Thousands attended the annual Trans and Intersex Pride march through Dublin city centre on Saturday in what was the event’s largest ever turnout.
A parade of sound and colour made its way from City Hall to Leinster House as spectators watched the demonstrators chant, sing and wave flags and banners as part of their combined protest and celebration.
Outgoing Trinity College Students’ Union president Jenny Maguire, who is co-organiser of the event, said they were “trying to show that a united movement is the way forward in pushing for a better Ireland for everyone.
“We want the Government to implement an informed consent, GP-led healthcare model. The current reform that they’re trying to do will still hurt trans people. We need it led by the community. We need intersex people to be recognised and de-medicalised.
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“A review is happening at the moment but it’s by the people who currently run the system and that system goes against the World Health Organisation guidelines.”
Ms Maguire said the last programme for government contained a trans inclusive model for healthcare and but it was removed from the current programme. “The Government is afraid of the far right but we are showing that the support is here for trans people.”
On the march numerous chants were sung: “Trans rights, women’s rights – same struggle, same fight,” was one call and response.
“Trans healthcare is our right – this is why we have to fight”, was another.
“Not the church, not the State, we alone decide our fate,” the demonstrators chanted as well as “one struggle, one fight, Palestine, trans rights”.
The trans blue, pink and white flag was hoisted by many while others carried Palestinian, Amnesty International and political party flags and banners including the Socialist Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Labour.
One speaker at the event, Sexy Tadhg, who addressed and sang for the crowd said “taking over the city and taking up space and letting our voices be heard” and being visible “is the best thing we can achieve today”.
“We’re reminding Dublin, and Ireland and the world that trans people are here that trans Ireland people exist, intersex Irish people exist and we are so beautiful and we are so gorgeous and we’re letting our voices be heard. That’s the real power of today.”
An Indian member of the Queer Asian Pride Ireland who addressed the crowd but did not wish to be identified, spoke of “how every single day for trans people it’s so, so difficult to live our daily lives whether in university, at workplaces, in hospital, wherever it is.
“We have been spat at, yelled at. I have been egged. I have been mocked so many times, just walking on the street. I am visibly queer and visibly trans and you see the colour of my skin and I can’t tell where the hate is coming from whether it is transphobia, homophobia or whether it is racism.”
Labour TD Duncan Smith said the party is showing “full solidarity with the trans community”. He said the parade is getting bigger each year “because I think there’s a realisation that the trans community need proper allegiance, proper support”.
Labour will put a motion on the order paper this coming week on trans healthcare, “the first motion on trans healthcare ever in the Dáil”, he said.
“The National Transgender Service isn’t fit for purpose for trans people and our health service needs to recognise that,” he said.
The motion calls for “what every citizen in this country should have….. healthcare in the community, GP-led healthcare, informed consult-led healthcare.”
Logan Ferrante is a student from Georgia, US is visiting Ireland as part of a three-week study abroad programme. “I thought it really important to come here today to fight not only for Irish transgender rights but for the rights of all transgender people globally.”
Ciarán O’Donnell was one of a number of people wearing a T-shirt with the message “Protect the Dolls”. He said it was introduced in May “as a fashion statement to show your support and solidarity for trans people”.
