Trans Pride Falmouth Holds Second Annual March

Falmouth’s streets filled with marchers this weekend, but the timing of the demonstration has drawn a sharp line back to words spoken inside the Council Chamber just days earlier.

Trans Pride Falmouth marched on Saturday 23rd May 2026 to give a voice to Cornwall’s transgender and non-binary community. According to the organisers, the demonstration set out to stand against transphobia, against policies they say create a hostile environment for transgender and non-binary people in this country and worldwide, and against what they describe as a well-funded campaign of demonisation.

The march began at Falmouth’s Prince of Wales Pier at 12:30pm and was open to anyone who supports the rights and wellbeing of transgender and non-binary people. Marchers moved through the streets of Falmouth to Discovery Quay, where members of the community were invited to speak to the gathered crowd about their lived experiences.

A day of art, workshops and celebration

The event stretched beyond the march itself. An art market featuring a selection of transgender and non-binary artists and organisations was held at The Cornish Bank, alongside workshops offering LGBTQ+ individuals a chance to discover methods of artistic expression.

As evening fell, the venue was set to be transformed into a two-storey celebration of queer joy, with music and drag carrying on well into the night.

Council Chamber comments cast a shadow

The organisers were clear about why they felt the timing mattered. They said the event came just days after the UK Government reaffirmed policies that, in their words, continue to rip away rights that transgender and non-binary people had fought so hard for.

Closer to home, the group pointed to a moment at Cornwall Council this week. They said an elected member declared in the Council Chamber that the statement that trans women are women is a “demonstrably false claim”. According to the organisers, that member was defending another elected member who had stated that trans women are “men pretending to be women”. By the group’s own account, the second member had been cleared of any wrongdoing over those comments.

The organisers said transphobia was “alive and well on our doorsteps”, describing a community fighting every day for access to basic healthcare, legal protections, and respect in public life. “We are not a threat to anyone, we just want to live,” they said.

Their message was direct: “Trans rights are, always have been, and always will be, human rights. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Non-binary people are non-binary.”

Who are Trans Pride Falmouth?

Trans Pride Falmouth is an unincorporated organisation formed by a committee of volunteers, all of whom are members of the transgender and non-binary community.

Its first event, Cornwall’s first ever dedicated Trans Pride, was held on 17th May 2025 and attracted hundreds of LGBTQ+ people and allies.

The organisation is funded solely by private donations and sales of merchandise and event tickets. It does not receive any public funding.

📷Credit: Kai Greet/Trans Pride Falmouth