Approximately one thousand marchers took to the streets of Dublin on Saturday afternoon for trans Pride in a protest to demand equality and better healthcare for the trans, non-binary and intersex community.

The day began with a rally at Dublin outside Customs House with a number of speakers including event organisers Thomas White and Ollie Bell.

Dublin Trans Pride grew out of a movement of people wanting a more radical and less corporate protest march that celebrated the community while acknowledging the vast number of inequalities that still exist in Irish society for the LGBT+ community.

In their speech, Ollie Bell said: “What we wanted to do was take Pride back to its radical roots, Pride is a political protest and thats what we want trans pride to be about.

“Yes, we should have a space to celebrate our identities and the diversity of our community, but we also need a space for our voices to be heard, our demands not to be overshadowed by companies that profit off our suffering.

“Pride needs to go back to its radical roots of struggle and protest, we made history with marriage equality, teh gender recognition bill, and repeal but we have still so much to fight for.”

Many from the LGB+ community and allies also attended the march to show soliarity and suppory to their trans siblings.

Not far from many people’s minds were the events at London Pride where a number of trans exclusionary radical feminists protested the parade.

Ruth Coppinger TD, who is a member of ROSA and Solidarity- People Before Profit said: “I wanted to send a very clear signal, that the small tiny group of feminists who have been over-represented and over-reported in the media who have a bias against transgender people do not represent any movement that I associate with for feminism or womens rights”.

Coppinger also took the opportunity to thank and commend the “huge role played by LGBT+ and non-binary people in the struggle for repeal.”

First Trans Pride But Not The Last

Despite the heavy rain, spirits were high as the march headed from customs house quay to Fairview Park, where 36 years ago, Declan Flynn was viciously murdered.

Among the chants a group of protesters broke into song, singing  “Power To The People”. Many passersby cheered, waved and beeped in solidarity.

At Fairview Park another rally was held where speakers from the community spoke about the issues of direct provision, sex workers rights, trans healthcare, ending racism, IGM, the objective sex education bill, issues facing the community in Northern Ireland and abroad and issues of homelessness within the LGBT+ community.

Trans Pride Dublin organiser Thoman White finished the speeches saying:

“When we look at all the different people here who are fighting against all the different struggles, for trade union rights, for women’s rights, bodily autonomy, for trans rights, for LGBT+ rights, and when we all struggle together, that’s when we are strongest.

“It’s so inspiring to see the coming together of the trans community and our allies. When we go forward from this, this should be the start of something because this is a historic moment and it’s important to recognise that.

“This is the first ever trans pride in Dublin and it’s not going to be the last.”