Under the blazing summer sun on one of the hottest days of the year, an estimated 10,000 people gathered in Dublin city centre on Saturday for the annual Trans and Intersex Pride march 2025, the event’s largest turnout to date. The march, which stretched from City Hall to Leinster House, was equal parts protest and celebration, bursting with energy, music, and colour.
Spectators lined the streets as demonstrators chanted, sang, and waved banners in support of trans, intersex, and broader LGBTQ+ rights. Chants echoed through the city’s streets, with rallying cries such as “Trans rights, women’s rights – same struggle, same fight!” and “Not the Church, not the State – we alone decide our fate!” drawing cheers from onlookers and participants alike.
Placards carried through the crowds reflected a wide array of concerns: “Healthcare + homes = human rights,” “Stop policing trans bodies,” and “Solidarity with queer refugees” were just a few of the many messages demanding justice and dignity.
A diverse range of speakers from community organisations addressed the crowd from the stage, each highlighting different aspects of the lived experiences within the trans and intersex communities. Jenny Maguire served as the event’s MC, introducing voices from across Ireland and beyond.
One powerful speech came from a representative of Queer Asian Pride, Lee Isac, who spoke about the layered oppression faced by people of colour within the queer community: “We have been spat at, yelled at. I have been egged. I have been mocked so many times, just walking on the street.
“I am visibly queer and visibly trans, and you see the colour of my skin. I can’t tell where the hate is coming from, whether it is transphobia, homophobia, or racism.”
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The stage also saw the charismatic performer Sexy Tadhg electrify the crowd, encouraging attendees to dance and celebrate despite the sweltering heat. Their song ‘My Parade’ became a joyful anthem for the day, with lyrics that emphasised community and self-expression:
“Whoever you are, whatever you need,
The world you want, it’s more than a dream.
We need to hear you on the streets
Baby, let’s paint the town any colour that makes you proud.”
Tadhg’s playful yet pointed wish list, heels in Penneys up to size 15, public ceilidhs in St Stephen’s Green, affordable housing, immigrant rights, refuge for refugees, and reparations from the Church, drew laughter, applause, and roars of agreement. One particular line became a rallying cry across the crowd: “Healthcare for trans people, f*ck the NGS!”
Speakers from Intersex Ireland, including Clara Barry, as well as activists like Ollie Bell from Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin, and Patricia from Transgress the NGS, addressed urgent issues facing trans and intersex individuals in Ireland today. From the fight for accessible healthcare to the criminalisation of queer refugees, the speeches reflected a deeply intersectional understanding of justice.
As Trans and Intersex Pride 2025 concluded, the sense of solidarity was palpable. The overwhelming turnout, vibrant chants, and deeply personal stories underscored the resilience and determination of the trans and intersex communities and the growing number of allies standing beside them.
A similar march was also held in Cork, where the community gathered to stand in solidarity with the trans community and demand rights for all.
© 2025 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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