Headlined by ‘Drag Race UK’ star Bimini Bon-Boulash, the night featured a star-studded lineup of performers that included Black Peppa, Kemah Bob, Bailey J Mills, Sadie Sinner and the Alpha Dancers.

Approximately £40,208 was raised for Not a Phase, a trans-led, grassroots charity dedicated to awareness campaigning, social projects and funding new initiatives for the community.

“The community needs this outpouring of love now more than ever. It’s one thing living day to day with low level transphobia but seeing our country’s key figures taking to the stage to deny our very existence is inhumane,” said Danielle St James, the organisation’s Chief Executive.

“We just want to live our lives and have access to the same basic human rights as everyone else,” she continued.

Given how negatively trans and non-binary issues are often framed in both politics and the media, GAY TIMES wanted to bring the conversation back to the strength that lies in being LGBTQIA+.

So, we asked six icons from the trans and non-binary communities what they find most powerful about being their authentic selves. Here’s what each of them said at the ‘We Stand With You’ event…