Words by Philip Baldwin

Marty Davies is the award-winning founder of Trans+ History Week, which falls in May. Within a few years, Trans+ History Week has grown to be a major feature in the annual LGBTQIA+ calendar. London Trans+ Pride fell on Saturday, 25 July and achieved record-breaking, history-making attendance of 150,000 this year, according to the organisers.

I spoke with Marty following the march and was keen to understand what the event meant to her. I also wanted her views following the attack on Berlin Pride, which occurred several hours after London Trans+ Pride finished in Trafalgar Square. 

Pride Season continues across the summer. It’s a time when many of us are looking for hope, attending our local Pride events, but we may also be fearful about the future, either because of regressive legislative changes or as queer people we may simply feel less safe in the places, from cities to the rural areas, we call home.

I began by asking Marty what London Trans+ Pride means to her?

It’s about a demand for a better future. There’s a real energy on that day. This year it was beating sunshine as well. I’m surrounded by friends. A lot of the team from Trans+ History Week were with us. This year, in particular, you could really feel that there was a clear message to our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to really listen and work with our community to end the regression of rights and make our lives better than they currently are, because they are being made worse and politicians are playing a role in that.