Trans Activists Enter Second Day Protesting on NHS England’s Offices

Two young trans activists who scaled the NHS England London building at 133-135 Waterloo Road SE1 8UG, central London yesterday afternoon and have remained there overnight say they did so to protest against trans children and young people being kept out of decisions that affect their lives.

The pair, who do not want to be identified, held up banners saying ‘Trans kids deserve better’ and ‘We are not pawns for your politics’ from the roof of the offices.

The campaigners say they are sick of young trans people being used as political pawns by a government which claims to act in their best interests, but that they say is harming them.

They say they have had enough of discriminatory attacks on their rights to healthcare and that ministers rushing through a ban on puberty blockers for young trans people prompted their protest.

That decision, taken as parliament was dissolved, is now subject to a legal challenge with campaigners arguing that health secretary Victoria Atkins bypassed normal consultation requirements.

The activists climbed the building at 1pm on Saturday using a ladder. They then proceeded to attach paper letters to the windows spelling out “Trans Kids Deserve Better” and unfurled their banner. Shortly afterwards the security guards came outside and asked that they get down. Then the police arrived but decided to take no further action at that time. They have since been joined by a third and fourth trans activist who scaled the building late last night and earlier this morning. After a cold night on the side of the building they are in high spirits and ready to wait out another full day. They are calling on other trans activists and any other supporters to join them and show solidarity.

Speaking this morning one of the activists (age 17) said: “Decisions are being taken that affect our lives without any trans people in the room, let alone trans young people. Too often trans kids are portrayed as a monolith of confused, depressed teenagers. We are denied choice and robbed of our autonomy. But we should be trusted to make the same decisions about our healthcare that all people are.

“In every other way I am trusted when I tell people what I want to do with my life. But not now. There is so much real anger out there and we hope our actions will encourage others to fight for a voice, and the healthcare and dignity that we are currently denied.

“We just had the parent of a trans child come over and thank us for our work. We’re under slept and covered in grime but we can all feel the anger. We’ve been unheard for too long. We aren’t coming down.”

https://transkidsdeservebetter.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transkidsdeservebetter/

Pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aUJlZbvPL38btd3gHzSdqgdvHDczpCV8?usp=sharing

ends