Queer trans man speaks at the March for Science

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One of the speakers at the March for Science on Saturday was a transgender queer man.

Thousands took to the streets of Washington DC, as well as other cities around the world, to demonstrate against what they say is an assault on science and facts.

Kellan Baker, a senior fellow with American Progress, spoke in Washington DC about data and how it can be used to tell a story or provide a narrative.

A protester at the March for Science holds up a sign reading 'science is not a liberal conspiracy'

“We all have a story. Mine is that I’m a public health geek and a policy wonk. I’m also a queer transgender man,” he said.

Adding that “science is not neutral” on political issues.

“Advocacy is not a dirty word,” he said.

“Science is objective, but science is not neutral. The poet Dante wrote that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in moral crisis. We cannot pretend we are above the fray.”

According to the diversity statement of the March for Science, “people who care about science are an intersectional group, embodying a diverse range of races, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, religions, ages, socioeconomic and immigration statuses.”

“We, the march organisers, represent and stand in solidarity with historically underrepresented scientists and science advocates,” reads the statement.

A partner of the march is the National Center for Transgender Equality.

Check out a video of Baker’s speech below:

The organisers of the march coincided the event with Earth Day, and say that the demonstrations which took place worldwide were about a political “assault on facts”.

It was meant as a celebration of science, experts and facts.

While organisers did not attack Donald Trump’s adminstration, they said that it had “catalysed” the movement.

Hillary Clinton, who achieved three million more votes than Donald Trump in the Presidential election, laid into the leader this week on LGBT rights.

In a speech to LGBT activists she cited the administration’s many regressive actions on equality.

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