Phoenix Queer Film Festival Canceled Following Trump Anti-DEI Orders

The 17th annual Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a fixture of Phoenix’s queer arts scene for nearly two decades, has been canceled in the wake of new federal directives restricting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at public institutions. The announcement, made by organizers on the festival’s website and social media accounts, comes in direct response to executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025, shortly after the start of his second term .

Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), the festival’s longtime host and a member of the Maricopa County Community College District, is among the institutions affected. The college announced that compliance with the executive orders is mandatory to avoid jeopardizing federal funds, including student financial aid and grants supporting hundreds of campus jobs .

President Trump’s “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” order, issued in January 2025, directs public colleges and universities to dismantle DEI initiatives or risk the loss of federal support. This policy shift has led to the closure or downsizing of LGBTQ+ programs at several institutions nationwide. For example, Harvard University has removed LGBTQ+ and students of color resource offices from its websites, and Kent State University ended its LGBTQ+ Center in June .

For Paradise Valley Community College, festival organizers, and supporters, the stakes extend far beyond the event’s annual lineup of queer cinema. In an official statement, the Desperado Film Festival team wrote: “This decision comes in direct response to recent presidential executive orders impacting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at public institutions, including our community college district. As a publicly funded institution, we must comply with these orders. Failure to do so would jeopardize the district’s federal funding, including student financial aid and grants that support over 300 positions across our campuses. The loss of such funding would create a ripple effect, significantly affecting students, faculty, staff, the community, and the educational services we provide” .

The cancellation has sparked concern and disappointment among students, faculty, and members of the local LGBTQ+ community. Dale Heuser, PVCC faculty member and festival co-coordinator, explained to Phoenix New Times: “Continuing with the festival would put critical federal funding at risk, including student financial aid and grants that support hundreds of employees across the district” . The Maricopa County Community College District has initiated the rollback of DEI programs and staff-led groups, including the disbanding of Equality Maricopa, changes to bathroom signage, and the removal of pronouns from official communications .

While the Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival was not a major revenue generator, typically earning under $10,000 annually, its value to the community was incalculable. The festival, organized by the Desperado Film Club—a student group at PVCC—had become a vital platform for celebrating LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and stories through film.

In their statement, organizers offered thanks to supporters and expressed hope for the future: “We look forward to the possibility of resuming the festival when conditions allow” .

The loss of the Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival is emblematic of the broader impact of anti-DEI measures on queer spaces and cultural events nationwide. Advocates warn that such policies threaten not only funding but also visibility, inclusion, and the ability of LGBTQ+ people to gather and celebrate their identities in affirming environments.

Festival supporter and LGBTQ+ advocate Jordan L., who attended the event for several years, reflected: “For many, the festival was more than just movies—it was a place to see yourself represented, to be in community, and to know you weren’t alone” .

For now, the Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival is on indefinite pause. Organizers, participants, and allies remain hopeful for a future where such events can return, free from the threat of policy-driven erasure.