Trans activism group Transgress the NGS is set to protest this Saturday, July 22, outside Dublin’s St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, demanding “self-determined” trans healthcare in Ireland.

The group has condemned the National Gender Service (NGS), which is based in the Loughlinstown hospital, for advising GPs not to provide blood tests and hormone therapy prescriptions to trans patients. “We will no longer accept their fear-mongering and intimidation of our GPs preventing us from receiving gender-affirming care,” the group declared on its Instagram page.

Members claim that they had delivered a letter straight to the NGS doorstep demanding better trans healthcare services and never received a reply. “This shows that they will not listen to us until forced to do so. We need your help to make our demands heard,” noted Trangress the NGS when announcing the protest.

“After an email and phone picket that saw hundreds of participants and an in-person delivery of our demands, we have called for an in-person protest at the NGS in Loughlinstown,” Jenny Maguire explained to GCN. “This is an unprecedented move for our community to demand bodily autonomy, and to reject the archaic model and 10-year waiting list.”

The trans activism group was even more motivated to hold the protest right outside St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown after Dr Karl Neff, an endocrinologist at the NGS, said in May of this year that they have “never had a protest outside the door of Loughlinstown”.

“The NGS is forcing us to change this,” Transgress the NGS commented. “It’s time for us to return to the roots of pride and take a radical stand for trans liberation.”

 

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In preparation for the protest on July 22, the trans activism group shared some tips on how to protest safely and responsibly outside of the Loughlinstown Hospital. Protest attendees have been urged not to block the entrance to the hospital and to make way for the patients and ambulances. The group has reminded people to wear masks if they would prefer to keep their identity private and to bring water and suncream for the day. Their last point is to bring friends and get creative when making protest signs, “The more of us, the louder our voices, so tell your friends to join the protest!”

It was announced by Transgender Europe (TGEU) at the end of last year that Ireland has ranked the worst for trans healthcare in Europe. Among the 27 European member-states, it was found through surveys and in-depth analysis of publicly available documents that Ireland achieved the worst result for waiting times, having longer delays than any other country. Transgress the NGS feels the need to push more than ever to have trans voices heard and change this result.

“We demand a future where all trans people have the freedom and resources to access gender-affirming care in our communities and where the sovereignty of self-medicating trans people is respected and supported, without coercion from the state,” the group wrote on Instagram.

To support the trans community and stand up for better healthcare, attend the Trangress the NGS protest this Saturday, July 22, at 2pm outside the main entrance to St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, Dublin.