Cork's first ever Trans+ Pride will take place on Saturday, July 9 at 2pm. The event will be a rally, organised by Cork-based activists, and will be held outside Cork City Library.
One of the rally’s organisers, Saoirse Mackin, says:
"Pride has always been a protest, and that is what Trans Pride is. Over the last number of years, we have seen Trans rights come under attack. This past year has been particularly difficult as we watched the media and politicians at home and abroad attack our right to exist. The reality is that these people don’t understand the level of discrimination we face on a daily basis and so, in their eyes, it does not exist”.
The Trans community and their allies have been particularly uneasy with the way the subject of Trans rights is being discussed in the media, particularly in relation to the three-day debate on RTÉ’s Joe Duffy show earlier this month. There is also major concern with the way the participation of Trans women in sport is being discussed despite mounting evidence that suggests Trans women don’t have any major advantages over cisgendered women, other than the diversity in physiology that already exists in the population.
Trans women, for example, who transitioned before puberty, will have the same physiology as cisgendered women. Those who transition after puberty will be 7kg less than cisgendered men. Trans women’s blood cells drop to female levels during hormonal transition and they gain fat mass and lose bone density. Studies show these changes start as early as three months into the hormonal transition.
But to get to the point of accessing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is notoriously difficult in Ireland.
"Trans healthcare is almost non-existent in Ireland, with waiting lists of up to five years just for the initial consultation with an endocrinologist. Trans healthcare for Trans youth is even worse, with many of them struggling to access housing and education. Research shows that Trans youth who are accepted by their loved ones and have access to gender-affirming care are 40 per cent less likely to end their own lives. Acceptance and Trans healthcare are literally life-saving. We are not calling for special attention, just equality. We want equal access in employment, housing, education, and society as a whole" says Saoirse.
Louise O'Donnell, organiser and "proud ally", is urging Cork people to come along to the event and show solidarity to the Cork Trans community.
"I think it is important that we all show up and support. Our Transgender siblings face untold hardship in accessing gender-affirming care in Ireland. They are subject to ignorant media coverage, online furore, and misguided moral panic. In reality, Trans people face a higher risk of violence and harassment, as well as greater levels of mental ill health as a result of isolation and bigotry. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the beauty and the vibrancy of the Trans community.”
Speakers for the event will be announced in due course on the event’s social media pages under Trans+ Pride Cork.
[ENDS] - 28th June 2022