Guardian article on the GRA in Ireland

[ItsCoolForCats]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/23/ireland-gender-recognition-act-decade

From the article, quoting Kevin Humphries, a Labour politician:

“We were very fortunate in Ireland that we were able to do the legislation in an era of openness and progressive discussion,” he says.
In stark contrast with Scotland, where attempts by the Holyrood parliament to introduce a similar model prompted an explosion of grassroots opposition, the Irish process was relatively smooth.

Given that many people in Ireland had no idea they were voting for Self ID, which was tacked on to the marriage equality referendum (and definitely not transparently), the above is a very dishonest framing of what happened. And I'm not sure it would have gone so smoothly if there had been awareness of what people were actually voting for.

But I was heartened to read about an amendment stating that the act doesn't change sex for the purpose of imprisonment has passed its first stage. I wasn't aware of that. Hopefully there will be more amendments to follow.

And interesting that Libby Brooks refrains from using female pronouns for Barbie Kardashian, even though BK has a GRC and is legally female 🤔

Interesting.

But honestly, what a shit show.

Tbh Enoch Burke for me is like Trump. He is the proverbial even a broken clock is right twice a day, and on this particular issue, it is on Enoch time.

But the way he has gone about it, from essentially making it personal about one individual child in one individual school and then pointlessly ignoring court orders so he gets to endlessly hang out with irelands gangland favourites has been so utterly pointless and counter productive. He just looks like a complete fool.

Enoch Burke is not "one big voice in the trans debate". He has never been interviewed, as far as I'm aware, and his words are selectively reported, for legal and other reasons. His case is not always (often?) commented on fairly either. There are questions about the school's behaviour, too, that have not been asked.

On population, current CSO estimates are 5.46 million in the Republic, with 4.6 million citizens, .9 million non-citizens. Latest Eurostat estimates are that 22% of the population was born outside the country. Official estimates may or may not be reliable.

And the quote "mainstream Irish feminism has historically been more inclusive" is about "establishment feminism". QUANGOs like the Natonal Women's Council are not representative of mainstream society, even if they purport to be.

I don't even understand this statement. Inclusive in what way? Gender bollocks has only been around for the last decade or so.

I regard the organisations which purport to represent women’s interests as now being the successors of the orders which ran the Magdalen laundries, mother and baby homes etc. They really support the male viewpoint of women and girls. With all the detrimental consequences for women.

Yesteryear, it was such organisations harshly treating women who were deemed to be ‘bad’ because of their female bodies. Many tragic victims of incest,abuse, rape etc. Men whose actions got women and girls looked down on by society. Those very same men who carried on freely with their lives unscathed. Women were the original ‘bad bank’.

It is worse in a way now. That dad of three who drops the wig, and dons a suit when he goes for job interviews. Womaning costume if you like. Because he says he wants to get the job, and he knows he will have a better chance as the man he is. The NCWI, I think, seem to be gaslighting women and girls as they promote him as a ‘woman’ in their org. As if he has anything to contribute to the interests of women and girls.

P.s. I don’t know if he was the one pretending he was an accountant (which he wasn’t), or whether he was reported to be an accountant (which he wasn’t). Outside of his presenting himself as a woman (which he isn’t either).

I agree.
I think what really rankles about the Burke family is the 'special caste' attitude they have about themselves, as if the laws of the land, or even the laws of common decency, don't apply to them - some of them even disrupted an inquest for a 17 year old girl who died during the Covid epidemic, they heckled the coroner and upset the bereaved family. They had to be physically removed.

No matter how unlawful, anti-social or disturbing their behaviour is, having to face the same consequences that the rest of us would is presented by them as persecution and martyrdom. Because they are somehow special....

The Burke family's behaviour reminds me of another 'sacred caste' who think they should be able to get away with anything - extreme TRA activists.