In San Francisco on Friday, a large crowd of people made their way from Dolores Park down to Market Street for the annual Trans March, a San Francisco Pride Week tradition. People carried flags and signs and played music throughout the route of the march, which stretched for blocks, with the number of people participating.
“We’ve got allies, we’ve got queers, and we’ve got trans people, and I think it shows we the people united can never be defeated,” said LH Callim, who said he has been going to this march for many years and watched it grow.
Several people who spoke with NBC Bay Area on Friday commented on how the event has continued to expand.
“I’m the mom of a trans person and I’ve been coming to this march for many years, and every year it gets bigger,” noted Janna Barkin of Marin County.
“And this year, it’s the most important that we show up for trans people, trans youth,” Barkin continued.
Attendees at the march said recent federal policies, including policies targeting transgender people, have been very difficult for them to see unfold.
Melody Pratt of Berkeley noted she doesn’t often come to Pride events because she hates crowds.
“But with everything that’s happening in the world and the sort of constant assaults on trans people, it felt really important at this time to be with my community,” she said.
“It also makes me feel better and less alone to be out here,” Pratt continued.
Organizers of the march describe it as “San Francisco’s largest transgender Pride event” and one of the largest trans events in the world.
Several people who spoke with NBC Bay Area at the march said they had traveled from outside the Bay Area and even other states to attend.
Luca Strobel traveled in from South Carolina to attend. This was his first time taking part in the San Francisco Trans March.
“Being here right now just feels really freeing to me, this isn’t something I’ve experienced before — this amount of people showing up, I feel like this is something everybody should be part of,” Strobel said.
Strobel added that he had top surgery about a year ago, and this event was the first time he went out in public showing his scars.
“This is absolutely amazing, it feels so freeing,” he said, adding that he plans to move to San Francisco in a month.
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