London Trans+ Pride
{{Short description|Transgender pride march}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name =
|image = Trans Pride in London 15.jpg
|alt = a large group of protestors with signs, many holding the trans pride flag
|caption = Pride, 2023
|first = {{start date|2019|9|14}}
|founders = Lucia Blayke
|frequency = Annually
|prev = {{start date|2024|7|27}}
|attendance = 55,000+https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/trans-pride-london-2024-470441/
}}
London Trans+ Pride is a pride march advocating transgender rights held in London, England, United Kingdom.
History
London Trans+ Pride was founded in 2019 by Lucia Blayke,{{Cite web |title=Protesters march in second London Trans+ Pride |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1240022 |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=NBC News}} inspired by Trans Pride Brighton.{{Cite news |last=Abraham |first=Amelia |date=2019-05-15 |title=If London needs a separate Trans Pride, what does that say about LGBT solidarity? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/15/london-trans-pride-lgbt-solidarity |access-date=2024-04-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} It was founded in part due to a rising climate of transphobia in the UK and across the world, as well as in response to an anti-transgender protest controversy that occurred at the Pride in London march in 2018, where eight anti-trans activists took the lead of the march without authorisation.{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/15/london-trans-pride-lgbt-solidarity | title=If London needs a separate Trans Pride, what does that say about LGBT solidarity? | Amelia Abraham | website=TheGuardian.com | date=15 May 2019 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-49447918 | title=London Trans Pride is the 'one day we're not outcasts' | work=BBC News | date=14 September 2019 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-londons-first-trans-pride/ | title=Here's everything you need to know about London's first Trans+ Pride | date=14 August 2019 }} The event was originally scheduled to take place in Hackney, East London but was moved to central London and has remained there in subsequent years.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-26 |title=London to host its first Transgender Pride festival this year |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/dating/london-transgender-pride-festival-2019-date-when-where-a8888311.html |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=The Independent |language=en}} The 2019 march was held in September and saw attendance of around 1500 people.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-49700743 | title=London's first Trans Pride support 'overwhelming' | work=BBC News | date=14 September 2019 }}{{cite web | url=https://novaramedia.com/2019/09/16/we-asked-people-at-londons-first-trans-pride-why-the-event-needed-to-happen/ | title=We Asked People at London's First Trans Pride Why the Event Needed to Happen }}
The 2020 march saw attendance of 4000 people, with a number of COVID-19 safety measures put in place by the organisers, and called for legal recognition of non-binary identities and a ban on intersex genital mutilation.{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/protesters-march-second-london-trans-pride-n1240022 | title=Protesters march in second London Trans+ Pride | website=NBC News | date=14 September 2020 }} It also included a memorial to Elie Che, a prominent transgender London activist and performer who died in August of that year.{{cite web | url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/11/london-trans-pride-protest-elie-che-gender-recognition-act-non-binary/ | title=London's second-ever Trans Pride to go ahead this weekend, amid looming fears over police and arrests | date=11 September 2020 }}
The 2021 march was held in June, and included calls for a ban on conversion therapy, greater access to healthcare for trans people, and a ban on intersex genital mutilation.{{cite web | url=https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-against-rising-tide-of-hate-uk | title=This Year's London Trans Pride Will March Against Rising Tide of Hate in the U.K. | date=26 April 2021 }} The event included speeches by Munroe Bergdorf, Ki Griffin, Bimini Bon-Boulash, Abigail Thorn, and Kai-Isaiah Jamal.{{cite web | url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/london-trans-pride-2021 | title=Thousands of Protesters Turned Out for London Trans+ Pride 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/thousands-line-the-streets-for-london-trans-pride-2021-see-pictures-from-the-day/ | title=Thousands line the streets for London Trans+ Pride 2021 | date=28 June 2021 }}
The 2022 march was held in July, with attendance of over 20,000 people.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2022/jul/11/londons-trans-pride-in-pictures | title=London's Trans Pride – in pictures | newspaper=The Guardian | date=11 July 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/trans-pride-london-march-b2119605.html | title=Meet the people marching in London's Trans Pride | website=Independent.co.uk | date=9 July 2022 }} The event called to "celebrate the memory of trans lives taken and uphold the next generation of trans revolutionaries," and included speeches by Yasmin Finney and Charlie Craggs.{{cite web | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/london-trans-pride-heartstopper-yasmin-finney_uk_62cbf2dae4b06e3d9bb7c0c5 | title='We Deserve Better!' Thousands March for London Trans Pride After 'Actively Damaging Year' | date=11 July 2022 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/04/11/london-trans-pride-2022/ | title=London Trans+ Pride to return with urgent protest against 'deliberate' Tory attacks | date=11 April 2022 }} Abigail Thorn said at the event that "legally and politically", trans people in the country "are not allowed to control our own lives".
In 2023, it was estimated 25,000-35,000 people attended the march.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-10 |title=Over 25,000 People Marched for Trans Rights This Weekend in London |url=https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-munroe-bergdorf-yasmin-finney |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Them |language=en-US}} The organisers emphasised the event was still a protest in what was called the "biggest ever" call for trans rights in the UK.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Barney |date=2023-07-08 |title=Trans+ Pride 2023: Thousands march through rain demanding Trans rights |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/trans-pride-2023-trafalgar-square-lgbtq-rights-human-b1093107.html |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}
In 2024, 55,000 people attended the march, motivated in part by the British government’s recently enacted ban on puberty blockers.{{Cite news |work=Vogue UK |url= https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/trans-pride-london-2024 |title= 90 Life-Affirming Photos From The Trans+ Pride March In London}}
Since 2019, London Trans+ Pride has been run by a volunteer organizing committee which includes EM Williams, Sweatmother, Ren Mars, Lewis G. Burton as well as many who have wished to remain anonymous.{{Cite web |last=Maheshwari-Aplin |first=Prishita |date=2022-07-08 |title=London Trans+ Pride Organisers On Why Showing Up Is More Important Than Ever - BRICKS Magazine |url=https://bricksmagazine.co.uk/2022/07/08/london-trans-pride-organisers-on-why-showing-up-is-more-important-than-ever/,%20https://bricksmagazine.co.uk/2022/07/08/london-trans-pride-organisers-on-why-showing-up-is-more-important-than-ever/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=bricksmagazine.co.uk |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-07 |title=Why Trans Pride is more important than ever |url=https://www.huckmag.com/article/why-trans-pride-is-more-important-than-ever |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Huck |language=en}} In addition to the yearly protest, London Trans+ Pride march, they also hold additional events for trans advocacy including a takeover of the NOMAD stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2022, 2023 & 2024.{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=El |date=2022-07-02 |title=Glastonbury does Trans Pride: "We're bringing a queer and trans takeover to the field" |url=https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/glastonbury-does-trans-pride-were-bringing-a-queer-and-trans-takeover-to-the-field/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=The Forty-Five |language=en-GB}}
On 29 July 2024, a confirmed 55,000 to 60,000+ people attended London Trans+ Pride, making it biggest trans pride march in the world to date.{{Cite web |last1=Smoke |first1=Ben |date=29 July 2024 |title=London Trans+ Pride is breaking records |website=Huck Magazine |url=https://www.huckmag.com/article/london-trans-pride-is-breaking-records-puberty-blockers-labour-nadia-whittome-wes-streeting-mermaids-not-a-phase |access-date=21 August 2024 }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{LGBT topics in the United Kingdom}}
Category:Pride parades in England
Category:Transgender topics in England