On Saturday, April 15, the fourth annual Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin 2023 march was announced at a meeting in Street 66, with the event scheduled for July 8 at 2pm in Merrion Square.

Organisers Ollie Bell and Conor Tormey provided context for the event and explained why the LGBTQ+ community needs to fight back against the right-wing backlash and join the biggest march yet.

Trans healthcare is a priority issue of this year’s march. With six to 10-year waiting lists for gender-affirming care, Ireland has been ranked the worst country in the EU for trans healthcare. Ireland’s harmful screening process creates added anxiety and mental stress for adults who are seeking life-affirming care.

We're kicking off with Conor speaking about the current situation of trans rights in Ireland pic.twitter.com/nwbsZAibE3

— Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@DubTrans) April 15, 2023

The Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin speakers compared the lengthy and intrusive process to the anti-abortion legislation in the US, which began with excessive questions and unnecessary procedures before the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They described both issues as “two sides of war against bodily autonomy,” emphasising that under capitalism, women’s bodies and trans bodies are used as political tools.

Saturday’s meeting also addressed the increase in violence against LGBTQ+ people in Ireland and Europe and recognised that 2022 was the most violent year for queer people on the continent in the past decade. This year’s march will call for the safety of all LGBTQ+ people, including LGBTQ+ sex workers.

Ollie Bell spoke about the increase in global attacks, with many anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the US targeting trans youth. They referenced the Tennessee drag bill, which can impact anyone dressed in gender-non-conforming clothing, and noted that Missouri passed an emergency ruling that dramatically limits gender-affirming healthcare for trans adults in the state.

The speakers emphasised that the increase in violence can not be separated from the rise in attacks from an emboldened far-right who is claiming to prioritise the “safety of children” while enforcing power structures that uphold the power of the wealthy elite.

Far-right extremists are actively working to remove children’s access to inclusive sex education library books by spreading lies about the content of these books and even destroying copies of This Book is Gay in Cork’s Grand Parade Library.

The meeting also described the biased trans coverage and transphobia in the media, with some TDs inviting “open debates” on trans issues and Leo Varadkar calling trans activists “extremists” and stating that trans women don’t belong in women’s prisons.

Ollie posed thoughtful questions about how the community can fight back against an increasingly hostile climate when faced with so much discouraging news. They said the Posie Parker counter-protest is a prime example of what happens when we collectively organise to defeat right-wing speakers.

Finally, the organisers revealed the poster for this year’s upcoming Trans and Intersex Pride march.

The meeting concluded by expressing how Pride has become a far cry from the protest it once was. Organisers said that Pride marches are supposed to be led by activist community groups, rather than for-profit companies who claim to support LGBTQ+ people for one day a year.

Trans Pride is clear in its anti-capitalism politics. It does not accept corporate funding and big businesses are not welcome in the march. Instead, this is an organised resistance led by activist community groups.

The speakers stressed that allies are needed to participate in this year’s march more than ever. Mark your calendars for July 8 – a day to build a mass movement toward trans liberation.