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 = Trans+, 2023
|first = {{start date|df=y|2019|9|14}}
|founders = Lucia Blayke
|frequency = Annually
|prev = {{start date|df=y|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/feature/nbc-out/protesters-march-second-london-trans-pride-n1240022 |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 to 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, at least 55,000 to 60,000 people attended the march, motivated in part by the British government’s recently enacted ban on puberty blockers, making it the 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 }}{{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 organising 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 and 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}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{LGBT topics in the United Kingdom}}
Category:Pride parades in England
Category:Transgender topics in England