP movement and its impact, writer Sarah Schulman said:

“I think the biggest thing was that we changed how people with AIDS and queer people were seen all over the world and how we felt about ourselves. And that’s been lasting.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono

“We All Have a Part to Play in Fighting Back Against Discrimination and Hate”

By U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono

For over 50 years, June has been a time of commemoration for the LGBTQ+ community. During Pride Month, we celebrate the community’s joy, diversity and vibrancy in Hawai‘i and across the country.

Perhaps especially in our current political climate, Pride is also an opportunity for reflection and appreciation of the bravery and resilience of LGBTQ+ communities in the face of adversity. From the first Pride protesters at Stonewall, to the activists who demanded action to address the AIDS epidemic, to the dedicated advocates who work on behalf of the community today, generations of LGBTQ+ Americans have fought tirelessly for equity and their right to live freely and authentically.

Thanks to their advocacy, we’ve made real progress toward equality. HIV, once thought to be a death sentence, can now be treated and managed with just one pill a day. In June, we’ll celebrate one decade since the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision made marriage equality the law of the land. From the halls of Congress to corporate boardrooms, and everywhere in between, LGBTQ+ Americans are showing up and leading as their authentic selves in increasing numbers.

In Donald Trump, however, we have a president and an administration hellbent on undoing that progress and intentionally making life harder for queer communities. In just his first 100 days, he signed an executive order solely recognizing two sexes, eliminated LGBTQ+ and HIV content from the websites of federal agencies, and ordered an end to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives nationwide.

These attacks only serve to highlight the importance of showing up for our LGBTQ+ neighbors, friends and family, especially transgender people and LGBTQ+ people of color who are disproportionately impacted by this perpetuation of inequality, discrimination and hate.

Gay, queer and transgender rights are human rights, and I am proud to have stood beside the LGBTQ+ community as we fought for that recognition. As Hawai‘i’s lieutenant governor, I advocated for equality on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. In Congress, I’ve continued this work, and was proud to help pass the Right to Marriage Act in 2022 to protect the right to marry who you love. I am staunchly committed to continuing my work with advocates in Hawai‘i and across the country to create a more inclusive future for all.

We all have a part to play in fighting back against discrimination and hate. As vulnerable communities face a barrage of attacks from Trump and his Republican bullies, we can all use our voices to fight back. From organizing protests, to raising awareness on social media, to advocating for legislation, now is the time to use our voices to defend the diversity that makes our state and our country so special.

Again, these are not normal times – we can and must fight back. I remain steadfast in my support for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as for every other group being targeted by this administration. We are in this together.

Sen. Mazie Hirono has served in the U.S. Senate since 2013 and is the first Asian American woman elected to the Senate and first female senator from Hawai‘i. Before that, she served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Hawai‘i lieutenant governor and in the state House. She immigrated to Hawai‘i from Japan when she was 8.

Randy Soriano

Working for a Brighter Future in Troubling Times 

By Randy Soriano, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation  

Across the country, the LGBTQIA+ community is navigating a troubling and uncertain time. From federal efforts to narrowly define gender to the rollback of employment protections for transgender individuals and the reduction of funding for HIV/AIDS research, hard-won progress is being threatened. These policy changes not only affect services and support but also send a dangerous message that our identities and rights are up for debate.

In Hawai‘i, we are reminded daily that aloha is more than a greeting. It is a value rooted in care and respect, and it defines how we show up for one another. At the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, we carry this value into every aspect of our work. Since our founding in 2008, we have been committed to building an inclusive Hawai‘i where LGBTQIA+ / MVPFAFF+ people (see notes at left) are safe, seen and supported.

We are fortunate to live in a state where many of our elected leaders advocate for inclusion, but we must remain vigilant. The national climate impacts our local communities, especially our most vulnerable. There is a continued need for mental health support, affirming health care, housing security and education that reflects the full spectrum of identities. These needs are not abstract. They are urgent.

In response, the foundation launched Pride365 in 2024 to provide consistent, year-round programming rooted in community care. Pride365 reflects our belief that Pride is not a moment but a daily commitment to visibility, connection and progress.

Through Pride365, we have expanded outreach through various programs, including:

• Kūpuna Movie Mornings: In collaboration with the Hawai‘i Theatre Center, over 900 LGBTQIA+ elders have gathered to enjoy films and build intergenerational bonds.
• Rainbow Town Halls: Forums for dialogue on pressing issues such as youth mental health, access to gender-affirming care and the role of inclusive education.
• The Rainbow Support Circle: A peer-led monthly group for those navigating complex family dynamics, personal identity and community belonging.
• Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival: Amplifying queer voices through storytelling that reflects both our modern challenges and cultural roots.
• Honolulu Pride: An expanded destination event, with more than 30,000 parade attendees, 85,000 live-stream viewers and 8,500 festival-goers in 2024.

This year, we also launched the Rainbow Legacy Scholarship Fund to support LGBTQIA+ / MVPFAFF+ high school seniors who demonstrate leadership, service and a commitment to Hawai‘i’s future. The first award will be presented at Rainbow Graduation 2025, our annual celebration for queer-identifying college and university graduates from across the state.

These programs are possible because of a strong network of support. Our volunteer board, local advocates, generous donors and community partners all help make our mission real, and their commitment ensures that our foundation continues to grow in impact and reach.

As we look to the future, we know that the work ahead will involve all of us. Whether you donate, attend an event, volunteer or advocate for inclusive policies, your contribution matters. We also encourage everyone to uplift LGBTQIA+ / MVPFAFF+ voices in everyday life, whether at work, in school or around the dinner table.

Visibility matters. Respect matters. Aloha in action matters. Together, with intention and care, we can ensure that Hawai‘i remains a place where LGBTQIA+ / MVPFAFF+ people live with pride and purpose, every day of the year.

Randy Soriano is the executive director of the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, and has worked in marketing and communications with many Hawai‘i companies and nonprofits. To learn more or get involved, visit hawaiilgbtlegacyfoundation.com.

Peter Tui Silva

“We Are Still Here, and We Are Not Backing Down”

By Peter Tui Silva, Kumukahi Health + Wellness  

A few weeks ago, as I was preparing for our Big Island AIDS Walk, my staff confronted me with something that had become a larger dilemma than I thought.

The problem grew over the past few months. I had been glued to my desktop, anticipating and analyzing every executive order and news report that had come out against our māhū/LGBTQ+ community. In response, letters and testimonies flowed through my fingers into a virtual keyboard abyss that seemed to get darker and demand more and more.

As a 30-year Hawai‘i advocate and leader of an organization that predominantly serves sexual and gender minorities, I felt the weight of those now in power pinning me in from all directions.

To meet these new funding directives, I asked leaders within my community how to change the names of our services and sanitize our outward-facing media from the executive internet bots. I asked my friends what new identifiers would be acceptable to satisfy this new wave of colonialist grantors. And in moments of silence and bouts of paralysis, I asked my kūpuna for guidance on where to draw the line.

Two genders. No inclusion. No diversity in thought or civic participation. No equity for our humanity and honoring our lived experiences. Is this the new world I would have to accept to keep our services alive?

As I walked into my finance director’s office just a few weeks ago, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks, pressing down on my chest. I tried to talk but only tears came down my face. She jumped up to close the door and sat with me. I explained that the first hours of this presidency directly targeted our māhū/LGBTQ+ community. And every hour since, for two months, our community has been trying to “justify” who we are and why we matter, while many in the country rallied around this entitled battle cry.

I described it as having permanent whiplash, trying to field questions from scared clients and staff, trying to make sense of the nonsensical. And in this moment, like many others in positions like mine – Indigenous, kama‘āina or otherwise – I felt like I was letting down all of my community, my friends, my kūpuna.

As we talked, she helped me realize that I had done all I could for this agency with what was known and understood thus far. But for two months, I had been hiding in my office, and I needed to get back into the coalitions and chambers of commerce and public spaces to let them know we are still here, and we are NOT backing down. We are not sanitizing our dignity. We are not going to dishonor all the lives of our people lost to HIV/AIDS by going back into the closet, while critical AIDS research is being cut.

So, when I announced that we were holding our first Big Island AIDS Walk in seven years, to my surprise, we were flooded with sponsors, walkers, clinics, corporations, businesses and individuals who need us to be around for the next 40 years.

I am so proud to be the CEO of Kumukahi Health + Wellness, in an island community that supports us. Our people are proud to be standing up to censorship and erasure in a public event that uplifts and celebrates our diversity of genders, experiences and beliefs.

Now the tears I cry are those of joy and gratefulness, and I wipe away those who stand in our way and try to silence our people.

Peter Tui Silva is CEO of Kumukahi Health + Wellness, which provides HIV and LGBTQ+ health services in its Hilo and Kona offices. Before that, he was an epidemiological specialist with the state Department of Health. For more information, see kumukahihealth.org.

Walter Kinoshita

“Give Yourself Grace” and Find the Support You Need 

By Walter Kinoshita, SafeHaus Wellness Services 

Question of the Year: “How are you doing?”

My answer? It can vary from day to day, but I try to keep it neutral or upbeat: “As good as I can be for now.” Or “I’m doing well, thank you for asking.”

Now is that completely accurate? Well, maybe not, but the reality is that if I say I’m safe and OK, then it shall be that.

Since I am a massage therapist by trade and the director of community engagement for SafeHaus Wellness Services, my feelings and energy have to be calm. If I were to exhibit anything other than that, the negativity could be transferred to whoever I am with.

And many in our community are struggling and need help. They’re hurt, scared, angry and anxious, as they have every right to be. However, I try to stay balanced and be OK in the moment.

How do I cope? By not taking to heart everything I see on social media. By going out with friends and sharing meals. By attending support groups in the community, which thankfully SafeHaus Wellness Services leads on the first Wednesday of every month. If you or anyone you know needs the extra support, please join us. It’s free and nonjudgmental.

The most important thing is to give yourself grace in these moments of hard times. Be nice to yourself. I try to do this every day because at the end of the day, I cannot control anything other than how I feel, and I choose to be OK.

Walter Kinoshita is director of community engagement for SafeHaus Wellness Services in Honolulu, a licensed massage therapist and a member of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce. For information on coaching and community services, visit safehauswellness.com.

Joe Wilson, left, and Dean Hamer

The Quest for a Permanent AIDS Memorial and Site of Memory  

By Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i 

When we launched a new nonprofit project called Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i in 2023, we were excited about creating new ways to bring Hawai‘i’s long history of gender and sexual diversity to a wide public audience.

From the early kānaka embrace of same-sex love and gender fluidity to the influences and experiences of missionaries, plantation workers and so many others who have come or were brought to these shores over the centuries, we knew that illuminating the little-known struggles and accomplishments of LGBTQ+ Māhū people in the unique context of these islands could inspire those seeking better lives for themselves, and those still working for justice and equality in communities near and far.

We never could have imagined that just two years into such work, a new president and administration intent not just on marginalizing and scapegoating our diverse communities, but on erasing our very existence, would give the project an alarming new sense of urgency and importance.

Now at our weekly performances of “The Return of Kapaemahu” in Waikīkī, we feel obliged to explain that despite President Trump’s executive order claiming that there are only two genders, individuals of dual male and female spirit do, in fact, exist and have long been an important part of Hawaiian culture.

The attempt to erase the accomplishments of the 442nd Japanese American soldiers in World War II, along with the defunding of the National Endowment of the Humanities, including our valued collaborators at the Hawai‘i Council for Humanities, was further evidence that we can no longer trust our own federal government to acknowledge that diversity is an essential element of our nation and people.

Equally concerning has been the campaign of the new administration to destroy the public health programs and agencies responsible for infectious disease control and preventative medicine. The recent display of the Hawai‘i AIDS quilt panels at the Capitol Modern was a poignant reminder of the devastation that HIV/AIDS brought to Hawai‘i, but also of the resourcefulness of our local LGBTQ+ Māhū community and state Department of Health, which responded with one of the most effective awareness and prevention campaigns in the country.

Now, our national health and human services agency is headed by a person who denies even the most basic facts about AIDS – that it is caused by HIV, and that anti-HIV drugs can both prevent and treat the devastating effects of the virus.

As the intent of the new regime to erase every trace of queer history and existence has become clearer, the fragility of our work and progress at the Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i project has emerged. Websites can be erased, exhibitions taken down, performances canceled, historical markers removed, funding threatened, and other acts of censorship and intimidation unleashed.

How can we respond? While there are many possible answers to that question, one theme that has emerged from our conversations with a range of LGBTQ+ Māhū community members, students, kūpuna, people living with HIV/AIDS and others is the desire to create a permanent, visible and public reminder of our existence, and the challenges encountered and accomplishments made.

Thus was born the idea of a new AIDS Memorial and Community Memory Site for Hawai‘i – a place where people can gather to mourn those who have been lost or suffered from HIV/AIDS and other forms of oppression and erasure, honor Hawaiian traditions of diversity and inclusion, and celebrate those who have struggled and are continuing to pave the way toward a more just and equitable future for all.

We are fortunate to have two strong collaborators for this community-centered effort. One is the Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, the first and largest AIDS service organization in the Pacific and a leader in public health and fighting stigma and discrimination. The other is the City and County of Honolulu, which has worked closely with us on a variety of projects to illuminate the people, places and events that make our city a shining example of why diversity, equity and inclusion is good for all. The city’s Rainbow Employee Resource Group, UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine Student Pride Alliance, the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation and other community groups are also involved.

The proposed site for the monument is the overlook at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park, a magical place with encompassing views, ready public access, a history of association with the infectious disease epidemics that have devastated Hawai‘i over time, and a deep sense of spirituality.

While there are many steps ahead, our goal is to create a place where all our diverse communities can meet, reflect and rejuvenate; a place where our stories are literally written in stone – too large, visible and important to be ignored or erased.

Without Trump, such a memorial might or might not have come to fruition. With him in power, it must. We hope all those who value equality and justice will join us.

Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson are co-founders and co-directors of the nonprofit Lei Pua ‘Ala Queer Histories of Hawai‘i; co-directors with Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu of the Oscar short-listed animated film “Kapaemahu”; and Emmy-winning documentary filmmakers. For more information, see queerhistoriesofhawaii.org.

Camaron Miyamoto

Advocating for Students and the “Healing Power of Love”

By Camaron Miyamoto, LGBTQ+ Center at UH Mānoa 

Now, more than ever, I am so lucky to be the director of the LGBTQ+ Center at UH Mānoa. I could not imagine a better job for me, as I get to work for the well-being and success of LGBTQ+ students, and I get to fuse that work with a mission grounded in social justice for the good of everyone in Hawai‘i.

The growth of the LGBTQ+ Center during my tenure feels immeasurable, but it’s not. There are clear markers that our programs are reaching more people, and with more impact.

Coffee Hour, a drop-in group for students, is one example. While students used to meet once a week in the LGBTQ+ Center lounge, meetings are now twice a week in a large conference room, with about 40 participants.

I now offer training on LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion for the entire UH community, including the Safe Zone Program of allyship and advocacy. And we recently started the Rainbow ‘Ohana Program service and honors society that pairs accepted students with peer mentors and clusters them in cohorts.

Our programs are designed to engender the feeling of having an extended family of support, where we share responsibilities for one another and our larger community.

Keeping each other informed about our challenges and successes, and supporting each other on our journeys, is what we do. We also have a student lounge where students can relax, study, eat lunch and use the Wi-Fi network. And I am always available as a resource to help people access services, to talk about issues, and to work for the success of our LGBTQ+ and māhū students.

Two of our biggest celebrations are Rainbow Graduation, where we honor the accomplishments of our students and confer rainbow certificates and tassels, and the National Coming Out Day Fair that kicks off Honolulu Pride Parade and Festival week.

Our students are excited to have such visibility – and to be their true, authentic selves – at the National Coming Out Day Fair that happens every October in the Campus Center Courtyard. The fair features over 20 community resource tables, a DJ and drag queens. Mahalo to the Marina Del Rey family for its continued support, and for the ongoing partnerships with the Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, and Hawaiian Airlines.

I am motivated to ground my work for LGBTQ+ communities in love as I pursue intersectional strategies for social justice. It is so important to lean into the transformative and healing power of love as we collectively face injustice.

I hope in these turbulent times, the LGBTQ+ community, māhū leaders and the MVPFAFF community will continue to come together for the good of Hawai‘i. I believe it is in our best interest to strategize how to ensure that our future LGBTQ+ generations will be able to live with aloha, mutual respect and shared responsibilities to one another as they care for the land and this Hawai‘i that we call home.

Camaron Miyamoto is the founding director of the LGBTQ+ Center at UH Mānoa, a position he has held since 2002, and a tenured faculty member in the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success. For more information, visit manoa.hawaii.edu/lgbtq/.