Record breaking turnout at London Trans Pride as celebrities, allies and community unite (EXCLUSIVE)
"Find your community. Because they'll save you," Caroline Litman sent a message to her late daughter, Alice
By Aaron Sugg
More than 100,000 people filled the streets of central London on Saturday (26 July) in a powerful display of solidarity for London Trans+ Pride 2025, smashing last year’s record of 60,000 attendees.
Pink, white and blue lit up the sky as marchers rose their flags in a powerful display of trans rights, serving as both a celebration of trans+ lives and a direct response to the current political and social climate surrounding the gender identity debate.
The sheer diversity that flooded the streets was a powerful reminder that fighting for trans lives is more urgent than ever. From passionate allies to well-known trans figures like Munroe Bergdorf, sex education star Yasmin Finney and actress Alex Thomas-Smith, the community and its supporters came together in a vibrant, rainbow display of unity.
One of the voices of the day came from Caroline Litman, author of Her Name Is Alice and winner of a 2024 PEUGEOT Attitude Pride Award.
“I understand the feeling of being outside and otherness”
Speaking exclusively to Attitude, Litman told us she marched in memory of her daughter, Alice: “I feel safe here. I feel at home in the trans community. A lot of my cis, heteronormative friends just don’t get me anymore. In my loss, I understand the feeling of being outside and otherness. That helps me identify more with the struggle.”
She added the message behind trans pride: “We want trans people to live full realised lives in their true selves – but we have to protest. This is about getting the cisgender-conforming majority to see what is happening, what they’re doing to this vulnerable minority.”
She gave her advise to parents who’s child may be struggling with their gender identity: “Listen to your child and trust them and believe them and put them at the centre.”
“Love them, support them, listen to them and get some help”
“You may have concerns and anxieties, I had them too. But your child knows themselves better than you do and you are being lied to by the government and the mass media who don’t have your child or your best interests at heart. So please: love them, support them, listen to them and get some help,” she said.
Litman spoke about the UK government’s stance on gender identity in education and the recent Online Safety Act ruling: “It’s really scary… Alice got a lot of help and support online, whilst feeling very isolated in her own lived experience world that didn’t really have anything for her. Her online world really protected her – and so both these legislations are really concerning and need to be seriously looked at for reversal.”
“Find your community. Because they’ll save you”
When asked what she would say to her daughter today, Litman paused, then replied: “Find your community. That’s what I’d say – find your community. Because they’ll save you, they’ll look after you, they’ll nurture you and support you and get you through this. To do this together. That’s what I’d say to her. And I love her. Love. I love, I love, love, love, I love.”
Chants of “Trans rights are human rights” rang out across the capital as thousands marched from Langham Place to Whitehall. Among them were the cast members of I Kissed a Boy and What It Feels Like for a Girl, proudly walking with LGBTQ+ charity It’s Not a Phase, in a bold and joyful display of solidarity.
Hannah Jones, who plays Sasha in the BBC trans drama spoke on the importance of people showing up!
“I think seeing the names on screens multiple times and knowing people online is different than seeing them in person. It feels so liberating to see all these people that you’ve had a parasocial relationship with potentially, or just seeing them, and to see them in person properly, it feels really, really great. It’s an amazing display of unity.”
“We are not names on screens. We are not names on petitions. We are not our statistic. We are not a number on a pie chart”
Speaking directly to those watching from the sidelines, Hannah shared a message through Attitude: “You can see us right now. We are not names on screens. We are not names on petitions. We are not our statistic. We are not a number on a pie chart or whatever. We are people. We all have stories. We all have families, and we all have lives. We just want to get on with. How do you not respect that?”
Marching on behalf of the trans community Jeremy Corbyn could be seen protesting, this comes at a time where his new political party, yourparty.uk, has garnered significant support from the public with over 500,000 signed up to join the party to date.
Ali Bromley won Big Brother UK 2024, making history as the first ever lesbian victor of the British franchise, she marched with her partner alongside trans activist Jaxon Ryder Feeley and trans author, father and cover model Logan Brown.
“It’s our turn to show up for them”
Speaking exclusively to Attitude she highlighted the importance of unity within the LGBTQ+ community: “It’s really important trans people have always been at the forefront of campaigning for marginalised communities from the beginning of time, now it’s our turn to show up for them. It’s super important especially in the growing oppression of the far right at the moment.
“Seeing so many people from so many different backgrounds and also how many people are here to show solidarity with Palestinian people too, I think the cross over is extremely important. It shows where the heart of today is and what matters to people.”
As the march came to an end and crowds gathered outside parliament square, actress and model Yasmin Finney delivered a stirring speech that resonated through the crowd, she said: “I will never give up. Not because it’s easy. Not because it’s expected. But because the next generation is watching – and they deserve better.
“We are part of the timeless human story of becoming who we truly are”
“Our existence is not new. We are ancient. We are sacred. And we are part of the timeless human story of becoming who we truly are.”
As well as Yasmin there were an array of powerful voices that took to stage, those from the trans community, emotional family tributes and allies, highlighting power in number.
Speakers Running Order:
* Oscar Davies (non-binary barrister) & Alex Palmar-Yee (Trans Solidarity Alliance)
* Ki Griffin
* Mx. Adam Khan (LT+P organiser)
* Caroline Litman
* Samantha Lange (South American trans woman speaking on the femicide in SA)
* Dr Ronx
* Trans Kids Deserve Better
* Yasmin Finney
* Lauren from Migrants Right Network
* EM Williams
Lewis G Burton, one of the founding members of London Trans+ Pride, summarised the day in a statement: “The message was clear: we will not be erased. Our existence is natural, historic, and enduring.
“You can try to take away our rights, but you will never remove us from society. We are a part of humanity – and the public will not stand by while harm is done to our community.”