London Trans+ Pride expects record attendees amid clamp on rights

Tomorrow, London Trans+ Pride will be filling the streets with joy – but there’s a sombre undertone.

Metro spoke with Lewis G. Burton, a founding member of the event, and Zack Polanski about the added weight of this year’s event as trans rights face the prospect of being rolled back.

‘It feels important now more than ever that Trans+ Pride exists – although it feels like this every f****** year because it’s always a new thing,’ Lewis, a DJ and artist, tells Metro.

‘I’m feeling very excited but also very galvanized after the recent Equaity and Human Rights Commision (EHRC) guidance that’s going to come into effect on August 5,’ they added.

The new EHRC code of practice outlines steps to enforce the UK Supreme Court’s judgement, made on April 16 2025.

The body ruled that, for the purposes of the Equality Act, the legal definition of ‘woman’ is based on biological sex.

The guidance treats trans people as a separate sex, and public service providers such as hospitals and independent venues such as bars will be expected to provide ‘third’ spaces and services, rather than the ordinary ones provided for men and women, so that these spaces remain ‘single sex’.

London Trans+ Pride was founded in 2019, inspired by Trans Pride Brighton and in response to an anti-trans protest that infiltrated London Pride back in 2018. 

Last year, attendees exceeded 100,000 – making the event the biggest trans pride march in the world to date.

Tomorrow, an unprecedented roster of celebrities – including Paul Mescal, Mel B and Jameela Jamil – will come together to march with what’s predicted to be over 100,000 trans people and allies.

The walk will start at Langham Place and continue down Regent Street, Swallow Street, and end at Trafalgar Square for the first time. 

‘We’ll be descending onto one of the UK’s most recognisable landmarks, and taking up that space audaciously,’ the founder says.

Lewis’ eyes (decorated with monochrome black spots) are filled with both pain and unwavering determination.

‘The theme of this year is ‘Our Future, Our Fight.’ I feel like the world loses out on so much because of the capacity they take away from us. 

‘We’re just normal people who want the right to exist, and because we’re such a small marginalized community, it’s easy for people to paint a picture of us that’s not real.’

Lewis also highlights the impact the new code of practice will have on venues up and down the country. 

They add: ‘Aside from the impact on trans people, as somebody who works in nightlife and puts on events – spaces don’t have the money to implement this barbaric and frankly inhumane guidance.’

Research shows that as many as 13,000 toilets will need to be changed to allow for a space to be used solely by trans people.

Cleaning the new facilities could cost public-sector bodies such as local councils upwards of £20,000,000, while building work to implement the change may reach £14,000,000 per year.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski says there are many other places these funds could be going to benefit the community.

He tells Metro: ‘Rather than facing this extra cost to solve the problems that no one actually had – and that were manufactured – we should use that money to invest in our communities, including the trans community.

‘We often hear that the EHRC guidance is unworkable. I think it’s important to say – more important than it being unworkable is trans peoples’ dignity,’ he continues.

‘My message to Andy Burnham is that the EHRC guidance is ludicrous. We shouldn’t get to August 5th without him speaking out against this. 

‘It’s not important just to be an ally. When you’re the Prime Minister, it’s important that you take the action people need. Trans people have existed since the dawn of time.

‘It’s important that we don’t allow this kind of misinformation and toxic narratives to dictate policy.’

Instead, the Green Party is calling for trans voices to be at the heart of decision-making in national and local policy.

Zoë Garbett, the Green Mayor of Hackney, tells Metro: ‘We’re bringing trans organisations into the town hall to include trans people’s voices in whatever happens next.

‘We’ve passed many motions in the past few weeks stating our objection to the new guidance, we’re seeking legal guidance and pushing back. 

‘My message to trans people is that you’re loved, you’ve got a space in this world and we will do everything we can to include you in public life.’ 

Lewis highlights the hypocrisy of the code itself. 

‘A lot of this guidance has been pushed into the guise that sexual assaults happen in women’s bathrooms, by trans women. There’s no data to suggest this. 

‘I actually think in society we treat rapists better than we treat trans women. So if a man wants to sexually assault or rape a woman, they’re going to carry out that horrific violent act regardless of how they’re perceived.’

London Trans+ Pride released a statement last week stating that the code ‘interprets the law’ rather than changing it, and pledged to ‘continue to resist, to protest and to live in spite’ of the government’s attempt to eradicate trans people from public life.’

Alexis Blake, who has amassed over 137k followers on Instagram sharing her experience as a trans woman, highlighted more flaws of the guidance. 

‘So I’ll use the male toilet, which puts me in danger – that’s what everyone wants. 

‘But then the trans men will use the women’s toilets, and if they go on testosterone, trans men get beards coming in, and their voice drops,’ she added. ‘So what’s to stop a biological male going in? 

‘I just don’t think it was thought through.’

Hannah Jones, who plays trans character Sasha in the hit BBC show What It Feels Like For A Girl, is proudly intersex trans, and calls the new guidance ‘redundant’. 

‘There’s no mention of intersex people in the EHRC guidelines whatsoever. I don’t think they understand that gender and sex are two completely different things.’

Hannah explains that given she doesn’t fit the chromosome binary of male or female, the guidance fails to offer an explanation on which bathroom she should legally use – and she’s far from unique.

‘There’s over 50 variations of intersex,’ she explains. ‘The proportion of intersex people in society is similar to the number of people with red hair.’

Despite the looming changes, Hannah said the march will be a chance to celebrate.

‘I used to pray every single day that I would not wake up trans, and now I’m so grateful that I wake up trans and intersex. Being around other members of the intersex and trans community is so powerful.’

Lewis concludes: ‘This year’s theme is a reminder that our future is something worth fighting for. Not just for trans people, but for a world rooted in compassion, community and hope. 

‘Despite everything, we are still here, and we are not going anywhere.’