Eva Echo

Eva Echo (she/they) is a distinguished activist, writer, and TEDx speaker, recognised for their powerful advocacy in transgender rights, intersectionality, and mental health. Known for compelling storytelling and a dynamic speaking style, Eva is a prominent voice within the LGBTQIA+ community, using their platform to foster inclusivity and challenge social injustices. In one of their most significant contributions to trans rights, Eva launched a legal challenge against NHS England, addressing unlawful waiting times for trans patients seeking gender-affirming healthcare. While the case was ultimately unsuccessful at both the High Court and Court of Appeal, Eva and their fellow claimants secured a landmark ruling that affirmed children have the ‘protected characteristic’ of gender reassignment under the Equality Act. This decision broadened legal protections for trans individuals, marking an important moment in the ongoing fight for equality.

Eva holds several leadership positions within the LGBTQIA+ space, including Director of Innovation at Birmingham Pride and Director at Trans in the City, the world’s largest organisation supporting trans and non-binary people in business. As an ambassador for Diversity Role Models and Queer Britain, Eva works to tackle bullying and amplify LGBTQIA+ history and culture. In 2024, they created and self-funded We All Have A Voice, a ground-breaking project showcasing messages from over 100 trans individuals, stitched into a dress worn by Eva at the DIVA Awards 2024. The project was supported by a documentary and pop-up exhibition, and the dress gained acclaim from allies including Joe Lycett, Lucy Spraggan, and Hannah Bardell. It was later featured on Late Night Lycett. Eva’s impact was further recognised when they were named one of the Top 12 Outstanding Contributors to LGBT+ Life at the British LGBT Awards 2024 and shortlisted for Influencer of the Year at the DIVA Awards 2025.

Eva’s journey began in litigation, working for major UK organisations before returning to their creative roots. They co-founded and managed an inclusive tattoo studio alongside their wife, providing a safe space for self-expression and body positivity. In 2017, Eva began documenting their transition through an award-winning blog that gained international recognition for its candid insights. This led to the #PassItOn campaign in 2020, advocating for authentic representation of trans and non-binary bodies in mainstream media. As a regular speaker at Pride events across the UK, Eva shares practical steps for allyship and champions intersectional inclusivity. They were selected as a delegate for UN Women UK’s digital platform at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68 and CSW69), demonstrating their global influence as an advocate for trans rights.

Beyond activism, Eva is a passionate musician and a Guinness World Record holder, having participated in the world’s largest full drum kit ensemble in 2012, raising funds for the MS Society. They are a contributor to several publications, including Letter To My Little Trans Self (Hotpencil Press), where their letter and Guinness World Record drumstick are now part of the Museum of Transology’s permanent collection. Eva also served as an authenticity reader for Taylor Blake is a Legend by Laura Jane Williams (Bloomsbury) and contributed to My Holiday on Planet Earth by Bill Treacy (Oxford). In 2025, they were named by LGBT+ History Month as a key figure whose activism has helped shape social change. Eva’s cast features in Mil Veces Un Instante (A Thousand Times In An Instant), a sculpture by Teresa Margolles for Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth, where it remains on display until 2026. Eva’s message is simple yet powerful: be your own kind of beautiful.