Trans+ History Week Returns to Celebrate Overlooked History of Trans+ Communities

Trans+ History Week returns for its second year with a striking nationwide campaign designed to surface the overlooked, erased and often untold histories of transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people. Running from May 5–11th, and anchored by Trans+ History Day on May 6th, the campaign marks a cultural flashpoint in the UK calendar to challenge harmful narratives and honour a powerful lineage of Trans+ presence and resistance.

Live from this week, the UK-wide advertising campaign ‘Always Been Here’ was developed by a team of volunteers and allies through an inclusive, collaborative creative process led by Smarty Pants Consultancy and Uncharted Studio. The Diversity Standards Collective was the community research partner on the campaign, where they conducted qual-research with over 100 of the Trans+ community from across the UK to help steer the creative development and refine the messaging. The resulting work reminds millions that Trans+ people have always been here, and always will be.

A series of visually arresting posters will appear in major UK cities across the week, including Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Coventry, Newcastle and London, including location specific posters and placements in press – with standout placements including Boxpark Wembley and Westfield. The campaign boldly and unapologetically brings Trans+ history into the public domain and showcases Trans+ people have been important innovators and world-changers throughout history.

Media space for the campaign has been contributed by JCDecaux, Ocean, Open Media UK, Financial Times, Metro, The Guardian and Reach titles, coordinated by Havas Media Network UK, Talon and Publicis Groupe UK. The team has also been supported by the design teams at Prodigeous and Open Media UK. The campaign has also been supported by sponsorship from Clifford Chance, Verizon Business, Publicis Groupe UK and Diageo.

“Making our history visible is a radical act,” said Marty Davies (she/they), founder and CEO of Trans+ History Week CIC and founder of Smarty Pants Consultancy. “For so long, our stories have been hidden or distorted. This campaign changes that. It puts our truth in the spotlight – on billboards, in print, and in spaces that have historically excluded us. It’s a reminder that Trans+ people are not a trend. We are a fact of human history.”

Laura Jordan Bambach (she/her), chief creative officer of Uncharted Studio, added, “The creative campaign cements trans history as something which is as old as time. This wasn’t about rainbow-washing, but honouring stories that span millennia, using bold visuals and confident, declarative language to give these histories the platform they deserve. The creative treatment had to match the depth and dignity of the stories being told.”

Rich Miles (he/him), CEO, The Diversity Standards Collective, said, “This campaign showed real care in getting it right, and we were proud to support that through UK-wide input from our Trans+ community. Our Community Creative Check gave the team clear, nuanced guidance and the confidence that their work was backed by the very people it aimed to represent. It’s been a privilege to support Marty and Trans+ History Week with insight that truly reflects the wider community.”

This campaign complements Trans+ History Week’s wider programme of events, podcasts, features, and the Trans+ History Workbook – downloaded by over 1,000 people across corporate, government and non-profit sectors. The week aims not only to educate, but to empower Trans+ people to reclaim a legacy that has too often been denied.