Thread by @RJFirth

CW: Transphobia, misandry, fat-shaming, trans-misogyny, trans-misandry, homophobia, bi/pan erasure

So a transphobic group decided it would be a good idea to protest #LeedsPride. A group of trans allies had been planning for weeks about what action to take if they showed up. 1/12

For some reason they have a weird fixation with Leeds. But we're a pretty tight knit LGBT+ community; everyone knows someone who can handle things if anyone tries to cause trouble. It's the reason the Leeds transphobe group can't publicise their meetings and stuff. 2/12

So if they somehow had any expectation to rock up and catch us unaware, they were sorely mistaken. Sure enough, word spread as soon as they were spotted near the art gallery and we made our way down to counter them. They were in a corner at the Henry Moore Institute. 3/12

Most of 'em I'd seen before, either at other things in Leeds or pictured elsewhere. They'd brought the same banners from the Sheffield protest. They were largely a quiet lot, save for one particularly mouthy gobshite with a megaphone. I'd say there were no more than 20. 4/12

So mouthy gobshite was handling most of the chants for them and trying to silence us with the megaphone's siren function. It was the usual transphobic shite we're all used to by now. She was stood rather precariously on a ledge. Of course they also took pictures and video. 5/12

A few other people had also gathered there; they moved away once it became clear that it was bigots' corner. We'd brought our own banners and signs and began chanting. There was one chant I wasn't comfortable with and didn't approve of; they are already talking about it. 6/12

Whilst we didn't have a megaphone, other attendees joined our chants and even held some signs for a bit. Mouthy gobshite wound a few people up and things got heated at times. Once she realised her chants were going nowhere; she tried drowning us out with the siren function. 7/12

Eventually she got really vindictive and started fat shaming people. This gave us a new chant to use and pissed her off even more. However the best bit was when the parade stopped and everyone joined in with our chants. That was the cue for them to fuck off; some did. 8/12

Even megaphone gobshite lost her spot to a nice couple. She could barely be heard for the remainder of the parade, and we made sure she knew it. Once the parade finished, they finally slinked off to wherever. You can probably guess which chant we used to see them off. 9/12

In conclusion, it was definitely a loss for them. They rocked up in bigger numbers than Bradford and Sheffield combined, but they failed to win friends and influence people. Anyone passing either joined our group and/or chanted with us, or booed their group. 10/12

I am unsure what their intended outcome was; their claim to be speaking for lesbians and feminists was met by jeers and boos by those in our group who identified as one or both. At one point the entire group was referred to as straight men which was obviously ridiculous. 11/12

The best thing they could have done today was stay at home. How anyone can protest Pride and act like they are somehow on the winning side is absolutely mind boggling. They need to realise that the wider community does not want them nor their bigotry. 12/12