14 Scene
TRANS PRIDE LONDON
Rory Finn attended Trans Pride London, which took place on Saturday, June 26. Here he tells us why this Pride is not a parade, but a protest. Photography by Tom Selmon ) Trans Pride march through London is the
first march for many since lockdown restrictions meant Pride celebrations had to be cancelled. But this Pride is not a parade, it’s a protest. The route from Wellington Arch took the large ensembled crowd along Piccadilly into Soho. The thousands of marchers filled the streets and came from all sections of the LGBTQ+ community. Marching alongside their trans and non-binary siblings were cisgender allies; LGB with the T. The march ended at Soho Square. For more than an hour, trans activists, community leaders and celebrities took it in turns to take to the microphone to address the crowd. Roars of applause and agreement met RuPaul’s Drag Race runner up Bimini Bon Boulash, who has gone on to be a shining light about non-binary identities since their appearance on the show. Joining them was poet Kae Tempest and singer Mzz Kimberley who performed to the appreciative crowd. Speeches came from model and activist Monroe Bergdorf and Youtuber Abigail Thorn, who told the crowd: “Being trans is a gift. There is power in this.” The atmosphere in Soho Square was joyful. One marcher, Ellis from London, explained why they were there: “Protesting and marching, and being seen and heard, is a vital part of the activism work that needs to be done to combat the transphobia in the mainstream media and government. Also to show solidarity with trans people globally, especially to trans people of colour. It’s also a bit of a hug to be with other trans and gender diverse people and queer people.”
