About 200 people gathered in York today for a Trans Rights Rally.
Supporters assembled in St Helen’s Square to proclaim “trans rights are human rights”.
They outnumbered another rally, billed as the York Majority Protest. This aimed to be “a show of numbers that are against York’s leaders and council” where people were asked to “just turn up with your flags”.
In the event, just a handful of people gathered under one St George’s flag.
There was a large police presence in the city centre. But officers remained low-key observers and there was no trouble.
At the trans rights rally, supporters carried signs with messages including ‘Hate Has No Home In York’ and ‘From The Margins To The Centre We Resist’.
Jake Furby of the York LGBT Forum told YorkMix what the gathering was all about. “Trans rights are under attack in many different ways, including in schools and in the wider community.
“Therefore we wanted to come together to get our voice heard that trans rights are human rights.”
He said the forum was hearing reports of trans discrimination in York. “We do hear accounts of people telling us about transphobia that’s happened in the city.
“That’s everything from being excluded from work to being attacked in the streets.
“From a charity point of view, we’re hearing more stories come through, through our membership and through the people that we see.”
He said there were plans for more trans rights events in York. “We believe that we need to continue speaking out, continue speaking up and ensuring that people are safe and secure and supported.”
