Up to 150 Sinn Féin members expected to attend conference on party's gender policy
It follows disputes in the party north and south as it has attempted to toe a line on topics like healthcare for transgender youth between the different jurisdictions.
This morning's party gathering meeting in Drumcondra will be attended by 150 members from across the island where they will debate the 'issue of gender identity', according to the Sinn Féin press office.
Afterwards a report on the meeting will go to the party's ruling Ard Chomhairle for a final decision.
A spokesperson told
The Journal
that the meeting is taking place as a result of a motion to its last Ard Fheis 'asking for a conference on the issue of gender identity to allow members to discuss these issues in order to inform future policy positions'.
'It is an opportunity for members to share their views and to listen to views of others,' the spokesperson added.
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The issue blew up for the party in the aftermath of the
UK Supreme Court ruling in April
which said that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the UK Equality Act do not include transgender women – senior figures including
leader Mary Lou McDonald
and
health spokesperson David Cullinane
weighed in at different points in its aftermath.
Weeks later
, a number of current and former party members spoke out over a belief that Sinn Féin was set to water down its support for LGBT+ issues, in particular on trans rights.
The party's grappling with the issue can be partly traced back to the
Cass Review
, a key UK report which found that thousands of young people questioning their gender identity had been let down by the National Health Service.
The reaction to the Cass report in Ireland has been mixed – it has been
welcomed here
by some but has been
heavily disputed by others
.
One topic expected to feature in today's discussions by Sinn Féin are that of the role of puberty blockers, a form of hormone treatment.
The Cass Review also said there was a lack of evidence on the impacts of puberty blockers. These findings preceded the Stormont executive in Belfast – where Sinn Féin holds several key positions – supporting a temporary ban on the medication for transgender youth.
Trans advocacy groups have long maintained that puberty blockers are an important part of some people's treatment, with Sinn Féin's support of the ban in the North prompting criticism over the past year.
Such groups have also been concerned over the waiting times for transgender and non-binary people seeking specific healthcare, with some pursuing it outside of the official channels,
as revealed by
The Journal Investigates
last May
.
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