‘To have 40,000 people standing side by side to demand trans rights was so powerful,’ says photographer Zoë Schulz
“I have heard lots of people saying that if they’d had trans pride when they were younger, they could’ve been able to grow into themselves much sooner,” says Miri FLC, a trans singer-songwriter who lives in Brighton. “I think the reason a lot of us only get to meet ourselves a lot later than we should is because of the lack of knowledge and representation in the media, so supporting your local trans pride as an ally is really important.”
Launched in 2013, Trans Pride Brighton is the UK’s first and longest-running event of its kind, and the largest in the world outside of the US. It’s only getting more and more popular. This year’s event – held last Saturday (July 20) – drew the biggest crowd yet: 40,000 people took to the streets, compared to 30,000 last year and 20,000 the year previous. As the British media and government continue to propagate a campaign against trans people, the community – along with its allies – is standing its ground and asserting itself like never before.
Zoë Schulz, a film photographer and self-portrait artist based in Brighton, was on hand to capture the day in all its glory. While a trans pride event is obviously political by nature, Schulz’s photographs convey above all a sense of warmth, joy and humour – there’s defiance here, but everyone seems to be having a great time. While the placards at times express anger and frustration, the people holding them are grinning from ear to ear. This encapsulates what Pride is like at its best: not a party or a protest, but both, with zero contradiction between the two.
“I have always been drawn to analogue and my work has a documentary-style feel to it, often photographing the people closest to me and looking introspectively with self-portraiture,” Schulz tells Dazed. “My relationship with photography can feel almost obsessive at times: I have this drive to shoot, create and document. I think what drew me in the most is how I feel shooting – there is a very playful and joyful element to it, and with self-portraiture, I am able to explore and record deeper emotions, in a way that does not feel as heavy to access.
The sense of community is one of the things Schulz loves most about photography, along with the possibilities of working with other people and being inspired by their work. She is a member of the Brighton Queer Photography Collective, which organises shoots, events and exhibitions across the city. “It is always such a strong reminder of the immense power in creative, joyful spaces. Spending an evening freely creating, without any expectations or limitations, feels so recharging and liberating,” she says.
This is the second year in a row she has taken photographs at Trans Pride Brighton, which has become one of her favourite annual events. “It is both a protest and a coming together of the community,” she says. “I was attending with my partner, Xan, and it feels so special to have such a safe and welcoming space for trans people and their allies to stand together. As a queer cis person, I feel an immense privilege to be able to attend.”
Schulz believes that queer lives deserve to be documented and seen – not just the sombre moments, but also the love and joy that the community shares. “To have 40,000 people standing side by side to demand trans rights was so powerful. The march felt cathartic and was a reminder of the number of people steadfast in their commitment to stand up for the trans community,” she says.