Record numbers attend London Trans+ Pride (and protest)

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered for London Trans+ Pride over the weekend.

On Saturday (July 27), up to 60,000 marchers—a record number according to ‘MSN’—flooded the streets of central London in a show of solidarity with trans and non-binary people worldwide.

Among the peaceful participants were Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney and model Munroe Bergdorf. They celebrated the lives of trans individuals and called on the government to take more action against the inequality faced by the community.

Lewis G Burton, co-founder of London Trans+ Pride, expressed immense pride in the turnout, describing it as “powerful and poignant” at a time when celebrating trans joy is more crucial than ever. “Often, due to vitriol and bigotry, inflated by the UK media, our community feels unloved and disrespected. Yesterday was a beautiful reminder to not only the glorious trans+ community but to London, the new Labour government, and the rest of the world that trans+ people are loved,” Burton added.

The events started at Langham Place at 1 pm on Saturday, with the march commencing at 2 pm and concluding at Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner.

Image Credit: Canva

Attendees listened to speeches from prominent community figures, including Trans Legal Clinic chief executive Olivia Campbell-Cavendish and Sarah Jane Baker, founder of the Trans Prisoner Alliance, who returned to the event after being arrested for a speech at last year’s event.

Many protesters urged the new government to reverse the systemic transphobia of the past years under the Conservatives, while others decried the increasing number of hate crimes against the community.

London Trans+ Pride also highlighted the solidarity of protesters with the people of Palestine, Sudan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo over the human rights abuses they face.

Dani St James, founder of the charity Not A Phase, expressed immense pride in participating in the march, praising the London Trans+ Pride team as incredible. “Each year, they bring us together to continue the vital fight for trans liberation and to support one another,” she remarked. “The sea of people united sends a powerful message to the nation and the world: we remain strong in the face of adversity.”

Bergdorf noted that each event she attends is “even more empowering and galvanizing than the last,” especially during these “trying times” for trans people in the UK.

A spokesperson for Trans+ charity Mermaids stated: “London Trans+ Pride provides a sanctity of community at a time of fear, uncertainty, and anger across the trans and wider LGBTQ+ community.

“The government’s attempts to roll back our basic human rights, including our access to healthcare provisions and our right to an education free from discrimination, have cultivated a harmful climate of toxicity.

“Trans Pride is a salve for that. It gives the community, friends, supporters, and acquaintances the opportunity to laugh, cry, shout and celebrate [one another], united by the message that none of us are free until all of us are free.”

Read related myGwork articles here:

London Trans+ Pride returns for 6th consecutive year with focus on Justice & Liberation

Actor and LGBTQ+ ally David Tennant wears powerful trans rights t-shirt for Pride

London Trans+ Pride 2024 date confirmed with slogan ‘Justice and Liberation’

Over Thirty Thousand Show Up for Trans Pride Bright 10th Anniversary: “The Majority of People Love and Care About Trans People”

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