Trans Pride will kick off Seattle Pride virtual celebrations

SEATTLE — Seattle Pride is getting ready for its virtual three-day program. Trans Pride will kick off the event Friday, covering a wide range of topics to promote diversity. As Seattle Pride’s media partner, KIRO 7 is dedicated to raising awareness for inclusion and highlight issues directly impacting the LGBTQ community.

In-person celebrations may be canceled, but Trans Pride has a full day of virtual content, including short films, workshops and speakers who will take over the virtual stage Friday.

“That’s the most amazing thing about Pride, and not just Trans Pride. Pride Fest and Seattle Pride really lifts up and honors all of those voices, especially this year,” said Elayne Wylie, co-executive director of the Gender Justice League.

This is the Gender Justice League’s eighth year organizing Trans Pride Seattle. Wylie said it’s important to bring the community together and connect virtually. This gives them an opportunity to celebrate their progress and raise awareness for the discrimination trans people still face.

For more information, on Seattle Pride information and events, click here.

“We know there is a continual struggle. People have many ideas about who they think transgender people and nonbinary people should be, but our community is often silenced and invisibilized. We want to exist in society. We want to thrive just like anybody else,” Wylie said.

Started by a group of trans activists in 2012, the Gender Justice League’s mission is to empower trans people.

“(We) serve trans rights in the areas of health care, housing, employment equity, access to insurance, public accommodations. We also run a year-round program sponsored by the city to provide assistance, referrals, temporary emergency shelter to folks experiencing gender-based violence,” Wylie said.

Trans Pride stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, recognizing their shared struggle to fight for justice.

“Trans people and nonbinary people are fighting for, are tied up significantly in the same kind of struggle, that Black and brown people and Indigenous people have experienced for hundreds of years, when we see their rights lifted up and embraced, trans people rights are going to follow,” Wylie said.

For more information on the Gender Justice League, visit its website: https://www.genderjusticeleague.org/

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