The annual awareness period acknowledges the power of learning about the past
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY HENRI T (@DOCUMENTEDBYHENRIT), QUEERAF AND TRANS+ HISTORY WEEK
Trans+ History Week (THW) will be returning for its third year, running between 4–10 May 2026. THW is a global celebration of the history of gender-diverse people, bringing communities together to gather strength, education and empowerment from the past.
The annual event is anchored by Trans+ History Day (6 May) which marks the anniversary of the 1933 Nazi raid on the world’s first trans+ clinic. The week acts as a reminder that we must seek out our past, even if it has been hidden, erased or forgotten. Through flagship events, online articles, podcasts and more, THW is a reminder that there is power in education.
This year’s THW comes at a vital time when 84% of trans adults in Britain feel unsafe following the UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this year. Marty Davies (she/they), founder of Trans+ History Week, said: “We must not let toxic culture wars overshadow our actual culture. Our history is momentous and millenia-old, underlining the indisputable fact that we’ve always been here and always will be, overcoming resistance and repression time and time again.”
One of the key parts of THW is creating space for trans+ history to be told by trans+ voices. This year, THW will commission 20+ trans creatives in partnership with QueerAF to produce original content for the week. Applications are open now until 2 December.
Jamie Wareham (he/him), founder of QueerAF CIC, said: “Seeing the way the creative’s Trans+ history stories have been shared in this acute time is a testament to their power. They’ve become not only a source to shut down lies about Trans+ people but a source of hope and well-being. The community is devastated and worried about the way the judiciary, parliament and media are vilifying them – but they’re finding hope, and lessons for the fight ahead by learning from Trans+ history. They also speak to the power of trusting people with lived experience to shape stories and having them in the newsroom.”
For more information, programme details and downloadable resources, visit the QueerAF Trans+ History Week hub and sign up to the Trans+ History Week mailing list. To take part in the commissioning and mentoring scheme, apply by 2 December 2025.
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