Every year, LGBTQ Pride events grow bigger in Ireland. The celebration that took over the capital on the last weekend of June felt more urgent and joyous than ever. And yet these are not universally fun times for the community, particularly for trans people. Those narratives form part of the tangled tapestry of the far-right and rising authoritarianism, especially directed at trans women, and trans and nonbinary youth.

A global community contends with many things in many jurisdictions. But community is built locally. Simultaneously, there’s a strong desire to maintain and progress rights and protections and resist regressive rightwing attacks on identity, safety and freedom.

In Ireland’s case, the lack of trans healthcare is chronic and profound. But the community is strong, inclusive and appreciates what solidarity means for all its members. This is the strength that built the activism that generated legislative and social progress.

Walking Dublin’s streets over the course of Pride weekend, it was once again brought home to me how vital it is for this community to come together. That sounds like a cliched sentiment, but it is true. Dublin’s Pride events may be Ireland’s largest given the size of the LGBTQ population in the city, but Pride is ever more vital in smaller cities, towns........

© The Irish Times