Pride in London is the one day of the year that the city feels like it belongs to LGBTQ+ people – which was why I was so confused, embarrassed and alarmed when a small group of lesbians disrupted last year’s event with a protest against the inclusion of trans people. Their banners read “transactivism erases lesbians”. Pride in London quickly condemned the protests, but as a lesbian and a feminist, I worried that people would think these protesters represented me. More than that, I worried about how it all left trans people feeling.

Perhaps, a year later, we have a clear answer. Plans for the first London Trans Pride have been announced. Due to take place on 14 September, the event will celebrate and centre trans and gender nonconforming people. There will be daytime family-friendly events such as panel discussions and zine making, as well as stalls from trans charities and businesses, followed later by an afterparty with trans musicians, performers and DJs. The idea was sparked by last year’s anti-trans protests, say its organisers, performer and promoter Finn Love and artist and activist Lucia Blake.

Love says they felt “disappointed” and “upset”, not only because the protest took place, but because Pride’s reaction was not strong enough. “That really reflects the cis dominance of London Pride, as I perceive it. If there were trans people calling the shots it wouldn’t have happened in that way. And if those protesters were coming out against gay people the reaction wouldn’t have been the same, but people value gay rights more than trans rights. That’s a fact.”

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When I heard about the event, my first reaction was: the more Prides the better. But there are risks. When I travelled across Europe recently for my book Queer Intentions, I saw the difficulties of having multiple Prides. In Berlin, the celebration had splintered into four different events, all happening over 24 hours, making it hard to work out which to go to. In Belgrade, where there are two Prides, there seemed to be a great deal of animosity and infighting between the organisers. London would ideally be like Amsterdam, where a single umbrella Pride hosts hundreds of mini-events under one banner –making proceedings feel cohesive and accessible, giving everyone their moment in the spotlight, melding party with protest.

Love sees London Trans Pride as an addition to Pride in London, not a rival, part of the reason it is slated for September. Still, I wonder if it would be necessary in the first place if Pride in London made trans people feel sufficiently welcome. This year marks 50 years since the Stonewall riots – the LGBTQ+ uprising in New York. Stonewall is why we have Pride, and crucially, it was led by trans women, mostly trans women of colour.

Michael Salter-Church, co-chair of Pride in London, says: “Naturally, trans groups will only ever be a part of the overall when you’ve got 600 groups making up the parade.” However, this year he promises Pride will be doing more for trans people. After last year’s protests, the organisers – made up of 150 volunteers – held consultations with trans organisations and activists, as well as recruiting more trans volunteers. For 2019, they have implemented new security measures in collaboration with the police and, Salter-Church assures me, trans people will be more visible in both the marketing campaign and parade itself. They have also reached out to London Trans Pride to offer their support.

“We want to be independent, grassroots and DIY,” Love responds. “We’re resistant to corporate sponsorship and narratives … We’re trying to be distinctly and deliberately different.” However, Love concedes that consulting with bigger, more experienced events will be necessary for the safety of London Trans Pride in an increasing climate of transphobia.

This – security – was my other thought when I heard about London Trans Pride: much more pressing than the idea that our community might be fracturing. How can we ensure the safety of trans people who attend events like this? The very fact we need to ask that question helps explain the desire for a separate Trans Pride in the first place. It could spark much needed change, at a time time when the T in LGBT always seems to come last, in more ways than one.

• Amelia Abraham is the author of Queer Intentions, A (Personal) Journey Through LGBTQ+ Culture