Wilson High School Principal Pete Cahall announced he is gay at the school’s annual Pride Day event, inspired, he said, by his students’ activism.
“I want to say publicly for the first time because of your leadership, care and support that I am a proud gay man who just happens to be the principal of Wilson High School,” said Cahall, 50, standing alongside Mayor Vince Gray and mayoral hopeful David Catania, the first openly gay member of the DC Council. Catania promptly tweeted that it was a “proud day” for Wilson. Other DC officials, including Catania’s mayoral rival Muriel Bowser, were quick to add their praise, too.
This is the second year Wilson has staged Pride Day as a lead-in to the District’s annual Pride Weekend events. It’s also gathered the attention of Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas group best known for its obnoxious anti-gay protests at military funerals. Westboro members plan to picket outside Wilson and around other sites in the District next Monday.
“They can go straight to hell,” Gray told reporters when asked about the Westboro demonstration. Wilson students plan to stage a counter-protest.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Wilson High Principal Comes Out as Gay at School’s Pride Event
Wilson High School Principal Pete Cahall announced he is gay at the school’s annual Pride Day event, inspired, he said, by his students’ activism.
“I want to say publicly for the first time because of your leadership, care and support that I am a proud gay man who just happens to be the principal of Wilson High School,” said Cahall, 50, standing alongside Mayor Vince Gray and mayoral hopeful David Catania, the first openly gay member of the DC Council. Catania promptly tweeted that it was a “proud day” for Wilson. Other DC officials, including Catania’s mayoral rival Muriel Bowser, were quick to add their praise, too.
This is the second year Wilson has staged Pride Day as a lead-in to the District’s annual Pride Weekend events. It’s also gathered the attention of Westboro Baptist Church, a Kansas group best known for its obnoxious anti-gay protests at military funerals. Westboro members plan to picket outside Wilson and around other sites in the District next Monday.
“They can go straight to hell,” Gray told reporters when asked about the Westboro demonstration. Wilson students plan to stage a counter-protest.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Editors' Picks
The Real Story of How Virginia Won Amazon’s HQ2
Washingtonian’s Photo of the Day
The Magic Behind What You’ll See at the Smithsonian’s New Fossil Hall
Meet 10 of DC’s Biggest Theater Stars
Most Popular in News
The Real Story of How Virginia Won Amazon’s HQ2
DC Would Have Looked Very Different If These Designs Had Been Used
Start Summer Off Right: 10 Fun Solstice Events Around Washington This Week
There Is, in Fact, a Plan Behind the Washington Post’s Gloriously Weird TikTok
Who Is Rayful Edmond III? An Explainer
June 2019: Best and Worst of Washington
Related
A Look Inside One of the Country’s Biggest Vinyl Record Plants
What We Lost When We Lost Hank Dietle’s
WJLA’s TV Legends Are Vanishing. Does It Matter?
In Defense of 2016
More from News
Sorry, but DC Police Are NOT Looking for Two People in a Garbage Truck
This Juneteenth, Check Out These Powerful Images from the NMAAHC Collection
Washingtonian’s Photo of the Day
There Is, in Fact, a Plan Behind the Washington Post’s Gloriously Weird TikTok
DC Would Have Looked Very Different If These Designs Had Been Used
Washingtonian’s Photo of the Day
Start Summer Off Right: 10 Fun Solstice Events Around Washington This Week
Who Is Rayful Edmond III? An Explainer