The activists spoke at the Soho Trans and Non-binary stage about their fight for trans rights
BY DIVA STAFF
Both Eva Echo and Saba Ali have consistently used their voices to speak up for the LGBTQIA+ community. This is part of the reason why they took home the Unsung Hero of the Year and Role Model of the Year awards at the DIVA Awards, respectively. And on 5 July, as thousands of LGBTQIA+ people and our allies flocked to the streets to march with Pride, the activists spoke up again, this time at the Soho Trans and Non-binary stage.
Taking the mic first, Saba gave context for a recent court case she and Eva had both been a part of. “For the past two years, gender critics have come after me, and the incredible Eva Echo. You know Eva: fierce, fearless, your biggest cheerleader, and an extraordinary trans activist.”
“One of these critics, a Met police employee, made a formal complaint after we spoke at a Trans Day of Visibility event at Scotland Yard,” Saba said. “She called us ‘extreme activists’, said we shouldn’t be heard. When she didn’t get what she wanted, she took it to an employment tribunal. From that moment, our names were dragged through headlines, social media, online hate and malicious communications. We were vilified, dehumanised just for daring to speak up. Just for supporting trans rights. Just for being visible.”
Saba continued, “In court, she argued there was no place for a Trans Day of Visibility at the Met. She said the police shouldn’t engage with activists like us. Eva was misgendered throughout the trial. We were painted as dangerous. All because Eva is a trans woman. Because I support trans women. Because we refused to be silent.”
She was met with applause when she shared the following news to the crowd: “But here’s the part I’m honoured to say, right now with you: we won. A few days ago, I learned that we beat the case. The judgment is public knowledge. The gender critics lost.”
Taking the mic, Eva added: “So following on from that amazing news, I just want to share a few things. The last few years have been absolutely hell, purely because we’ve been targeted personally, our work, our names, everything dragged through the shit.”
“However, the recent news that they lost gives us all hope. Gender critics, no matter how well funded they are, are they are not invincible. Just because you’ve got cigars, just because you’ve got money, does not mean you have truth on your side.”
Eva shared, “And I will admit the last few years have really taken a toll on me personally. It’s really affected my health to the point where I’ve had to really take time out. But Saba talks about having rocks, having people in your life to really be there for you. I’ve had someone shielding me from all the shit on social media, in the press, they’ve been there, they’ve told me what I need to know, but they’ve hid the rest from me to basically maintain my own personal mental health. That person is stood to my left here, Saba for me, Saba is an incredible ally, not just to me, not just to the trans community, but for anybody that needs an ally.”
Saba also performed her spoken word poem titled We Are The Pulse, which called out performative allyship and championed real solidarity.
You can watch some of the powerful onstage moment below…
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