Belfast Pride latest to ban political parties from parade

Belfast Pride has become the latest organisation to prevent political parties who supported a ban on the sale or supply of puberty blockers to under-18s from taking part in its parade.

In December, the four parties in the Stormont executive - Sinn Féin, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - voted to introduce an indefinite permanent ban.

Puberty blockers are drugs used to delay or prevent puberty happening and have sometimes been prescribed to children questioning their gender.

Last month, organisers of Foyle Pride, Causeway Pride and Mid and East Antrim Pride told political parties not to attend their Pride events over the ban.

Belfast Pride Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the city, with hundreds taking part in the parade through the city centre.

In a statement on Friday, Belfast Pride said following a community consultation, the organisation would not be accepting applications from those executive parties to take part in the parade.

"Belfast Pride is deeply concerned about the impact this decision has had, and will have, on trans young people," it said.

Organisers said what was universal in responses to its consultation was the "anger and frustration expressed at the decision to ban puberty blockers in Northern Ireland".

"For at least a decade concerns about the failures in trans healthcare have been expressed to political panels at Belfast Pride and by our partners in the LGBTQIA+ sector," it added.

"Despite this, no meaningful action to improve these services has been undertaken or plan developed - other than to remove one of the limited services available."

Belfast Pride also said the failure to include LGBTQIA+ people in the Programme for Government was "extremely disappointing".

"We are living in unprecedented times where our hard-won rights are once again under threat," the statement said.

"We call on all political parties to take meaningful action to address the inequalities still experienced by our community."

Sinn Féin's equality spokesperson, Carál Ní Chuilín, said she is "frustrated and personally gutted" at the decision.

Ní Chuilín told BBC News NI that she has been attending Pride since 1994 to support her younger brother who came out as gay when he was a teenager.

"I just believe it's a retrograde step," she added.

"I believe Sinn Féin have been one of the biggest allies for LGBTQIA+, for human rights, for equality.

"For pride organisers, from the background they come from... they're banning one of their biggest allies, that just doesn't cut it for me."

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he believes Belfast Pride organisers will "regret" the decision.

"They talk of inclusion but yet their decision is one of exclusion, and I think that's a backwards step," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme.

"[It] sadly confirms the thing that I've been saying for quite a while, my colleagues as well, that they are a deeply political organisation and this is a deeply political decision.

"It jars fundamentally with the message of inclusion that they say they wish to share in society, so hopefully this is one that they will reflect on again."

Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson said the party remained committed to equality, "and to ensuring that our trans community can access healthcare that is safe, effective, and evidence-led".

"Alliance continues to champion investment and reform to deliver high-quality gender identity services which meet the needs of trans people, in line with clinical advice."

He added: "We need to get back to that place where progressives are standing together to build that more united community.

"I think we are far stronger together than we are apart."

Northern Ireland's Green Party leader Mal O'Hara said the ban was "the culmination of decades of frustration" amongst LGBTQIA+ people and their allies.

He said there had been little progress made by Stormont ministers on key area, such as transgender healthcare.

"We are hugely frustrated and this ban is symptomatic of that frustration to say those parties who call themselves allies must do better," he told Evening Extra.

He said that the ban can be reviewed next year if there is movement on issues: "But until there's progress, our parade for liberation and equality is not your photo opportunity."

Until the ban in Northern Ireland, puberty blockers were only available on NHS prescription for under 18s, for those young people who were accepted onto the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Gender Identity Service endocrine pathway prior to March 2020.

It is understood children already on this medical pathway will continue to receive treatment.

Hormone suppressors also remain available for patients receiving the drugs for other uses, such as early-onset puberty.

The move to ban puberty blockers came after a report into children's gender services - the Cass Review - said there were "gaps in evidence" around the drugs.

The review was led by leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass and prompted the last government to ban the use of puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender – a move which was then supported by Labour when they won the election.