The Transgender flag has been raised above Barking Town to mark Transgender Awareness Week.

Councillors were joined by staff and local residents on Monday, 14 November at 12.30pm to hoist the blue, pink, and white colours of the Trans flag aloft.

The event was part of the annual week-long spectacle, which aims to challenge people’s perceptions of transgender people and address issues that members of the community face by sharing stories and experiences to tackle prejudice and discrimination.

The week of action concludes on Sunday, 20 November with Transgender Day of Remembrance, a yearly observance that honours the memory of transgender people who were murdered in the last 12 months due to anti-transgender violence.



Councillor Sade Bright, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills & Aspiration, said: “We think people should be free to be who they want to be and be their true selves. That’s why Barking and Dagenham stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the LGBTQ+ community.

“Everyone deserves a right to feel safe, no matter what your sexual orientation, gender assignment, race, or sex. By flying the Trans flag, we hope to help facilitate discussions and breakdown barriers.”

Transgender Awareness Week runs from Sunday 13 November to Sunday 20 November.

Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 in memory of murdered transgender woman, Rita Hester.

Anyone who has been a victim of hate crime can report it online at lbbd.gov.uk/community-safety-and-crime/make-report.