As Istanbul Trans Pride Week, after 7 years, we held the 9th Trans Pride March last year on June 18, the Trans Equality Day, despite all the pressure from the state and society.

So far, with themes like “State is the Perpetrator”, “We Are Queer”, “Resistance and Peace”, “Bread, Justice, Freedom”, “Migration”, “Long Live Life Despite Hatred” and “We Need a Law!”, throughout Trans Pride Week, we discussed topics such as health, visibility, and constitutional rights that form the agenda of not only the trans movement but also the entire LGBTQIA+ movement, through forums, panels, and events we organized. In addition, despite the increasing state and police pressure, we will talk about how we can establish a political connection and find alternative ways to do so.

We will continue to attend workshops to connect each other, create safe spaces where we can discuss our experiences, our bodies, and our feelings, and parties where we celebrate our existence, strengthen our rebellion, and say we are here, together with hundreds of people. We will keep spreading throughout the city to show that we are still here, we resist, and trans people are afraid of no one.