London’s streets were filled with a record-breaking show of solidarity as London Trans+ Pride returned with its largest turnout to date, drawing an estimated 150,000 people to the capital.
The march, which took place on Saturday, July 25, marked a significant milestone for the event as it concluded in Trafalgar Square for the first time in its history. The central London landmark became a focal point for speeches and performances, with crowds filling the steps and surrounding areas to take in the programme.
This year’s theme, “Our Future, Our Fight”, brought together trans+ individuals and allies during a pivotal moment, arriving just weeks before upcoming changes linked to guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, known as the EHRC Code of Practice, which is set to come into force on August 5, 2026, leading to the exclusion of trans+ people from single-sex spaces.
A wide range of voices took to the stage throughout the day, including Ceyenne Doroshow, founder of G.L.I.T.S. and described by GQ as the “Godmother” of the Black Trans Lives Matter movement; Qween Jean, the first openly transgender Tony Award winner and founder of Black Trans Liberation; and Bambi Jordan Phillips, mother of the House of Maison Laveaux.
They were joined by Ray Newman, an intersex activist, footballer and co-founder of Interconnected UK; Vex of Trans Kids Deserve Better; Rain Reeta Loi, a Forbes 100 founder of Gaysians; Chiyo, a drag king known as the UK’s “Prinx of Provocation”; Kae Tempest, the acclaimed musician, poet and author; Trans Action for Housing Justice; Quinnely Rose Z, a genderfluid artist working in pleating and adaptive design; and Kobi Ayensuo, a multidisciplinary artist, musician and poet.
Notable figures in attendance included Joe Locke, known for playing Charlie Spring in Heartstopper and Billy Maximoff / William Kaplan in Agatha All Along; Yasmin Finney, who portrays Elle Argent in Heartstopper and Rose Noble in Doctor Who; Iz Hesketh, best known for playing Zee Malone in Tip Toe and Kitty Draper in Hollyoaks; Hannah Jones, who portrayed Sasha in What It Feels Like For A Girl; Jack Remmington, presenter and content creator who competed on the 14th series of The X Factor; Munroe Bergdorf, model, broadcaster and activist; and Juno Roche, author and trans rights campaigner, among many others.
One of the founding members of London Trans+ Pride, Lewis G. Burton, highlighted the scale and significance of the day, stating:
“London Trans+ Pride has proven once again exactly what it is: unstoppable. This year we didn’t just show up, we showed out, growing from 100,000 to 150,000 people marching side by side, and for the first time ever, ending in Trafalgar Square, right in the heart of this city that belongs to us as much as anyone. Every single person who marched today is proof that we are not going anywhere, that our joy is louder than their hate, and that London Trans+ Pride will keep fighting, keep loving, and keep growing until every trans person is safe, seen, and free”
During the event, Kae Tempest also delivered an emotional speech and performance, telling the crowd:
“I’m so happy to be here. Over the last 15 years, throughout my transition, every time I’ve come to Trans Pride, it really is something so special for me. I’m so full of gratitude for being here at all, let alone having the chance to share something with you. You’re so beautiful. You’re so powerful. I’ve been in tears.”
Reflecting on their personal connection to Trafalgar Square, Kae Tempest recalled previously visiting the location alone when their track “Statue In The Square” was released. Returning to the same spot to address the crowd at London Trans+ Pride, Kae Tempest said: “I sat there, and I thought about this place, and I can’t believe there’s 100,000 people here. And it’s us. It’s all us.”
Beyond the speeches, the march also featured the Trans Unity Quilt, a 96-metre collaborative artwork made up of more than 300 patches contributed by trans people across the UK. The piece, co-created with CN Lester and the Good Law Project, was carried through the streets before being set to move to Bishopsgate Archives and later tour Pride events nationwide.
This year’s London Trans+ Pride took place against the backdrop of a rapidly changing legal landscape for trans+ rights in the UK, and LGBTQIA+ rights as a whole. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling last year, which redefined “biological sex”, the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s updated Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on May 21, 2026 and is set to come into force on August 5, 2026. The EHRC Code of Practice guidance directs service providers that single-sex spaces must be restricted by biological sex, meaning trans+ people are excluded from spaces that align with their gender identity. Furthermore, under specific circumstances, trans+ individuals can also be excluded from services that align with their birth sex.
Beyond this, puberty blockers have been permanently banned for trans young people, while the Government’s draft Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 guidance has also faced criticism from LGBTQIA+ advocates over changes to trans inclusion in schools. According to ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, the UK now ranks 22nd out of 49 European countries for LGBTQ+ equality, having previously topped the index as recently as 2015.
Despite the scale of the event, London Trans+ Pride continues to operate as a fully volunteer-run initiative, without corporate sponsorship or business funding.
Beginning at Langham Place earlier in the day, the march made its way through central London before culminating in Trafalgar Square, marking what organisers described as a landmark moment in the event’s continued growth.
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