Labour councillor quits party over puberty blocker ban

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy89e1g71ppo

'Zoe Hughes, Exeter City Council member, said the party's support of a ban on puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender identity was "a policy I refuse to stand by and accept".
Hughes was elected as the Labour councillor for the Pennsylvania ward in May and will now serve as an Independent.'
...
Hughes said: "As a queer person, I have often felt alone and marginalised within society. However, I historically have felt that at least the Labour Party had my back."
Hughes, who uses "they" and "them" as personal pronouns, said they were "nervous" when the Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted to meet the author JK Rowling, who has expressed concerns about how trans issues affect women's rights.
Hughes said there would be "increasing self-harm" as a result of the decision on puberty blockers in "an already vulnerable and marginalised group".
They added: "We have let the LGBT+ community down and I want no part of it – there is no LGB without the T for me, it is that simple."'

It is a safe Labour ward so doesn't much difference long term locally.

However it is useful in terms of the internal debate inside Labour as the more TAs with significant roles leave the better. This in fact strengthens Streeting.

It was pointed out on X that;

Nowhere in the article does it state that Zoe runs a business providing 'client led LGBTQ+ therapy to children'
https://x.com/ripx4nutmeg/status/1875244218421276943

The Telegraph also covered this no extra info.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/03/labour-councillor-quits-party-support-puberty-blocker-ban/

An archive link for the above Telegraph article

https://archive.ph/f4fGm

What's the saying about ignorance when your livelihood depends on you not knowing?

I think puberty blockers ARE a form of self harm.

Bingo.

Resignation might be conviction or it might be self preservation.

Indeed. Anyway this stuff doesn't do the TAs any good. The publicity in fact makes them look bad. They can't handle dissent which in the longterm is a big problem for them.

They're trying to cling to 'no debate'. There's threads at the moment about bias in the Wi Spa entry on Wikipedia and getting banned/deleted on other forums, reddit, tiktok, etc. I'd even argue much of the flouncing on X is a 'cancellation' attempt for wrong think.

They won't, they will never see it.

I'd even argue much of the flouncing on X is a 'cancellation' attempt for wrong think.

Of course that is what they are trying to do. I thought it was obvious.

If you feel alone and marginalised it might be time to stop using the word queer

What a deluded nitwit „they“ is.

Has anyone looked at her therapy pitch above. Wtf are vegan related women's issues?

How to hold your farts in when in public? All those vegetables...

Wtf are vegan related women's issues?

How to get enough iron to cope with menstruation-related anaemia on a vegan diet?

Menstruation seems so important in queer world.

As a vegan and a feminist, I have absolutely no idea! I know that female animals are more abused overall in the food industry, but would that be a women's issue? I don't know.

'The Sexual Politics of Meat'

https://caroljadams.com/spom-the-book

Which tbh I haven't read and mostly am aware of through the song.

This.

It's abuse of vulnerable children.

Now, now. Don't call Zoe a silly woman. They is/are non-binary. The correct term is "silly person".

Are we supposed to also use a very royal "are" when the pronouns are they and tem or must we write the abomination"they is"? I'm not even from an English speaking country and "they is" makes me want to scratch my eyes out!

How about a bit of consideration for those of us who identify as grammar nazis? Or is it "Grammar Nazis"? I .... never mind! I obviously don't qualify.

"What do we want?

Off label, unevidenced medical treatments for children that probably don't need them, which will render them sterile!

When do we want it?

Now! "