Belfast Pride latest to ban political parties from parade

Belfast Pride have become the latest organisers to ban 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 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 had 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 which marches 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 the decision to exclude executive parties was "deeply disappointing" and a "backwards step".

"Pride has always been an inclusive event welcoming people from all backgrounds to participate and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people," she said.

"While we fully respect the right of the organisers to take this decision, we believe this is a missed opportunity to once again stand together to confront those whose agenda has been, and continues to be, to marginalise, undermine and divide supporters of LGBTQIA+ rights."

Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson said the party remains 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."

Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn said the decision is a result of the "community taking action and standing up for each other".

"For far too long so-called progressive parties who enter the NI executive have consistently failed LGBTQ people here, but then those same parties expect to show up for photo ops at our parades without being challenged on their record," he said.

"When those parties attack our trans community, they attack the whole community."

DUP MLA Diane Dodds said that the involvement of public sector bodies in pride events was "clearly incompatible".

"We rightly opposed puberty blockers as they are destructive to children," she said.

"Our decision came on the back of advice from the Chief Medical Officer.

"These treatments are not, and could never have been described as "normal healthcare," she added.

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.