| Description | This collection consists of records of Tower Hamlets' first ever Trans+ Pride which was held on 15 February 2025 at Mile End Park, kept by Mx Adam Khan, organiser. Includes event publicity, community flyers and publications, digital videos and photographs.
CATALOGUE STATUS: This collection is currently uncatalogued, however a list is available as follows:
- 'Confidential agenda' giving a running for the event, annotated, 2025 [this was only confidential before the event, not after]
- Pride event flyer and stickers
- Community flyers and publications of related organisations from the community resources table at the pride event, 2017-2025 and from Hackney Anarchists: these were given out at the event
- the logo design in the shape of Tower Hamlets, printed on foam board. Designed by Adam Khan. Khan reflects on how they like the shape of the borough but not borders. Three copies are in existence: in this collection; one kept by Mx Adam Khan for their own archive; and one at the Museum of Transology
- Information signage used on the day, including first aid (4 documents)
- Flag: 'Tower Hamlets is Trans' with trans symbol in top left corner. This was one of the flags displayed at the event. Later it was put on Mile End Road flyover bridge lasting until the Monday after. The other two had been taken down/removed.
Mx Adam Khan decided to keep for their own archive a further flag which was displayed at the event 'Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride' in purple and yellow non-binary colours which Khan identifies with with as well as trans
- Queen Mary University London staff rainbow lanyard. This is used by the staff network. Khan as a student and on the student staff, students do not usually get these. Lanyards were worn at the event for visibility, to identify people who individuals could go to for first aid, safeguarding concerns and other matters.
Also other publications and articles:
- 'No Pride without Trans Pride' booklet 'documenting Trans Pride organisations across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Includes a Trans Pride Toolkit with tips on holding your own local Trans Pride', authored by Adam Khan, Museum of Transology, funded by Heritage Fund Art Fund: one signed version (very limited edition quality version, signed 19 March 2025) and one general use, 2025 (2 volumes) [digital copy in digital folder]; also Hackney Anarchists 3rd version, 2025
- East London History Society: page 22 refers to Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride article by Mx Adam Khan on James How (Volume 5, Issue 10, Spring 2025)
- Exhibition catalogue 'Transcestry: 10 Years of the Museum of Transology': page 47 mentions Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride as the 25th Trans+ Pride to be established in UK and Ireland. 11 March 2025
- 'The Hackney Anarchist' Issue 5, Spring 2025: page 13 showing photograph from Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride; page 23 Trans Hamlets banner in Mile End Park; page 24-25 'The Trans Pride Movement' by Mx. Adam Khan which includes two of the banners on the Mile End flyover
- 'Trans+ History Week 05-11 May 2015 Workbook'. Available digitally only so Mx. Adam Khan had printed. See page 6-7 for article by Mx. Adam Khan
- 'Trans-inclusive Culture. Guidance on advancing trans inclusion for museums, galleries, archives and heritage organisations', September 2023 published by Research Centre for Museums and Galleries.
- Certificate awarded to Adam Khan to recognise their organisation of the event, Queen Mary University London
- 'The Slice' newspaper Summer 2025 with article on the event. This earth is for all of us First-ever Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride event held in Mile End Park' 17 February 2025 by Agatha Scaggiante
[Also available at: https://romanroadlondon.com/first-tower-hamlets-trans-pride-held-in-mile-end-park/]
Also digital folders as follows:
- Mx Adam Khan's summary and background to the event, also reproduced in this introduction.
- Instagram social media posts
- Videos [two items in sub-folder are restricted for data protection reasons]
- Photographs taken by Mx Adam Khan, Matthew Ward, Nat, Lily Throssell (Queen Mary Student Voluntary Officer) and some Hackney Anarchists. Also photographs taken by/for 'The Slice' in a folder; and on the day of depositing the archive at Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives.
- Organisational emails kept by Mx Adam Khan |
| AdminHistory | Mx. Adam Khan (xe/they) is a multi-award-winning activist and community organiser. Since 2023 until the time of writing, they have lived, studied, and worked in Tower Hamlets. Since 2017, they have been instrumental in various liberation campaigns. They have founded more than a dozen organisations across the world. Many of these have relate to the trans community, of which Adam identifies as trans, non-binary and agender. Some of the organisations Adam has founded include Trans Pride Birmingham in 2021, the Trans Tea Room in 2023, the first LGBT+ Students' Association in Luxembourg in 2019, the Trans Pride Collective in 2024, and Tower Hamlets Trans Pride in 2025. They are also an avid writer, who has published 50+ poems and 30+ articles, and they also have attained a BA in History and Politics and an MA in International Relations. Some of their biggest achievements include organising the largest trans rights protest in the world, London Trans+ Pride 2024, and taking action against the Mexican government in 2024, which influenced the government to legislate making transfemicide a crime.
Tower Hamlets Trans+ Pride 2025:
Adam's involvement in national and international trans activist spaces has meant they have developed a keen eye for gaps in community provision. One of these gaps identified in Tower Hamlets was a lack of an overtly trans community space to bring people together. Thus, the idea for a localised trans pride event, to connect the trans community of Tower Hamlets and surrounds, came to be. Tower Hamlets hasn't had much of an public Trans scene, unlike some neighbouring boroughs. But that was to change. The idea came about in November 2024, and a small pot of funding was applied for using Adam's various roles at Queen Mary Students' Union. Once this funding was secured, in December 2024 plans had started and a working group was set up with some local trans activists. In January 2025, London Trans+ Pride and Feminist Fightback also donated some funds to the running of the event. The funds covered printing of leaflets, flags, water, picnic blankets, food, and a flag pole.
Adam reflects:
'By January, leaflets were distributed across the borough and further afield, and we had confirmed the speakers and performers. In January we liaised with various other community organisations from across London to let them know about the event. In January we also asked around for providers of food, and sent out the press release. The start of February involved logistics and final preparations for the event.'
Acknowledgements by Mx Adam Khan:
'All of the organising team, for devoting their time to making it happen.
Hackney Anarchists, for bringing the anarchist breakfast club (ABC) to the event, and providing and distributing the hot food and hot drinks.
Autonomous Winter Shelter (located in Stepney at the time of the event), for preparing the hot food.
London Trans+ Pride for their support, using their platforms, and for donating some funds to the running of the event.
Feminist Fightback, for their support, using their platforms, and for donating some funds to the running of the event. Even more so for showing solidarity with the trans rights movement.
Trans Kids Deserve Better, for their support and help in organising and speaking, as these spaces are as much theirs as anyone's.
Sarah Jane Baker, for lending her PA system and speaking!
Queen Mary Students' Union, for awarding some funds for the running of the event and providing some of the volunteers to help on the day.
Barts and The London Students' Association, for supporting the event online.
The Love Tank CIC and Freedom Press Bookstore for providing valuable community resources for sharing.
The Common Press for the continued support for local events in the borough.
London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council and Unison for enabling the use of accessible facilities and attending the event.
Tower Hamlets Archives for documenting the event and hosting the collection.
The Slice for providing coverage of the event and publishing an article about it.
And for everywhere that has hosted our leaflets and for everyone which shared our Instagram posts!
The Trans Pride Collective for commemorating the event as the 25th Trans Pride in the UK and Ireland.' |