My first visit to Brighton Trans Pride

This week I accidentally found myself not far from Brighton on the day that Trans Pride Brighton was to occur. I binned family plans and set off on my own to experience the event. It’s the biggest Trans Pride event in the country. Around 15,000–30,000 people come out to support Trans rights. I’d say it was as busy as Liverpool’s everyday Pride event for all LGBTQ+ people.

I wanted to challenge myself and become more confident in what clothes I wear. Drawing inspiration from Liverpool’s Pride event last year I wanted to wear something daring, bold and cheeky. Bum cheeky. My initial thought was a sheer skirt but I kept thinking “No one wants to see that.” Thoughts like that come from the patriarchy. Someone on Reddit said;

I did used to think it was wrong to wear leggings without a skirt or something covering my butt, but modesty culture is rooted in misogyny. I stopped caring the second I realized I was pandering to shit opinions.

Bum, it was. But how? I didn’t want to have it completely on display like some people at Liverpool Pride, more to highlight it. I figured I could pop my sparkly swim briefs over the top of my Pride mini-leggings. In theory, yes, a plan. In reality? Could I walk through the city of Brighton in my swimming briefs? I could if it was technically a beach and others were also in swimwear, but a city centre? I wanted to try.

Be bold. Be brave. Be courageous.

I popped a skirt on over my outfit so I didn’t offend anyone on the train there and headed to Brighton. When I got to the meeting area I was surprised to see most people were in fairly tame outfits. Loud, colourful and fun pride outfits but I expected Brighton to be the most outlandish Pride in the UK. Very few people in leathers, kink wear or dog masks. I was not feeling brave enough to whip off my skirt and show off my sparkly bum.

With 10 minutes to go before the parade set off, I decided to go for it. Somehow… how do you casually take off a skirt in the middle of a public street without it seeming weird? Well, you just do it seems, and I just did. I was standing, in Brighton city centre, wearing mini-tights with sparkly briefs and a rainbow-themed shirt.

As I moved through the crowd I expected a police person to tap me on the shoulder and say “No.” It never happened. It took a while to relax but eventually, I did and forgot I was wearing them… until I was bending over to get some photos and found areas felt the breeze more than they should. At no point did anyone say “No one wants to see that.” People commented on how good I looked. Folk I met at the start of the event, who I spoke to about my sparkles, were happy to see me being brave. Out and proud. Really out.

It felt great pushing myself this way, to challenge whatever stupid thoughts were stuck in my head. I walked around for over an hour in my outfit, talking to people and making portraits. It was a wonderful afternoon. This year I was planning on physically and mentally pushing myself to swim across the River Mersey. Unfortunately, my physical health has taken a dive and I am not strong enough to safely do that swim. I’m glad that there are other ways for me to push myself and to do things others may not. Will I wear this to Liverpool Pride next week? My home at an event where my clients go? … I’d like to say yes, butt…

A few more portraits from Trans Pride. The last is NSFW.