Since the start of 2018, no new patients have been seen in the Northern Ireland adult gender identity clinic. There are now over 400 on the waiting list, some of whom have been on this list for over 4 years. While a review of these services was commissioned late last year, progress has been slow, and the Department and HSCB have been unwilling to meaningfully include and consult with trans communities. As a result, the majority of trans people in Northern Ireland who are currently accessing gender affirming care are doing so through private services, including those in England and further afield, or through self-medication. Those who self-medicate have been doing so to reduce the harm that is being done to them by the failure of statutory services to provide support and care while this review is ongoing and in the two years before it was commissioned. There is a mental health crisis in trans communities; while trans-led support groups and advocacy organisations are doing our best to support our communities, these groups are chronically under-funded and under-staffed. There is an urgent need for statutory services to step up and provide support to trans communities who have waited years for action.

Citibank is facilitating the supply of billions of pounds of Israeli weapons and enabling the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians. Additionally, they are also funding several fossil fuel companies to drill for gas off Gaza. A report released this week revealed that Citibank is the second biggest funder of oil, gas and coal in the world. By allowing Citibank to sponsor Belfast Pride, Citibank to distract from their destructive business practices and putting the festival's values of inclusivity and freedom into disrepute - this is pinkwashing at its very worst. 

In 2023, 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, only 8% of NI kids go to integrated schools despite huge demand. Right now, the Department of Education has a public consultation on their 'Action Plan' and anyone can comment. Tell the Department of Education - we want a REAL Action Plan for integrated education.

Citibank, who are facilitating the supply of billions of pounds of Israeli weapons and enabling the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians, [1] are also one of the main sponsors of this year's Belfast Pride Festival - the biggest LGBTQIA+ event in the city. This is pinkwashing at its very worst - using Belfast Pride and our LGBTQIA+ community to distract from their brutal business practices. Not only are they supporting weapons deals, Citibank is also funding several fossil fuel companies to drill for gas off Gaza, [3] - as thousands of innocent people are being massacred, and famine looms [4] as a result of Israel’s brutal siege. Israel has no right to grant licenses to companies to drill for oil or gas in the Palestinian territory. Fossil fuels have always been tied up with war and to extract oil and gas from a region whose population are being starved to death and brutally murdered, is a war crime. We demand that Belfast Pride Festival drops Citibank as one of its main sponsors! [1] https://www.bankingonsolidarity.org/citibank-and-palestinians-a-cruel-status-quo/ [2] https://fossilfreeciti.org/ [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/6/israel-is-pillaging-not-just-gazas-cities-but-also-its-waters [4] https://www.politico.eu/article/famine-is-imminent-gaza-un-food-israel-hamas-hunger/

Books and other media with LGBTQ+ themes are extremely important for young people who may be struggling to understand their own identity, as it gives them role models to look up to and allows them an opportunity to see people like them in the stories they enjoy! Book bans, like the one being pushed by prominent Unionist politicians including MP Carla Lockhart are also incredibly discriminatory and hypocritical [1] - representation of non- heterosexual relationships should no more be banned from Libraries than heterosexual/cis gender relationships. A child will not become gay or be "transed" by reading a book with a gay or trans character included. We must not allow bigoted bad actors to import American culture war nonsense to Northern Ireland. [1] https://www.newsletter.co.uk/education/dup-mp-carla-lockhart-calls-for-the-immediate-re[…]ildrens-books-from-northern-irish-public-libraries-4562485

The committee inviting Lynda Rose to speak was prominent in the campaign for Section 28 which outlawed teaching about gay relationships in the 1980s. This narrative against inclusive sex education discriminates against the LGBT community who are already statistically more likely to experience discrimination and poor mental health.