Am I unreasonable to be pleased that Puberty Blockers have been banned by the executive in Northern Ireland with unanimous cross-party support

Some of your comments are awful. I had precocious puberty as a child so took puberty blockers for years. I don't have a low iq and can orgasm fine. And i'm a mum.

The need for a sensible middle ground on trans rights for kids is definitely important but this thread makes for uncomfortable reading.

Despite living in ROI, I'm a bit hazy on the details, but my understanding is that gender 'medicine' for minors has never been well established here and Irish children were referred to the UK for medical interventions.

So I dont think it's much of a risk - but for practical rather than ideological reasons.

Christ that’s depressing

Let’s hope so. If it is transparent then the good thing is there will be more informed and questioning voices to be listened to than there were a few years ago.

Unfortunately there are some who seem to think that offering limited “trials” will silence the PB supporters, at least for the moment. I suspect that some poor children will indeed end up being sacrificed in order to placate the transitioner camp. Don’t forget we are dealing with people with very loud voices who are prepared to get their own pre teen children operated on in dodgy clinics abroad to make a point.

Hooray! Excellent news.

That is fantastic news!! How anyone thought it was a reasonable thing to do is beyond me!

I don’t have skin in this game either, but I do feel strongly about the proposals that there should be “trials”, because I don’t want to see a whole tranche of confused, often Autistic children being experimented on to satisfy some idiots who think they can change nature and make it better. I don’t want those children to suffer emotionally and physically for the rest of their lives because of decisions that were made without their competent approval . No one knows the long term effects of these powerful drugs ( though indications are that long term they have devastating effects), just like no one knew the effects of thalidomide or how buying in cheap blood products from the US would affect peoples health. You would think we would have learnt the lessons by now.And to spell it out, the lesson is , when vulnerable people are concerned you err on the side of caution.

Your indifference to medical experimentation, with adverse outcomes, on children is noted.

I'm hoping for some court cases so that those responsible for harm already done can be held accountable. I can't imagine a time when I will feel very forgiving towards them.

Cared enough to comment though.

SF are fully in support of puberty blocker in ROI. Mary Lou has a trans brother

Really good news but what's the situation in The ROI? Is there a chance of going over the border for PBs?

I’ll repost my comment minus the minor insult which I presume got earlier comment deleted..

Child safeguarding is everyone’s business. Adults of sound mind and consenting age can do what they like but no one has any business making or allowing permanent and damaging decisions for minors that have lifelong consequences, and that includes the minors themselves.

Have a good look in the mirror at the person who thinks experimental treatments on kids are nothing to do you.

I am absolutely delighted. Not only are children in NI afforded the same protections now as those in England, but NI can't be used as a backdoor to smuggle that poison in to UK mainland children.

I’m delighted, but don’t believe for one second that Alliance’s lack of opposition to this was anything to do with doing the right thing - it was purely because of their poor outcomes in the recent election - they are entirely self serving. I have tried to have conversations with local Alliance reps about the issue (and about women’s rights in general) and em they will not even enter into a discussion about it.

Very interesting that the Shinners are divided across the border on this issue. DS lives in Dublin and says he can’t say anything about being GC without being called out as a “bigoted Nordy”

Good news.

I view indoctrination as a form of child abuse as it has lasting effects beyond childhood. Let children be children for longer during childhood. At the age of consent, they can then start to make informed lifestyle choices such as gender choice and religion.

Very encouraging.

Fine, you don't need to comment, then.

Meanwhile, anyone who does have an interest in child safeguarding will be free to do their best to ensure no child is harmed.

Yanbu, this is great news.