Sand artist emblazons huge trans solidarity message across UK beach
A sand mural reading “Trans Rights are Human Rights” was created in Scarborough. (Fred Brown/Facebook)
A large-scale sand artist has been praised online for his new piece in support of trans people in the UK.
York-based sand artist, Fred Brown revealed his work on the beaches of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, in a Sunday (26 January) post to Facebook.
The art, which spanned across a large portion of the beach, showcased some elegant font work which simply said: “Trans Rights are Human Rights.”
“Beautiful font work for beautiful people,” Brown wrote in his post. “The trans community are facing a rising tide of oppression.”
An artist driven by stomping out oppression, Brown has created several pieces dedicated to groups and communities, including the climate change activism group Extinction Rebellion.
Speaking to PinkNews, Brown said that he decided to dedicate his next piece to the community because of the recent wave of transphobia that has hit the shores of the UK.
“I find it unacceptable that in this day and age there are members of our society who are living in fear for revealing their true identity,” he said.
Commenting on the sand art, several users commended Brown not just for his incredible artwork, but for the message he sent with it.
“Thank you Fred, your support means more than I can express,” one user wrote, while another wrote: “Beautiful and, as always, a great message.”
Brown first began working with sand art after receiving complaints from local authorities over his chalk art.
In August 2024, he gained media attention for a piece objecting to the series of far-right riots in towns and cities across the country.
“The current situation with far-right extremists and rioting prompted me to draw something,” he told the BBC at the time. “It’s open to interpretation like art I suppose.”
He said the piece – a Union Jack with the words “live, laugh, love” written across it. was created in response to artist Gordon Dalton, who criticised the “bland politeness” of public art.
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