The LGBT+ community and allies took to Dublin’s streets for the fifth annual Trans and Intersex Pride Parade. The demonstration was led by the chants “When trans rights are under attack, stand up fight back!” and and “Trans rights, women’s rights, same struggle same fight.”’
Starting at The Garden of Remembrance, the delegation marched through the city to a stage on Molesworth Street. LGBTQ+ speakers from Palestine, the sex worker’s group ‘Red Umbrella Film Festival’, and Neuropride Ireland were amongst the groups that gave speeches to the crowd, with TCDSU President Jenny Maguire introducing speakers.
Speakers spoke out against the UK CASS report, the pinkwashing of the Israeli state whilst Palestinian people are besieged, and the years-long waiting lists for accessing trans affirming care at the National Gender Service.
Speaking to The University Times, Gale Aitken, a member of the activist group Transgress the NGS, said “Trans and Intersex Pride is so important to us as trans people because mainstream pride has been co-opted by corporations and political groups.
We’re marching today because trans and intersex people deserve rights, deserve healthcare, and have continually been let down by the National Gender Service, which gate keeps the life saving care that is so desperately needed.”
On Monday, Maguire urged Trinity students to attend the march via email, stating “With the rise of the far right, it is more important than ever that we get out and support the trans and intersex community. Your allyship can no longer be passive – it must be a rallying cry for justice and nothing less.”
A 2022 report from Transgender Europe ranked Ireland as the worst country in the EU for the provision of transgender healthcare.
