Transgender Victoria Withdraws From Midsumma Pride Parade

Transgender Victoria (TGV) announced on Monday that they would be withdrawing from the 2025 Midsumma Pride March.

The leading body for transgender, gender diverse, and non-binary communities in Victoria said that while the decision was difficult, the safety and wellbeing of the communities they represent must be prioritised.

“TGV has a long-standing commitment to advocating for improvements in police systems and practices,” CEO Dr Son Vivienne said in a statement. “A recent community forum and survey conducted by TGV have confirmed a deep and pervasive discontent among TGD people regarding their interactions with and treatment by Victoria Police.

“We urge Victoria Police to commit to systemic reform pertinent to pride, protest, public safety and TGD human rights, including comprehensive cultural sensitivity education and steps towards nuanced and gender affirming data collection.”

TGV’s Committee has approved a one-year suspension of participation in the Midsumma Pride March, with future participation reliant on Victoria Police accepting accountability for measurable change.

The group will continue to support queer communities at other Midsumma events such as Victoria’s Pride and Carnival.

They will also host a Trans Pride Picnic as an alternative event, in partnership with other community-led organisations.

In a statement to Star Observer, Midsumma said they acknowledged the withdrawal of Transgender Victoria and the reasons behind it.

“We deeply value the voices of our diverse LGBTQIA+ communities and remain committed to ensuring that Midsumma is a space where everyone feels celebrated, respected, and safe. 

“Our Board continues to engage in discussions with key stakeholders around the issue of Midsumma Pride March 2025. Midsumma Festival remains committed to showcasing the strength, diversity, and unity of our communities through all of our events across 22 days.”

Increasing pressure to ditch cops for Pride

The withdrawal of Transgender Victoria from Midsumma’s parade comes after protestors and police clashed during the 2024 march.

Multiple queer activist groups have called for a boycott of Midsumma 2025, with No Police At Pride critiquing organisers for “failing to protect the safety of the queer community”.

Last week, a series of queer businesses in Melbourne were vandalised with the phrase “boycott Midsumma”. In statement to Star Observer, the group of activists behind the act said real pride was about solidarity and resistance.

“It is not possible to experience or celebrate pride on stolen land. The systemic abuse and violence suffered by Indigenous people, trans queers, BPOC, refugees and sex workers goes unchanged and unchallenged. Gay cops do not protect targeted communities, in or outside of prison, but rather uphold the existing structures of colonial, chauvinistic violence. They have no place at “pride”.

“Midsumma welcomes the presence of violent colonial entity Victoria Police at their events, all while co-opting the language of queer identity and resistance to condemn backlash against their capitalist-driven, state-sanctioned distortion of ‘pride’.”

Resistance to police presence at Pride celebrations is becoming harder to ignore as more and more community groups around the country push back.

Multiple motions to ban the NSW Police Force from the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade were raised at the 2024 AGM, and although they all failed, organisers say it’s only a matter of time before police are banned from the parade.

“This is a big step forward, but it’s not quite a win,” Pride in Protest spokesperson and Mardi Gras board member Damien Nguyen told Star Observer in December. “We’re disappointed that there has been a loss, but we know now that it’s a question of when, not if, the police will be removed from the parade.”