London Trans+ Pride 2025: A record-breaking march for rights and recognition
– 2 min read
Central London was awash with colour, solidarity, and defiance on Saturday as over 100,000 people gathered for the sixth annual London Trans+ Pride, marking the largest event of its kind in the world to date.
The march began at Langham Place, near BBC Broadcasting House, and wound its way through iconic streets including Regent Street and Trafalgar Square, culminating in a rally at Parliament Square Gardens. The theme of this year’s event, Existence and Resistance, reflected the community’s growing urgency in the face of recent legal and political developments.
Among the speakers was Yasmin Finney, actress known for her roles in Heartstopper and Doctor Who, who delivered a passionate call for trans visibility and justice. Other speakers included Caroline Litman, a trans rights campaigner whose daughter tragically died after waiting years for gender-affirming care, and Alex Parmar-Yee of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance.
The march came just months after the UK Supreme Court’s April ruling, which redefined the legal interpretation of “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 to refer strictly to biological sex. The decision has been widely criticised by trans rights advocates, who argue it could lead to increased discrimination and exclusion from public spaces.
Bobby Harding, fundraising lead for London Trans+ Pride, described the turnout as “a total honour,” adding:
“We are more determined than ever to show up and let people know that we deserve a place on this earth, and we are entitled to dignity and privacy, as is our human right."
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has also come under fire for issuing interim guidance suggesting that trans individuals may be barred from using facilities aligned with their gender identity. Critics, including Parmar-Yee, have condemned the lack of transparency and consultation in the process, warning of potentially “tragic outcomes”.
Despite overcast skies, the atmosphere was electric - filled with chants, banners, and a palpable sense of unity. The event not only celebrated trans lives but also served as a powerful protest against what many see as a rollback of hard-won rights.
As Lewis G Burton, co-founder of London Trans+ Pride, put it:
“You can try to strip us of our rights, but you can never remove us from society."
