5 quotes that explain why London Trans+ Pride is so important
"I want people to be able to come out into the streets and also know that they should be proud to be themselves and if they aren't, I am proud of them"
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London Trans+ Pride is a day away. Taking place on Saturday 27 July the annual event sees thousands of people come together to show solidarity with the trans community.
In 2023, 40,000 are thought to have taken part in the fifth London Trans+ Pride. This year’s event is themed ‘Justice & Liberation’. The event details can be found here.
On Friday (26 July) organisers and friends of London Trans+ Pride gathered at The Mandrake Hotel in London. During the day a panel was held and led by London Trans+ Pride’s Lewis G. Burton and featuring Ella Morgan, Bimini, Jude Guaitamacchi of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, Olivia Campbell Cavendish of the Trans Legal Clinic, and Ren from London Trans+ Pride.
Collectively they spoke powerfully of the need for London Trans+ Pride. Here are five quotes that explain why the event is so important.
Ella Morgan, TV personality and advocate
“In the world today there are so many people that are against us that don’t understand us as people and they don’t want to hear our stories, they don’t want to give us the time of day. And the fact that we can be amongst people that do get us, it’s like fuck everybody else who doesn’t get us. We can be around the people who do understand us and are our chosen family. This is one big celebration of being trans and being our true and authentic selves around our family and friends.”
Bimini, performer
“London Trans+ Pride is incredibly important because it is a protest. And it shouldn’t feel radical, but it is radical because we are in a society right now where so much fear mongering and dehumanising of trans people’s existence and conversations of taking away rights and access to healthcare is happening. We need to stand up and we also need to turn out.”
Jude Guaitamacchi, founder of Trans+ Solidarity Alliance
“I know many of us know what it’s like to grow up feeling that sense of shame in a world that doesn’t acept us for who we are. But being able to shift that narrative from shame to self empowerment to be able to celebrate with pride our identity and transness, that’s a very powerful thing.”
Olivia Campbell Cavendish, founder of the Trans Legal Clinic
“Safe spaces save lives and though the term starts to feel a bit cheesy, London Trans+ Pride, I think, has saved many, many lives just in the single fact of creating a space where you can be who you are but we will fight for your right to continue to do that.”
Ren, London Trans+ Pride organsier
“For me, the biggest thing I want is for Pride to be taken literally. I want people to be able to come out into the streets and also know that they should be proud to be themselves and if they aren’t, I am proud of them.”