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Trans rights activists protest Tory government ‘shambles’

Friday 6th August, trans activists and allies gathered outside 10 Downing Street to voice their anger at the ‘absolute shambles’ of the Tory government.

Among their demands were the sacking of Tory equalities minister Liz Truss, an overhaul of the failed trans healthcare system, reform of the Gender Recognition Act, as well as legal recognition and protection for non-binary and intersex people under the Equality Act.

They also called for any government ban on conversion therapy to include trans conversion therapy, and to commit to allowing trans people access to single-sex spaces.

The protest, co-organised by activists Laura K Buzz, also hosted three hours of speakers including authors, poets, and activists, whose speeches exposed the hardships of British trans people and demanded more from the government.

One of the speakers was trans activist and YouTuber Sophie (@theymerSophie on Twitter), who addressed the crowd in a 16-minute speech accompanied with a BSL interpreter.

Sophie criticised the government for their ‘medical segregation’ of trans people and the barriers they have faced in receiving help.

‘Trans people are dying waiting for their first appointment.’

As well as the current Tory government, they highlighted the hypocrisy of the Labour Party in their ‘continued defences of bigotry.’

Her condemnation of ‘Fleet Street’ and newspapers on both sides of the political spectrum for entertaining transphobia and the ‘debate’ over trans rights to exist was met with applause from the crowd.

The speech was not merely one of anger, disappointment and hurt however. Sophie went on to celebrate the ‘joy of being trans.’

‘The truth is that trans people are incredible… trans lives are so full of unbridled happiness that it defies words.’

The protesters also heard from an early member of the trans rights movement, Roz Kaveney who has been involved in the movement for over half a century.

Later speakers expanded on Sophie’s and Roz’s speeches, calling out the failure of the government  to protect marginalised communities – people of colour, women, and disabled people as well as trans people.

Feelings of hurt and anger were mixed with hope at the uniting of multiple generations of trans activists and allies to fight for their rights and demand better from those who were elected to protect them.

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