Workers ’ Liberty activists joined tens of thousands of protesters marching in support of trans rights at this year's London Trans Pride on 8 July. The protest was an emphatic rejection of the Tories’ transphobic culture war and a vibrant show of solidarity with the UK trans community.
At its peak, the demonstration was so large that organisers reportedly altered the route to accommodate the brightly dressed, politically-charged crowds which filled the streets as they marched from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park Corner.
Placard highlights included “no borders, no binaries, no Tories” and (in reference to the difficulties getting gender affirming care) “no more deaths, no more waitlists”. Chants of “fuck the pigs — protect trans kids” were heard throughout. Others mourned the loss of trans loved ones, and Brianna Ghey, who was murdered in Warrington in February this year.
THE FIGHT IN THE UNIONS: THE CASE OF PCS
The small scale of the trade union bloc, however, highlighted the need to bring the fight for trans rights into our unions and to develop the labour movement’s politics on the issue.
The PCS leadership, for example, has on several occasions taken reactionary positions on trans rights. In 2017 and 2018, the NEC opposed motions calling for self identification for trans people. In 2019, Mark Serwotka, the union's General Secretary, unilaterally signed a letter with so-called "gender critical" feminists and other vehemently anti-trans individuals claiming proper debate was being prevented by violent trans activists. Serwotka and the NEC were later censured via a motion passed overwhelmingly by the membership, which argued that his actions brought the union into disrepute and contravened democratically decided policy. Even in this debate the leadership dragged its heels, using coded arguments about "legitimate concerns" among cisgender women.
The work by rank-and-file members in the PCS to hold its leadership to account and consistently pass policy defending trans people is a model that trade unionists in other unions can look to. It was perhaps unsurprising, in the context of this ongoing battle within the union, to see a crowd of PCS flags at the heart of the trade union bloc at Trans Pride.
FREE SARAH JANE BAKER
Trans activist Sarah Jane Baker is currently a political prisoner. During her speech at London Trans Pride, she said: “If you see a TERF, punch them in the fucking face”. Sarah later publicly apologised for the statement. Her comments were unhelpful, designed to be edgy and outrageous — but she never intended to inspire actual violence.
Sarah was on probation for crimes she committed over 30 years ago. The initial response from both police and the probation service was to take no further action. It was only after Home Secretary Suella Braverman intervened personally that she was recalled to an all-male prison.
Her arrest is clearly politically motivated, part of the culture war we were protesting against at Trans Pride. If leading politicians are able to influence the police like this, then the wider implications for protest and free speech are obvious.