Last week in the Dáil following the trans healthcare protest last Saturday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the issue with the Taoiseach.

https://twitter.com/fintanwarfield/status/1018790531101544448

Speaking of the urgent need to improve trans healthcare in Ireland, Mary Lou said:

“The “This is Me” campaign held a rally on Saturday last. This campaign is part of a grassroots campaign to improve transgender healthcare in Ireland.

“While progress has been made globally in this area, in this State the treatment of trans and non-binary communities leaves a lot to be desired and the current healthcare system is not fit for purpose and is letting citizens down.

“It is my understanding that the Gender Recognition Act has been reviewed and that the report is due to published soon.

“While the indications are that the review calls for extended gender recognition for trans youth and non-binary persons, which is positive, we will be in a space that the law recognises and embraces our LGBTQ+ identities but our healthcare system does not.

“Despite the Government claiming otherwise, our healthcare system does not comply with World Professional Association of Transgender Health, WPATH, or World Health Organization, WHO, standards.

“Will the Taoiseach commit to achieving this adherence to international standards in the provision of healthcare following the Gender Recognition Act review?”

The current public transgender healthcare system is outdated and through this protest, it is hoped that the entire queer community and its allies will come together in creating an open discussion demanding change.

In Varadkar’s reply he stated the timeline for the extension of the gender recognition legislation:

“On the legislative matter, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, has informed me that the review is complete.

“I have not seen it yet but the Minister intends to bring it to Cabinet this month. We will publish it subject to approval from the Cabinet.”, Varadkar said.

He also stated he and Simon Harris spoke about the issue of trans healthcare and said Minister Harris proposed that he meet with representatives from the transgender community over the coming weeks:

“On the matter of health services for transgender citizens, I spoke to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, about this issue during the week and he proposes to meet representatives of the transgender community over the next six to eight weeks to discuss how we can make further progress in this area.”

Not A Diagnosis

Speaking to GCN, Noah Halpin the founder of the grassroots campaign This Is Me said:

“What we’re fighting for is a move away from a medical diagnostic model and moving more towards a model of informed consent where we make the choice of our own bodies,

“We’re basically looking for improved trans healthcare, improved waiting lists, informed consent, no psychiatric diagnosis- we are not a diagnosis.”

The first ever Dublin Trans Pride March will take place on Saturday, July 28 at 2 pm. Liberty Hall will serve as the meeting point with the march taking place along Amiens Street to Fairview Park- the origin point of LGBT+ Pride in Ireland.