Dublin's first ever Trans Pride March will take place today.
Dozens of organisations will gather at Liberty Hall at 2pm, before marching to Fairview Park where the first Pride protest took place 35 years ago.
Record numbers attended last month's Dublin Pride parade.
Thomas White, the co-organiser of today's march said there is a need for a separate event to deal with ongoing trans-specific issues.
“It is important that in a society where we face so much discrimination, oppression; so many challenges in everyday life where trans people still can’t access healthcare in Ireland, where 40% of trans people globally have attempted suicide [...] there is a very strong need to be able to organise; to be able to organise and express the demands, needs and lived experience of the trans community.”
File photo of Trans Rights (TENI) joining the Dublin Pride event in 2016, 25-06-2016. Image: RollingNews
He said organisers felt that Dublin Pride has become an “extremely corporate event that doesn’t express the needs of the community as a whole very well.”
He said there is an “urgent need to have a space where we can organise against discrimination."
We're splitting up the rally part of the protest into two parts with half of the speakers speaking before the march at Custom House Quay and then we'll have the rest of the speakers at Fairview Park and the end of the march. If people are unable to participate in the whole event
— Trans Pride Dublin (@DubTrans) July 26, 2018
Meanwhile the Taoiseach has said he will keep the politics out of decisions regarding the healthcare of transgender people.
According to The Times, Leo Varadkar has vowed to follow the 'best, most up-to-date' medical advice.
It may be raining but we're still going to be there! This is a protest that fights for the end of all oppression! #DublinTransPride #TakeBackPride pic.twitter.com/xUJH1PHqjK
— Trans Pride Dublin (@DubTrans) July 28, 2018
