Northern Ireland Pride Organisers Ban Political Parties From Events

Northern Ireland (NI) Pride organisers have banned political parties who supported the recent ban on the sale or supply of puberty blockers to people under the age of 18 from taking part in this year's Pride events.  

The four parties in the NI executive voted in December for an indefinite permanent ban. 

Puberty blockers delay puberty from happening and are sometimes prescribed to children who are questioning their gender identity.  

The organisers who have banned political parties from attending outright are Foyle Pride, Causeway Pride and Mid and East Antrim Pride. 

In a statement on their social media Foyle pride says that “Stormont has consistently failed to deliver for LGBTQ+ people in Northern Ireland, with a long history of neglect, broken promises, and a lack of concrete action on equality.” 

They go on to say, “we are making our stance clear: political parties involved in the NI Executive's decision to ban puberty blockers will not be invited to participate in Foyle Pride Festival 2025.” 

Speaking to the BBC Foyle DUP assembly member Gary Middleton said, "We rightly opposed puberty blockers as they are destructive to children.” 

He goes on to say, "These treatments are not and could never have been described as 'normal healthcare’." 

Chairperson of the Causeway Pride Committee, Riley McCahon, told BBC Radio "Politicians are happy to come to Pride for photo-ops but they don't really bat for us when it counts."