With Pride celebrations in 2021 fast approaching, there’s exciting announcements for Trans+ Pride and Black Pride in the UK this summer!
First up, London Trans+ Pride, which will take place on June 26, Wellington Arch, Hyde Park at 2pm. The organisers shared a social media post the which said :
“London Trans+ Pride 2021 is our opportunity to unite our voices against the continued and increasing disregard for trans safety, healthcare and wellbeing in the UK. During this period of increased isolation and precarity we need community-led change more than ever.”
“We need to continue to put pressure on the UK government to invest in trans healthcare, accessible bathroom provisions and prison facilities, and to ban forced surgeries for intersex children and other pseudoscientific conversion therapies.
“They consulted us on our lived experience, and now it’s their turn to listen. Let’s show those in positions of power what networks of care and radical love look like.
“We march in memory of all the trans pioneers: siblings, leaders and loved ones who even in death survive so that we can thrive. We march to champion the protection and celebration of BIPOC trans people, trans women, trans sex workers and trans kids. We march for trans life.”
The post for the event – now in its third fabulous year – encourages attendees to wear flowers and has a message of support for trans youth.
Next up exciting news about UK Black Pride – Europe’s largest Pride celebration for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern-descent – which is back for its 16th year and bigger than ever.
The event in 2021 will be extended across three days over the weekend 2-4 July, with the theme this year will be Love and Rage, reflecting events over the last 12 months and the difficulty faced by ethnic minority communities.
A press statement for UK Black Pride read:
“What we’ve seen first-hand over the past year is our communities’ persistent commitment to each other.”
“Our 2021 theme recognises the ways we continue to show what it means to love, to love hard and to love against the odds, and claps back against the many ways we are told who we are allowed to be, and how to grieve, love and rage.
“In the face of systemic erasure and institutional racism, we will not be quiet. We will be heard, and we will be loud.”
UK Black Pride will return as a digital event for 2021, including programmes that cater to the broad range of communities the organisation represents.
“Despite the scheduled end of lockdown measures in the UK on 21 June, there are too many unknowns: Will the vaccination rollout happen according to plan? Will the different stages of
lockdown easing result in a spike in COVID-19 infections?” said Alexia Lenoir, Head of Operations at UK Black Pride.
“Our communities are some of those most adversely impacted by Covid-19 and so we are keeping our eye on the ongoing situation and working to deliver an event that offers our communities an opportunity to connect and celebrate in ways we can ensure will be safe.”
For more info on UK Black Pride check out the website right here!