Protest to demand trans healthcare this Saturday at Loughlinstown

A protest has been organised for this Saturday by activists hoping to "end the National Gender Service's gatekeeping of trans healthcare".

TRANSGRESS THE NGS will take place at 2pm outside St. Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, where the National Gender Service holds services. A report in November 2022 revealed that more than 1,200 people were on the waiting list to access gender-affirming care in Ireland.

"The National Gender Service has failed to respond to the letter of demands that Transgress the NGS and our co-signers @translibdub, @transpridedub, @transharmreduction, and @transhealthie delivered on 7 June," transgressie posted to Instagram. "They had committed to meeting campaign members but have not followed through. This shows that they will not listen to us until forced to do so. We need your help to make our demands heard.

"The National Gender Service is nothing but a gatekeeper preventing access to the trans healthcare we need. We will no longer accept their fear-mongering and intimidation of our GPs preventing us from receiving gender-affirming care.

"Dr. Karl Neff recently said, 'We’ve never had a protest outside the door of Loughlinstown'. The NGS is forcing us to change this," the group added. "It’s time for us to return to the roots of pride and take a radical stand for trans liberation. Rise up to demand a public commitment from the NGS to stop advising GPs against providing blood tests and prescribing HRT to trans patients.

"Our doctors. Our bodies. Our lives. We will not rest until we have self-determined trans healthcare. The NGS will not stand in our way."

 

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Last October, Ireland was ranked worst in Europe in terms of healthcare for transgender people among the 27 EU member-states by a European network of over 200 trans-rights organisations.

Transgender Europe (TGEU), which is funded by the EU and campaigns for the “complete depathologlisation of trans and gender-diverse identities” scored member states on six criteria, giving two points for every criterion met, on their provision of trans-specific healthcare. Out of a potential 12 points, Ireland received just one.

The six criteria used are the type of trans healthcare and coverage available in the country; whether there is requirement for a psychiatric diagnosis before hormonal treatment or surgery; waiting time for first appointment with a trans healthcare professional; whether groups are excluded or made to wait longer to access trans-specific healthcare; the youngest age at which puberty blockers may be prescribed; and the youngest age for access to hormones.

Ireland scored worst on waiting times, having longer delays than any other country, at between 2½ and 10 years from requesting to see a specialist in trans healthcare to seeing one. In most other states, the wait is less than a year.

 

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A statement from Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin following the report read: “With only one clinic in Ireland for trans adults, the current waiting [time] to be seen is estimated to be six years or more. When you’re finally seen, you’re put through a dehumanising and humiliating assessment and asked invasive questions.”

Reasons given for the refusal of HRT included the trans person “having a diagnosis of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or a personality disorder,” or because they are “on social welfare": "Trans people should be empowered to make decisions about their transition themselves,” Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin added.

On March 2nd this year, the HSE's Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, presented a report to the executive management committee, outlining how the new model for trans healthcare will be created. Improvements have yet to be seen.