On Saturday 28th August, Pride Cymru’s giant trans flag will be coming home to take the lead in our parade through Cardiff city centre, after its annual tour of Pride celebrations all over the UK.

So far this year, the flag has marched in Bristol with ‘Trans Pride South West’, in Chester with Local LGBTQ+ youth groups, and in Liverpool with ‘Liverpool Trans’ and other community groups. On Saturday 10th September, it will also be making an appearance at Pride Wrexham’s Picnic in the Parc.

When Pride Cymru first commissioned the flag back in 2018, we wanted it to be seen as a symbol of solidarity for the trans community.  After its debut appearance in our 2018 parade, we started receiving requests from other Pride organisations who wanted to show support in the most visual way possible. It has now visited more than 20 cities, spreading that message of visibility throughout the UK and beyond.

But visibility is not enough. Transphobia in Wales and the rest of the UK is as prevalent as ever, with trans people being routinely targeted by the media and politicians, through the shameless use of scare tactics and misinformation. People in the trans community face discriminaion and vast inequalities in healthcare and access to housing and employment, and are victims of hate crimes at alarming rates. 

I want to ask, when you see that flag leading the parade on Saturday, please take a second to think ‘What can I do to be a trans ally?’ We need allies to stand and be vocal, to challenge politicians, the press and the healthcare systems. To the Welsh Government in particular I say, your new action plan is an opportunity to help move Wales toward LGBTQ+ equality. Please do not fail us. 

Trans people deserve equality. Trans young people deserve to have the same opportunities as every other young person. Trans people deserve the same standard of accessible healthcare as everyone else. Trans people deserve access to housing and employment without discrimination. These are basic human rights. Trans rights are human rights. Stand up for trans equality, NOW!

Written by Kate Hutchinson, Trans Officer for Pride Cymru