UK Trans Pride Guide

Trans Pride events in the UK are growing year by year from recent and humble origins. Back in the 90s, Brighton Pride was a fairly modest event centred around a march, a party in the park and a small gig. Today it’s turned into the gay Glastonbury with A-listers headlining and hundreds of thousands of attendants. Some may argue that gay Pride is now too commercialised, but that debate just goes to show how far gay rights have come.

Beyond the tedious noise of the culture wars, trans people are living their actual lives and trying to get ahead in the world. Trans Pride is the best way for trans people to come together, celebrate and continue the campaign for equality. As trans acceptance grows, Trans Pride events become more visible. Trans Pride events have only been going in earnest for a few years. The movement is in its early stages but great progress is being made. Here's our guide to some of the UK's biggest Trans Pride events.

Trans Pride London

London hosted its first Trans Pride event in 2019. Quite astonishing to think the UK capital took so long to have an official Trans Pride event. It was organised by Lucia Blayke - she had the words Trans Pride tattooed on her chest.

Somebody memorably held a sign reading “It’s Raining Them”. Around 1,500 attended London’s first Trans Pride.

Trans Pride London was due to return in 2021 but a global pandemic got in the way. Remember, “London Trans+ Pride is and always will be a protest.”

Trans Pride Brighton

Brighton is famed as the UK’s unofficial gay capital. It’s a city where trans people feel safer going about their business. It’s known as an anything-goes city. Brighton’s Trans Pride event is one of the best. The weather tends to be better on the south coast and Brighton has a comparatively high number of trans residents. It’s certainly a destination event for trans people around the UK.

2020 marked the 6th anniversary of Trans Pride Brighton. The march usually begins at the Marlborough Pub and makes its way to Brunswick Gardens in Hove, where you’ll find a bar, live music and stalls. It’s then a case of drinking in the sun.

Sparkle/Trans Pride Manchester

Trans Pride in Manchester is organised by trans advocacy group Sparkle. It takes place at Sackville Gardens in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village in July. Sparkle was founded in 2005 and it held its first event in that year, making it one of the longest-running Trans Pride events in the UK. By 2019, around 26,000 people attended Trans Pride in Manchester.

Trans Pride Leeds

Leeds had its first Trans Pride event in 2018 with the pride march taking place on Trans Day of Visibility on Saturday 31st March. The event program is more extensive than many other Trans Pride events. A number of cultural events, meetups and gigs take place over March, leading up to the march itself.

Trans Pride Liverpool

Trans Pride in the Merseyside & Cheshire area was first discussed in 2018 and the first event took place in 2019. The Liverpool Queer Collective is the place to go for info about Gay Pride and Trans Pride events in Liverpool.

As we’ve seen from these key Trans Pride events in the UK, the trans rights movement is at an early stage, but great gains are being made. These events are likely to grow considerably in the coming years.