Political parties banned from some NI Pride events

Among those to announce the move banning some politicians are Foyle Pride in Londonderry and Causeway Pride in the north coast

Organisers of some LGBT+ festivals in Northern Ireland have said political parties that supported a ban on the sale or supply of puberty blockers to under-18s will not be invited to take part in their Pride events this year.

In December, the four parties in the NI Executive, voted to introduce an indefinite permanent ban.

Puberty blockers are drugs used to delay or prevent puberty happening and had sometimes been prescribed to children questioning their gender.

Among those who have told political parties not to attend are Foyle Pride, Causeway Pride and Mid and East Antrim Pride. Belfast Pride, NI's largest event, have said it has not yet made a decision on this matter.

Mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr led the Foyle parade last year

In a statement on social media, Foyle Pride said the event "belongs to the people -not politicians who betray us", adding it stands with "our trans siblings who have been abandoned".

"Foyle Pride is not just a celebration; it is a statement of resistance."

It added: "With that in mind, 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.

"This decision also extends to parties that remained silent when trans lives were under attack."

Foyle Pride said the decision will mean no party banners in the annual parade, no political advertising in the festival programme and no official messages from the mayor.

In a statement, mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Lilian Seenoi-Barr, said she was "disappointed at this decision by Foyle Pride".

She said she was proud to lead the parade as mayor and would "continue to attend in her own personal capacity to show support".

Last year thousands of people took part in Pride events in Londonderry as part of the festival's 10-day run, culminating in a parade through Derry city centre.

Over the last 30 years it has grown to become one of the largest of Northern Ireland's Pride festivals.

DUP MLA Gary Middleton says public sector bodies should not attend events like Foyle Pride

Foyle DUP assembly member Gary Middleton said the involvement of public sector bodies in events like Foyle Pride was "clearly incompatible".

"This is an incredibly honest statement from Foyle Pride which backs up what we have been saying for years," Middleton said.

"The Pride parade is a protest and therefore the involvement of the police, the BBC or other public sector bodies is clearly incompatible.

"Public sector organisations should not be involved in political campaigns.

"We rightly opposed puberty blockers as they are destructive to children.

"These treatments are not, and could never have been described as 'normal healthcare'."

People gathered on Portrush's West Strand for the town's first ever Pride rally in 2023

Chairperson of the Causeway Pride Committee, Riley McCahon, told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme on Thursday that the stance from Foyle Pride and themselves is about ensuring political parties do more than just pose for photos, but to act in the best interests of LGBTQ+ people.

"Politicians are happy to come to Pride for photo-ops but they don't really bat for us when it counts," Riley said.

"It sounds to everyone like that this is just about puberty blockers, but for us that was just really the final straw.

"We have been unhappy with the situation for quite some time and feel like the political parties here have not really had our backs for a long time, and since the Good Friday Agreement we feel we have been repeatedly let down.

"We aren't saying that any individuals cannot attend Pride, but we are just saying no more party banners and no more photo-ops until you prove yourselves worthy."

Pride organisers seek meeting with NI parties

Riley said that as well as the stance on not having political parties attend their events, that a meeting was being sought with politicians from NI political parties "as we continue to try and engage with them to change their stance".

In a statement, Mid and East Antrim Pride said they have rescinded invitations to political parties for their Pride parade in March who they say are "complicit in passing recent legislation which seeks to harm our trans siblings".

"While we know that these decisions were taken at a higher level and do not reflect the views of the entire parties, we cannot in good faith invalidate the feelings and hurt done to such a vital part of our community."

Meanwhile the leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland said the executive parties have never progressed equality for the LGBT+ community.

"Pride is about liberation and equality," Mal O'Hara told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show.

"It is a protest, it started as a riot, and it is about political progress for out community. We have been betrayed by the executive parties."

Mr O'Hara said it was important organisers of Pride events in other parts of Northern Ireland "have the discussion".

"There is a divergence of views amongst the community on this issue... Let our Pride organisations make that decision… we will see what Belfast Pride do next," he said.

Lord Mayor Micky Murray (centre) attended the Belfast event in 2024

Writing on social media platform X, Alliance councillor and Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray said "no one" would dictate if he could attend a pride march.

"I proudly led the Belfast Pride march last year, as the first openly gay Lord Mayor of Belfast," he wrote.

"I'm a seasoned rights campaigner, who has been at the forefront of every campaign."

Puberty blockers in Northern Ireland

Until the ban in Northern Ireland, puberty blockers were only available on NHS prescription for under-18s, for those young people who were accepted onto the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Gender Identity Service endocrine pathway prior to March 2020.

It is understood children already on this medical pathway will continue to receive treatment.

Hormone suppressors also remain available for patients receiving the drugs for other uses, such as early-onset puberty.

The move to ban puberty blockers came after a report into children's gender services - the Cass Review - said there were "gaps in evidence" around the drugs.

The review was led by leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass and prompted the last government to ban the use of puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender – a move which was then supported by Labour when they won the election.