How can museums stand in solidarity with their local transgender communities? “I think the biggest thing is opening their doors to us,” said trans activist Arlo West. “When museums stand up and say, ‘We support trans people,’ it sends a powerful message.”
West, a founding director of Trans Pride Manchester, spoke with me about their experience holding the speaking and tabling portion of this year’s programme at Manchester Art Gallery in August. Trans Pride Manchester first used the gallery in 2024 and liked the experience so much it came back. “It feels a little bit like coming home now,” West said.
As attacks on trans rights and transphobic rhetoric continue to proliferate across the UK and beyond, museums such as Manchester Art Gallery continue to show support for their communities.
“It is both our duty and privilege to support, work with and provide visual arts and creative experiences for everyone, which very much includes the city's trans community,” explained Inbal Livne, senior creative lead at Manchester Art Gallery. “Our ambition is that every visitor, whoever they are, will see something of themselves in the gallery spaces. We know we're not there yet – but it's something really significant to work towards.”
Manchester Art Gallery is a free-to-enter, publicly owned venue in the heart of the city. All year long, a banner featuring local nonbinary drag artist Cheddar Gorgeous has graced the gallery’s neoclassical facade and the Derek Jarman Pocket Park, designed and maintained by Pride in Ageing, wraps around the corner of the building.
Advertisement
Inside the museum are centrally located gender neutral toilets. Although there is not yet any trans interpretation in the galleries, Manchester Art Gallery has a stated commitment to collecting works by LGBTQ artists, an endeavour reflected in its acquisitions gallery.
On the day of Trans Pride the light-filled glass atrium nestled between the original historic buildings that comprise Manchester Art Gallery were packed with attendees and positive energy. Panel discussions took place in the Lecture Room while merch and information stalls were set up in the atrium. Groups represented in the stalls included gender-affirming healthcare service Anne and a chest binder giveaway from trans-owned company Spectrum Outfitters.
Arlo West, a graphic designer and volunteer with the Museum of Transology, found the venue personally meaningful. “As both a creative and a trans person, taking up space in such a well-respected, very public venue feels huge,” they told me. “There’s something really powerful about trans people being visible in these spaces that are usually associated with history, art and ‘serious culture’.”
Marty Davies, one of the speakers at the event, also found the choice of venue significant. Davies, founder of Trans+ History Week, said: “Museums can be incredibly valuable to our movement. By giving space to Trans+ voices and by valuing, preserving and sharing our histories.”
Davies participated in a panel discussion on the theme Futureproof: Building Trans Futures Through Collective Action alongside other trans thought leaders including artist and filmmaker Fox Fisher.
Like other minoritised people whose histories are often omitted and erased in museum narratives, many trans people do not feel seen or welcome in museums. Simply opening their doors to trans community groups is one way for museums to start to bridge that gap.
Advertisement
“Before getting involved with Trans Pride Manchester and the Museum of Transology, I saw museums as quite elitist, like you had to whisper and walk slowly, or someone would tell you off,” said West. “But the more I’ve worked with them, the more I’ve seen that a lot of people inside really do care about preserving our history.”
“I do see some museums making real progress,” agreed Davies, “But there’s still a way to go before Trans+ people can feel consistently safe, welcomed, and celebrated in those spaces.”
Margaret Middleton is a designer of playful exhibits for people of all ages
