Latest news with #RainbowProject
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thousands attend trans rights rally in Belfast city centre
Thousands of people have attended a trans rights rally in Belfast city centre. The March for Trans Rights was held on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Organisers said the recent Supreme Court decision to legally define a woman by biological sex at birth for the purposes of the Equality Act was a huge attack on trans rights. The ruling has major implications for single-sex spaces in Great Britain, such as female changing rooms and toilets. The court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland's Equality Commission has said it hopes to publish new formal guidance in June in response to the ruling. The commission said it would "advise all employers and service providers, including councils, to review any policies that the Supreme Court judgment may impact on". In recent days, Education Minister Paul Givan said he has asked officials to ensure his department is complying with the ruling. Alexa Moore, the policy, campaigns and communications manager at the Rainbow Project, said trans people have seen a "regression in our rights" across the UK and Northern Ireland. "We've seen with the puberty blocker ban that was instituted last year and now with the recent Supreme Court judgement on the definition of sex and the Equality Act," she told BBC News NI. "It's really an attempt in Northern Ireland to roll back rights and protections for trans communities and that's why people are out on the streets today." She added that the event saw "countless women's organisations and women just generally from the community out in support of trans people". "We're very clear, trans rights and women's rights are not in opposition, they are linked and you can't have one without the other." Autumn Hendrix said that trans people paved the way for him to live as a bisexual man. "It's just so important that we stand up for them." Tanya De Boer, who attended the event with her family, said the more people who are not trans stand up for this cause "the better, because they are a minority". She said she brought her kids to show them that "everybody deserves equal rights". "Individuals that don't identify with their assigned sex at birth should get to live a happy, healthy, inclusive, free life and restricting that is wrong," she added. "We want to be here to speak up for those people." A separate anti-LGBT rally took place outside Belfast City Hall at the same time. A few hundred gathered behind the main stage of the trans rally. Police kept both protests segregated. Belfast Pride latest to ban political parties from parade Protests held as puberty blocker ban extended to NI
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Trans rights: Thousands attend march in Belfast city centre
Thousands of people have attended a trans rights rally in Belfast city March for Trans Rights was held on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and said the recent Supreme Court decision to legally define a woman by biological sex at birth for the purposes of the Equality Act was a huge attack on trans rights. The ruling has major implications for single-sex spaces in Great Britain, such as female changing rooms and toilets. The court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland's Equality Commission has said it hopes to publish new formal guidance in June in response to the ruling. The commission said it would "advise all employers and service providers, including councils, to review any policies that the Supreme Court judgment may impact on".In recent days, Education Minister Paul Givan said he has asked officials to ensure his department is complying with the ruling. Alexa Moore, the policy, campaigns and communications manager at the Rainbow Project, said trans people have seen a "regression in our rights" across the UK and Northern Ireland."We've seen with the puberty blocker ban that was instituted last year and now with the recent Supreme Court judgement on the definition of sex and the Equality Act," she told BBC News NI."It's really an attempt in Northern Ireland to roll back rights and protections for trans communities and that's why people are out on the streets today."She added that the event saw "countless women's organisations and women just generally from the community out in support of trans people". "We're very clear, trans rights and women's rights are not in opposition, they are linked and you can't have one without the other." Autumn Hendrix said that trans people paved the way for him to live as a bisexual man."It's just so important that we stand up for them." Tanya De Boer, who attended the event with her family, said the more people who are not trans stand up for this cause "the better, because they are a minority". She said she brought her kids to show them that "everybody deserves equal rights"."Individuals that don't identify with their assigned sex at birth should get to live a happy, healthy, inclusive, free life and restricting that is wrong," she added."We want to be here to speak up for those people." A separate anti-LGBT rally took place outside Belfast City Hall at the same time.A few hundred gathered behind the main stage of the trans kept both protests segregated.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man believes he was wrong to change his gender
A man who was transitioning to become a woman, has had surgery to reverse the first of a series of planned operations to change his sex. Joshua McParland, from Belfast, now says that he believes it was wrong to try to change his gender and that he had been "running away" from problems in his life. The 23-year-old from Belfast said he had been questioning his sex from a very young age, but now believes he was wrong to try and change his gender. In December, Stormont introduced an indefinite ban on the supply of puberty blockers to under-18s. Puberty blockers work by suppressing the release of hormones and can be prescribed to children questioning their gender. Joshua was 17 when he began taking hormones to help his transition. "Through primary school people would mistake me for a girl, because I had a high pitched voice and I had long hair," he told Good Morning Ulster. "So that's where the confusion of my identity sort of happened… because I looked so feminine. "You're like a sponge as a child, absorbing people's opinions." In January 2024 he travelled to Turkey for breast implants. He said he changed his mind about going ahead with any more surgeries after becoming a Christian and just ahead of surgery to change his genitals. "That was my first time that I was ever honest with myself, that I actually wasn't a woman," insists Joshua. "I was also giving up a future, with a family and kids. "You are literally mutilating God's creation. "It's so wrong. That's my view." The interviews with Joshua McParland and Ash Jones can be heard on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster. The Rainbow Project, an LGBT campaign group in Northern Ireland, said: "Everyone deserves the space and time to figure out who they are. "And should be provided with all the support they need to do so." When asked if he was concerned that many members of the trans community would take offence with his opinions, Joshua insisted he was entitled to his opinion. "I've already walked in their shoes," he told Good Morning Ulster. "I've been down that path, and now I'm walking a new life with Jesus." In February he had surgery to remove his breast implants and has stopped taking hormones. Puberty blocker ban extended to Northern Ireland As a teenager Joshua says he put pressure on his mother to allow him to go ahead with procedures to change his gender. She has also supported him through the process of reversing the changes he had made to his body. "As a mother she just wanted to love me," Joshua said. "I think as a teenager, you think you know it all, and you really don't. "I was partying… I was doing drugs… I was just doing crazy stuff." On its website the Rainbow Project makes clear that how people approach the issue of transition is a personal subject. They say: "Some people decide that medical transition is the best thing for them – for others, it isn't a necessary part of the process. "It all depends on how you feel about yourself and your body: only you can make the decision that is right for your life." They also point out that it can be quite difficult accessing transgender healthcare in Northern Ireland. Ash Jones, who is a Green Party representative in Belfast and a trans woman, claims it is becoming more difficult for members of the trans community to access health care. And she argues that public debates about trans athletes and access to spaces like changing rooms has had a negative impact. "I came out about eight years ago and honestly it is a much harder place to be trans now than it was then," she told Good Morning Ulster. "We may be more visible but that visibility hasn't brought any real tangible benefits in terms of acceptance. "In fact in terms of waiting lists it's so much worse than it used to be." She added she is a "much happier person" after transitioning. "Honestly, transitioning was probably life-saving for me given the mental anguish I was experiencing." Northern Ireland's regional gender identity service in Belfast provides care and treatment to adults who are assessed as having gender dysphoria. People who use it can also access other services such as hormone treatment and mental health services, but those approved for gender reassignment must travel outside Northern Ireland because there is no surgical service here. Children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria can avail of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Knowing Our Identity Service which has a small number of staff with specialised skills. Once a young person reaches the age of 17 and a half, arrangements can be made for them to move into adult services. However, there are long waiting times for assessment and treatment in adult services. The regional gender identity service in NI is currently seeing people referred to them in October 2017. 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.
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Man believes he was wrong to change his gender
A man who was transitioning to become a woman, has had surgery to reverse the first of a series of planned operations to change his McParland, from Belfast, now says that he believes it was wrong to try to change his gender and that he had been "running away" from problems in his 23-year-old from Belfast said he had been questioning his sex from a very young age, but now believes he was wrong to try and change his December, Stormont introduced an indefinite ban on the supply of puberty blockers to under-18s. Puberty blockers work by suppressing the release of hormones and can be prescribed to children questioning their gender. 'Absorbing people's opinions' Joshua was 17 when he began taking hormones to help his transition."Through primary school people would mistake me for a girl, because I had a high pitched voice and I had long hair," he told Good Morning Ulster."So that's where the confusion of my identity sort of happened… because I looked so feminine."You're like a sponge as a child, absorbing people's opinions."In January 2024 he travelled to Turkey for breast said he changed his mind about going ahead with any more surgeries after becoming a Christian and just ahead of surgery to change his genitals."That was my first time that I was ever honest with myself, that I actually wasn't a woman," insists Joshua."I was also giving up a future, with a family and kids."You are literally mutilating God's creation."It's so wrong. That's my view." The interviews with Joshua McParland and Ash Jones can be heard on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster. The Rainbow Project, an LGBT campaign group in Northern Ireland, said: "Everyone deserves the space and time to figure out who they are."And should be provided with all the support they need to do so."When asked if he was concerned that many members of the trans community would take offence with his opinions, Joshua insisted he was entitled to his opinion."I've already walked in their shoes," he told Good Morning Ulster."I've been down that path, and now I'm walking a new life with Jesus."In February he had surgery to remove his breast implants and has stopped taking hormones. As a teenager Joshua says he put pressure on his mother to allow him to go ahead with procedures to change his gender. She has also supported him through the process of reversing the changes he had made to his body."As a mother she just wanted to love me," Joshua said."I think as a teenager, you think you know it all, and you really don't."I was partying… I was doing drugs… I was just doing crazy stuff."On its website the Rainbow Project makes clear that how people approach the issue of transition is a personal say: "Some people decide that medical transition is the best thing for them – for others, it isn't a necessary part of the process."It all depends on how you feel about yourself and your body: only you can make the decision that is right for your life."They also point out that it can be quite difficult accessing transgender healthcare in Northern Ireland. 'I am a much happier person' Ash Jones, who is a Green Party representative in Belfast and a trans woman, claims it is becoming more difficult for members of the trans community to access health she argues that public debates about trans athletes and access to spaces like changing rooms has had a negative impact."I came out about eight years ago and honestly it is a much harder place to be trans now than it was then," she told Good Morning Ulster. "We may be more visible but that visibility hasn't brought any real tangible benefits in terms of acceptance."In fact in terms of waiting lists it's so much worse than it used to be."She added she is a "much happier person" after transitioning. "Honestly, transitioning was probably life-saving for me given the mental anguish I was experiencing." Support in NI Northern Ireland's regional gender identity service in Belfast provides care and treatment to adults who are assessed as having gender who use it can also access other services such as hormone treatment and mental health services, but those approved for gender reassignment must travel outside Northern Ireland because there is no surgical service and young people experiencing gender dysphoria can avail of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Knowing Our Identity Service which has a small number of staff with specialised a young person reaches the age of 17 and a half, arrangements can be made for them to move into adult there are long waiting times for assessment and treatment in adult services. The regional gender identity service in NI is currently seeing people referred to them in October 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.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Northern Irish LGBTQ+ organisations to celebrate milestone anniversaries at special event
Three Northern Irish organisations are teaming up to celebrate a collective 100 years of supporting LGBTQ+ people in the North. The Rainbow Project, HERe NI, and Cara-Friend will host a grand gala dinner at the iconic Titanic Building in Belfast on March 8, 2025. The event will kick off with a champagne reception and a four-course meal, followed by interactive entertainment featuring cabaret performances, live game shows and bingo. Adding to the significance of this occasion, it will also host the prestigious Tolerantia Awards, presented by the European Alliance Against Homophobia. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida de HereNI (@hereni_) The veteran charity will be Cara-Friend. This LGBTQ+ organisation has spent 50 years supporting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland. Alongside this event, Cara-Friend is also hosting an exhibition throughout February in The Linen Hall called Founding Cara-Friend, which tells the story of the establishment of the charity and features a series of moving portraits of founding volunteers of the organisation. Steve Williamson, Director of Cara-Friend, said, 'Having reached our 50th year of support for LGBTQ+ people in Northern Ireland, we're so proud of the work we've done and continue to do in support of our communities. We hope that our service users, past and present, who have grown up through Cara-Friend's youth service and other services across the sector feel the same pride in being part of our collective story'. Second in line is The Rainbow Project, celebrating its 30th anniversary. Its dedicated staff, seasonal workers and volunteers located all across their offices in Belfast work devotedly for the cause. They offer services which mitigate the impacts of discrimination, and they also provide training, campaigning and policy work. Scott Cuthbertson, CEO of the Rainbow Project, stated, 'We've come a long way since Rainbow was founded as a health and wellbeing organisation for gay and bisexual men: we have grown and shifted into a service provider and campaigning organisation for all LGBTQ+ communities, and we look forward to progressing LGBTQ+ equality for the next 30 years.' Last but not least, HERe NI will complete the total sum of 100 years as it marks 20 years of advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, especially with lesbians and bisexual women. Cara McCann, Director of HEReNI, said, '20 years ago, Northern Ireland's first organisation for lesbian and bisexual women was founded in response to a lack of support and space for those women to connect and build community'. Currently, a remarkable aspect of their work is engaging with LGBTQ+ women on the issues that matter to them, and then raising these issues at government level. If you are interested in attending the event to celebrate these magnificent collective 100 years of achievements, dedication and advocacy for the Northern Irish LGBTQ+ community, tickets are available at The Rainbow's Project website. The post Northern Irish LGBTQ+ organisations to celebrate milestone anniversaries at special event appeared first on GCN.
