Irish trans healthcare is consistently ranked one of the worst in Europe. Trans people report that the Irish healthcare system fails them time and again, and many who are lucky enough to afford it must travel abroad to access life saving medical treatment. We are calling on Cavan county council to back a model of trans healthcare which is recommended and endorsed by WPATH and WHO, and by transgender community organisations such as Transgender Equality Network Ireland, Trans Healthcare Action and Transgress the NGS. Trans healthcare should be based on sound science and input from the transgender community. This would include: 1. Following an informed consent model of healthcare. 2. Replacing the national gender service with a new national clinical program for trans healthcare, designed in collaboration with trans people. 3. Creating guidelines and support for GPs to treat trans patients in primary care settings, and recognizing the importance of GPs in providing gender-affirming care. 4. Establishing guidelines and facilities for trans healthcare for young people under the age of 18 5. Implementing full a ban on conversion therapy 6. Providing support for those seeking non- medical gender recognition and full protection for non-binary individuals based on the 2018 Government Review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 7. Respecting the bodily autonomy of intersex individuals

It is extremely important because children need social media to contact parents friends and family they also need to keep up with some news  This law going through will push us back from a free country 

Why leave and de-platform toxic and lock-in social media (such as X, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok) ? Black Box Algorithms: Lock-in platforms aim to show you more content that their owners like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and their paymasters want you to see, and less content that you want to see….  https://xodus.online/why#algorithms Rise of the far-right: Toxic platforms promote hate, the far-right, and interfere in elections…. https://xodus.online/why#democracy Disinformation: Toxic platforms do not support adequate fact-checking or moderation…. https://xodus.online/why#disinformation Over-consumption: Advertising-profit-platforms promote consumption patterns which are unhealthy for people and planet…. https://xodus.online/why#consumerism

We don’t have any power to stop him, but we can show how we feel and maybe he will actually think about what he’s doing if reasonable people around the world let him know. The political opposition in the USA, whose job this really is, are virtually silent 

Equality for Children, Irish Gay Dads and LGBT Ireland are calling on the Irish Government to immediately amend  and commence the Assisted Human Reproductive Act (AHR Act), as was promised by their predecessors, and to immediately commence the CFRA (2015) section of the AHR Act, to ensure that all children born through Assisted and Donor Reproduction to LGBTQ+ families in Ireland, have a pathway to a legal connection with both of their parents. “We urge you to sign our petition in order to push the Irish government to take the actions our children so desperately need.” Ranae von Meding, CEO of Equality for Children says, “Thousands of children in Ireland, including my youngest child, are denied legal parent-child relationship with both of their parents. This includes children born to gay dads through surrogacy, children conceived outside of clinical settings and children conceived or born outside of Ireland. As we celebrate 10 years of Marriage Equality, we cannot help but reflect on the fact that we have not truly achieved equality until children born into same-sex marriages in Ireland are afforded the same protections as children born into all other marriages in Ireland." “This must change. It’s not equal and it’s not what we voted for.” Seamus Kearney Martone, Chairperson of Irish Gay Dads says, "As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the marriage equality referendum, we celebrate how far Ireland has come—but we also recognize the work that remains. For gay dads in Ireland, the journey to parenthood is still filled with legal and practical barriers. We urge the government to amend and commence the Assisted Human Reproduction legislation without further delay. We’ve had positive discussions with the Departments of Health, Justice, and Children, and now that a new government has been formed we are committed to continuing these conversations to ensure that the voices of gay dads are heard and included in shaping this legislation. " "Equality must extend to all families, and now is the time to make that a reality."

• 12,734 murders in the first half of 2024, with an average of 70 people murdered daily. • 11,520 civilian casualties in the Ukraine war between February 2022 and July 2024. • 42,780 rapes reported in the 2022/2023 fiscal year (1 rape every 12 minutes). • 15,343 kidnappings reported in the 2022/2023 fiscal year (51 per day). • 5,488 cars hijacked between April and June 2024 (60 per day). Can you imagine living under these conditions? For just one week or one month, consider what it would feel like to live in such an environment. Your home: 1. Alarm system always armed. 2. Bars on your windows, never opened at night or when you’re not in the room. 3. Security gates on your front and back doors, always locked. 4. High property walls covered in electric fencing. 5. CCTV cameras for constant monitoring. Even with all these security features, the average South African rarely sleeps deeply, fearing that someone may bypass these measures and enter their home to rob, kill, or assault them. If the alarm is triggered, it’s often not the police who respond but a private security company, and response times can range from 30 minutes to never. On the streets: Walking requires constant vigilance. Nobody walks alone. Children don’t play in parks, walk to visit friends, or go to the mall without close adult supervision. Many children cannot even play in their own yards unsupervised. Crime Statistics in Major South African Cities Cape Town, South Africa • Population: 464,986 • Murder rate: 64 per 100,000 inhabitants Cape Town ranks among the world’s most dangerous cities, with a murder rate of 66.36 per 100,000 residents. Johannesburg, South Africa • Population: 5,866,550 • Murder rate: 37.9 per 100,000 inhabitants Johannesburg is one of the world’s deadliest cities, where displaying wealth can make you a target for kidnapping. Traveling in an armored vehicle or with a large group is recommended for safety. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa • Population: 475,238 Both public and private transport, day and night, can be dangerous in Pietermaritzburg. Violent crimes peak at night. It’s recommended to avoid taking out cash unless inside a hotel or bank due to the high crime rate and low police presence. Pretoria, South Africa • Population: 741,651 • Murder rate: 38 per 100,000 inhabitants Pretoria is another dangerous city where travelers should avoid walking or traveling at night. Armed robberies and gang violence are prevalent, making armored vehicles a safer option for those who can access them. Sources: • Most Dangerous Cities in the World - Armormax • Shocking Murder Numbers in South Africa - BusinessTech • Ukraine War Casualties - Statista • Sexual Offenses in South Africa - Statista • Kidnapping Cases in South Africa - South African Government

Being denied IVF treatment because of being HIV+ is discrimination and needs to change. HIV is no longer a death sentence illness. We have already gone through enough, and now being denied access to fertility treatments because of an archaic system is deeply unfair and further stigmatises people like me.  In countries across the EU, accessing fertility treatment as a HIV+ person is not an issue. In the past year people whose partners who are HIV+ can to access to IUI. This is amazing, but many of us need IVF for many other reasons.  I wrote about my experience in the Journal.ie https://www.thejournal.ie/hiv-women-ireland-6387696-Jul2024/ Listen to my interview on Cork 96 FM https://shows.acast.com/corks-96-fm-opinion-line/episodes/woman-with-hiv-on-struggle-to-get-fertility-treatment-in-ire

On 3rd July, RTÉ News published an article on its website with the headline "Irish Mpox patient had 75 sexual partners in 21 days".  This article is based on a report from the IMJ which describes how the LGBTQ+ community and healthcare professionals organised in response to the outbreak of mpox. Instead of focusing on any of this, RTÉ chose to report on the number of sexual partners one person had. This kind of coverage is stigmatising to everyone who has ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It prevents people from seeking healthcare by making them feel like their sexual history is something to be ashamed of. We demand better from our state broadcaster. Together, we are calling on RTÉ to withdraw this article and apologise. We would also like a commitment from RTÉ to more sensitive reporting on STIs going forward.

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. 

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

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/

Having a large mural of US president Joe Biden in Ballina reflects very badly on the people of Ballina, Mayo and Ireland who hold very different views to Joe regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza.