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Marty Davies

@marjoda

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Writer, artist, campaigner & strategist
• Founder @transhistoryweek
• Columnist @campaignmagazine
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In calm water and rough tides, we rise 🌊

Now until 10 May, “Reflections” spotlights the voice and power of Trans+ communities across the UK.

As we endure, fight, love, this campaign offers a surface for reflection, a celebration of our community’s strength, and a reminder that small ripples shape what comes next.

We’ve always been here, always will be.

Shaped by stories from Trans+ creatives and research with 100+ Trans+ folks, each headline connects with an article on the Trans+ History Week hub at QueerAF @wearequeeraf_

Visit @outernetlondon’s Now Trending space this weekend and see our installation on rotation.

🌟🌟🌟
“Reflections” was made possible thanks to the incredibly generous support of volunteers and sponsors, including:
✴︎ Creative Agency: Uncharted @uncharted_studio_
✴︎ CCO: Laura Jordan Bambach (she/her)
✴︎ Strategist: Sebastian Hendra (he/him)
✴︎ CD/Copywriter: Ant Jackson (she/her), with Trans+ creators
✴︎ CD/Art Director: Laura Osborne(she/her)
✴︎ Designer: Aidan Lee (he/him)
✴︎ Motion: Den Salazar (he/him)
✴︎ Production Partners: Blind Pig
✴︎ Sound: SECURESCUE (Ambient Edit) by TRANS VOICES @transvoicesuk, ILĀ (they/them and she/her), Coda Nicolaeff (she/her)
✴︎ Audio Engineer: Simon Palframan (he/him)
✴︎ Community Research Partner: Diversity Standards Collective @the_dsc_uk
✴︎ Producer: Emma Glenn (she/her)
✴︎ Media space contributions: Outernet London, JCDecaux, Bauer Media Outdoor, Ocean Outdoor, Metro, The Guardian, and Reach
✴︎ Planning & support: Publicis Groupe UK, Publicis Production, Havas Media Network, Open Media UK, and Talon

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️
Trans+ History Week is a week-long reflective period to learn and celebrate the millennia-old history of transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people.  
📸 @ciaran.christopher

#transhistoryweek The "Reflections" installation for Trans+ History Week at Outernet is captured in a series of photos showing an immersive digital exhibition within a large hall featuring massive, wraparound LED walls and ceiling. The screens display a tranquil theme of rippling blue water and soft pink clouds, punctuated by bold, large-scale typography with phrases such as "OUR HISTORY RUNS DEEPER THAN MOST REALIZE" and "CHANGE HAS NEVER STOOD STILL." Interspersed throughout the digital space are vibrant illustrated panels showcasing diverse global Trans+ stories and historical figures, such as Japanese politician Aya Kamikawa and composer Angela Morley. Visitors are seen wandering through the high-tech gallery or resting on sculptural, Y-shaped benches, appearing small against the towering, glowing screens that celebrate trans joy, resilience, and history. taken in Outernet-London by @marjoda

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5 months ago

🕯️ Today is #HolocaustMemorialDay

Did you know one of the most famous book burnings happened at a trans clinic? - by @marjoda

"Book burnings are a historic image many of us recognise. But the connection to the transgender community is little known. I can’t help but wonder what growing up knowing more of this hidden queer history would have meant for me.

"The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention explains that “a fundamentalist gender binary was a key feature of Nazi racial politics and genocide”, adding that this is also a feature of the modern ‘gender critical’ movement’s ideology.

"If Section 28 wasn’t in place when I was at school, would I have learned the full story of Nazi book burnings?"

👉 The Queer Gaze is just one part of our weekly newsletter that helps you understand the LGBTQIA+ news and new queer perspectives every week. Support queer creatives by signing up and sharing this piece. #LinkInBio

👀 Instagram slides are never enough to do a story justice. But they are a launchpad for knowledge. To see all of the sources for these slides visit the full edition on our ad-free not-for-profit platform.

#holocaust #holocaustmemorial #holocaustremembranceday
#Trans #pridemonth #queeraf #lgbtqiaplus #lgbt #lgbtpride #gaypride #pride #instagay #instahomo #gayfollow #gayuk #explainer #queergaze #queerpride #gay #lesbian #bisexual #queer #transgender #nonbinary by @marjoda

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3 years ago

Art, community, and trans and non-binary authorship. 🏳️‍⚧️🎨✨

Last month, I joined the brilliant @don1drag to talk about my gallery works and navigating the creative industries. Scroll across to see the two works I spoke about The Telegraph’s Phantasm and Protect The Children.

It was an absolute joy to connect with Don on a deeper level, celebrating their multi-faceted work as an actor, artist, and entertainer beyond the comedy stage we already know and love them for.

A massive, heartfelt thank you to @sebastiancroft and @connorwjessup, the dedicated minds behind @queerwasalwayshere and to @doullacroft and @side.hustle.productions for approaching me.

What they are building with QWAH is so deeply vital – a gorgeous, dedicated sanctuary that honours queer lives, preserves our history, and actively champions the artists keeping our stories alive.

Being invited to be part of your residency was an absolute honour. You are fostering the exact kind of intentional, loving community our creative world needs.
We were hosted at the delightfully queer BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Gallery Cafe ran by Ghislain Pascal.

Such an intimate space to connect meaningfully with queers, who, like me, believe in the power of art to affect change in the world.

All proceeds went to support Choose Love’s work securing futures for LGBTQIA+ refugees and displaced people around the world.

There’s some words form me in the latest @boysfineart

@boysgallerycafelondon @boysfineart podcast episode of lights from the residency - so seek that out. If as great podcast.

More collaborations and events like this please!

@boysgallerycafelondon @boysfineart

🎵 Music on this post is from @dylanandthemoon who I had the pleasure of meeting recently - go watch his documentary and stream his music. Marty, Don, Bash & Connor outside the gallery cafe taken in BOYS BOYS BOYS Gallery Café by @marjoda

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a month ago

Ibiza photo dump.

#Ibiza #photodump #summer taken in ME Ibiza by @marjoda

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a month ago

Speechless.

Moment of eclipse totality from Ibiza Moment of totality of the Eclipse. Dark skies with a gold ring of light from the sun behind the moon. taken in ME Ibiza by @marjoda

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2 months ago

@marjoda of @transhistoryweek discusses Andy Burnham, meeting with Government for Trans Rights and why showing up for @londontranspride this Saturday is important 🏳️‍⚧️

🎤 @deanflynnfinds
📹 @thejessicabainbridgeinsta by @marjoda

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2 months ago

Always been told I’ve got too much Pride 🎶🏳️‍⚧️

Marching at @prideinlondon with friends and my fellow @transhistoryweek teammates @petren33 @doullacroft @eglenn88

Gorgeous to bump into @diversityriley @zelahglasson @iz.hesketh and @shakeelkimotho and get the opportunity to march at the front this year. Thanks @prideinlondon @rossfitzpatrickk 🙏

And thanks @mzzkimberley for your expert curation of the Trans and Non-binary Stage and for inviting me to speak this year 🙏

And I was proud to wear my @queerwasalwayshere (@sebastiancroft and @connorwjessup) tee on stage in support of @chooselove ❤️ - go buy one!

🎶 @robynkonichiwa ‘show me love’ taken in Soho, London UK by @marjoda

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2 months ago

They ban books. We serve looks 🔥 🪧

Press brunch today for @londontranspride

I’ll be there, along with the @transhistoryweek team on 25th July for another history-making Trans+ Pride.

Let’s remind them that we’re not going anywhere.

🎶 @waltdisco @celyn_j_si_o
(support Trans+ musicians 😎)

Thanks @milo_turns <3 Marty Davies smiling and posing at the London Trans+ Pride press brunch. They are wearing a lime green sleeveless top with a beige shirt draped off their shoulder, standing in front of a white step-and-repeat backdrop featuring "London Trans+ Pride" and "Joiners Heart" logos. taken in London, United Kingdom by @marjoda

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3 months ago

🧪Activism isn’t perfection. It’s a series of experiments.

Back in June I delivered the keynote for the second annual AdLand Pride - developed and organised by the force that is @ibrightypotts - raising funds for @notaphaseorg

It arrived sandwiched between our Parliamentary reception for @transhistoryweek and doing the Glass jury at @cannes_lion. Busy!

I’m grateful that Imy allowed me to use the keynote slot like a bit of a scratch night and not show up with a fully polished presentation!

Thank you for letting me use the platform to play around with some thoughts that have been sitting in my notes app without somewhere to put them. It gave me an excuse to bring them into focus and try to make a little more sense of them. Pulling together lessons I’ve learned from ‘experiments in activism’ inside and outside of the creative industries.

I hope it inspired others to move away from feeling overwhelmed and powerless and toward developing and running their own experiments in activism.

Gorgeous to be in community with this lovely lot: @beyondson_ , @mairhowells, @maxlewilson, @rhammified, @danistjames, Claire Harvey of @nionwomen and @chrisjdunne and everyone else who came out for it.

Thanks @the7stars_media for hosting. And thanks to the sponsors: Diversity Media Sales, Talon, The Independent, Dewynters and Bauer Media Group for bringing Jordan Lee along to play a great set.

We need more events like this in our industry, where we can highlight the issues that are affecting LGBTQIA+ lives and our power as an industry to address them. We have amazingly creative, passionate and commercial minds in our industry - directing that energy toward good, that’s a life well lived and a career worth remarking on.

Photos: @bronacmcneill / AStaff taken in the7stars by @marjoda

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3 months ago

42 Childhood Memories is back hanging in Brixton (Tate) Library for the Brixton Blog and Bugle Summer Art Show.

You can see our artwork along with many other works until 23 July. It’s a free exhibition @bbbsummerartshow_
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42 Childhood Memories (Southwark) is a collaborative artwork featuring 37 small canvases. Each canvas has been painted a solid colour by a Trans+ person and represents their favourite colour from childhood, with their name and current age inscribed on the back.

Canvases are intentionally missing, symbolising the Trans+ children who didn’t get the chance to grow up and paint their favourite colour.

Abusive home and school environments, abuse on social media, a failing healthcare system, and hate crime all contribute to this loss.

The vibrant, distinct colours form a collective mosaic of the Trans+ experience. The work reflects on unity, and invites solidarity with the wider LGBTQIA+ community, reminding us we are stronger together.
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37 memories like this one:

Mise’s colour was a vibrant yellow “I really loved bright yellow. My mother had a bright yellow rain coat in the 70s. She got one for my sister but wouldn’t get me one. And i used to wear it all the time and it made me really happy”
___

This work was made alongside my artistic partner @rockxaviergb - Xavier also has two other works in this exhibition - so yet more reasons to get down there before it ends!

We hope to extend this series later in the year, so watch this space 👀 Marty Davies and Xavier White pose for a photo indoors in front of a large window displaying Marty's art installation, which consists of a grid of colourful, translucent square canvases. taken in Brixton Library by @marjoda

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3 months ago

We’ve been awarded a Proud Changemakers Award! 🏆

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From @marjoda (Trans+ History Week founder):

“I’m proud to accept the @stonewalluk Proud Changemakers Award on behlaf of @transhistoryweek for ‘Navigating Turbulence’ - thank you @simonablake

We’re experiencing the devastating cost of others controlling our narrative.

When demonising lies take up all the oxygen, it slowly removes our humanity.

Storytelling under the Trans+ community’s authorship is an essential act of survival and resilience. It helps us reclaim our common humanity, making the work to win back our rights a little bit easier.

It also helps us to do more than survive, but thrive; when we connect with our history, we feel we belong in the present and we can imagine futures for ourselves.

Stonewall recognised this and supported this project from the very start as one of twenty official supporters back in late 2023 when we announced the project. Stonewall’s then outgoing CEO and friend @nancymirandakelley generously made a lot of introductions to get me going and @robbiedesantos who was Director of Comms and External Affairs for Stonewall at the time fully backed the project.

This award for Trans+ History Week CIC honours our vital work and the urgent way we’ve done it. Built as a social enterprise with our assets locked into our mission, we’ve moved at pace.

Our volunteers have built this with love, determination, a handful of loyal sponsors and private donors, and over 100 Trans+ creatives who have been paid, mentored, and platformed to ensure we unearth and tell our own stories - many with our partner @wearequeeraf_

I want to be clear though, we’re just getting started - this is a decades long project to fundamentally alter the cultural production across arts, culture, heritage and media to a state where our common humanity is both recognised and celebrated. Where we author our stories.

This is new community infrastructure, built to scale with further support. And it needs watering. What gives me hope is growing this initiative with everyone who continues to do just that.”

If you have funds to be able to support our next chapter then please get in touch.

📸 @bronacmcneill by @marjoda

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3 months ago

New Campaign: Protect Pride. Protect Democracy! 🏳️‍🌈

SIGN the open letter - link in @ilgaeurope bio

I'm so Proud (with a capital 'P') to see this go live.

I've been part of the development of this new campaign and open letter for ILGA-Europe and EuroPride EPOA working as the cultural strategist on this one with the incredible Amsterdam-based creative agency Hey Honey. Loved working alongside long time collaborator @antjacksoncreative on this too!

The newly released State of Pride Report 2026 reveals a stark reality across Europe:

❌ 40% of European Prides have seen funding slashed over the last three years.

❌ 24% are being forced by local authorities to pay for their own security just to exercise their right to protest.

❌ 81% have faced targeted hate campaigns.

This IS NOT just an LGBTI community issue. It's a warning sign of democratic backsliding across the continent. That's why, at the heart of the campaign, is an open letter which will be delivered straight to the desks of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative Kaja Kallas, demanding that European institutions recognise and protect Pride as a pillar of European democracy.

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We're demanding three things:

1. Issue a formal public rebuke against member states, accession countries and third countries that seek to restrict Pride and the rights it represents.

2. To establish strong tools in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework to ensure that EU funding can swiftly be blocked or withdrawn when Member States violate the values and obligations set out in EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

3. Establish a rapid response mechanism to provide timely support to LGBTI organisations and Pride organisers in emergencies and in response to threats against Pride events, including in EU member states.

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Join the movement to back these asks and SIGN the petition at: https://protectprideprotectdemocracy.com/ or find link in @ilgaeurope bio taken in Amsterdam, Netherlands by @marjoda

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3 months ago