Trans ambassador's face features in sculpture

The plaster cast of a transgender activist's face will form part of a sculpture in London paying tribute to the trans and non-binary community.

An imprint of trans ambassador Katie Neeves, from Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire, is one of 726 faces which make up "Mil Veces un Instante" (A Thousand Times in an Instant) which was unveiled in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday.

Created by artist Teresa Margolles, the sculpture will sit on the Fourth Plinth in the square for two years.

It is said to be a statement against transmisogyny and transfemicide and includes the faces of living trans people from the UK and Ms Margolles' native Mexico.

Ms Neeves, 55, delivers talks and trans awareness training sessions.

She said: "Having a plaster cast made of my face was a both surreal and painful experience.

"Despite the pain involved, I am both proud and honoured to have been given the opportunity to take part in the creation of this important piece of art.

"While the murder rate of trans people in the UK is (thankfully) not as high as in Mexico, hostility towards trans people remains at an all-time high."

Ms Neeves came out publicly as being transgender in 2018 and said she battled with gender dysphoria since the age of three.

She has since founded Cool2BTrans, an organisation which seeks to support and empower the trans community and raise awareness.

"I hope this powerful sculpture will serve as a sobering reminder of how badly transgender people are being treated in the UK, in Mexico and worldwide," Ms Neeves added.

"We are not a threat to anyone, and we don't deserve to be treated this way.

"Trans people are just ordinary people who want to be happy."

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