In April, the UK Supreme Court issued a ruling that deepened long-standing fears within the trans community, followed shortly by Trans+ exclusionary guidance from the EHRC. It’s all raised urgent questions about where, and even whether, trans people can feel safe in this country.
I felt a mix of anger, fear, and responsibility. These are not abstract policies; they carry a real human cost.
At my lowest point, a friend told me: “Think globally, act locally”. It sparked an idea. Soon after, I launched Safe Space Bristol, a grassroots initiative offering a visible and practical response to rising hostility.
My intention was simple: to ask Bristol businesses to publicly pledge to be a Safe Space for their Trans+ customers.
The pledge sets out how businesses are committing to sustaining an environment where Trans+ people are welcomed, respected in their identity, protected from discrimination and harassment, and able to access services and facilities that affirm who they are.
The enthusiasm for the initiative was immediate, with more than 150 businesses signing up. It quickly spilled out of Bristol as well, with people across the UK getting in touch asking how they could replicate the idea in their communities. To support them, I created a toolkit for how to reach out to businesses. At time of writing, there are now 20 towns and cities with locally organised Safe Space projects.
Beyond pledges, the impact I’ve seen is tangible. A local yoga studio, inspired by their Safe Space Bristol commitment, successfully campaigned for a gender-neutral toilet to make their space fully inclusive.
A sticker campaign, fundraised by a Bristol queer collective and designed by a local queer artist, now brightens the windows and doors of businesses across the city with the message ‘Safe Space for Trans People’.
I’ve been invited to speak with local equality networks and diversity teams, helping to amplify allyship beyond individual spaces and into broader city-wide conversations. Earlier this month, Watershed Cinema generously offered the free use of their outdoor event space, where we held our first in-person Safe Space Bristol gathering. It brought together business owners, their teams and some of the local trans and non-binary people they’ve pledged to protect.
We laughed, cried, shared stories, and stood in the kind of connection that misinformation cannot erase. It proved that solidarity is not abstract. It is built in eye contact, consistency, and choosing kindness time and time again.
This movement is more than just social media posts, and it’s an example of how our response to the ruling is a litmus test for the LGBTQIA+ community’s resilience and solidarity.
This is not the first time our country has enacted hostile legal decisions, and history shows us that such rulings create ripple effects of isolation, fear, and vulnerability. They also leave allies uncertain about how to help.
The Safe Space movement offers one answer, among many: that businesses will not stand by as attempts are made to exclude trans people from their services.
What began as a response to fear has grown into a movement rooted in care. It shows that communities can reclaim safety and dignity without waiting for permission from above. In a time when national and international policies become more hostile, local action stands as a vital counterbalance.
This movement has proven that even when hope feels distant, people still have power. When voices unite in protest and in practice, it becomes harder for division to take hold. The consistent and visible choice to reject harm is how culture changes. It is how real progress happens.
We deserve good news too.
When there is so much hate out there, it's easy to get swept up in the doom.
QueerAF doesn't do that. We sprinkle in the joy that is the lifeblood of why being LGBTQIA+ is so simply wonderful.
And in the newsletter where this was first published, there was actually a bunch of positive news to celebrate. It shows me that despite the headlines knocking us down, we're getting right back up again and using our anger to fuel our fight.
While the rest of the media cashes in on hate about us, we can focus on queer joy - because you drive us. The community. QueerAF readers - not advertisers.
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