Trans Rights and the Recent Puberty Blocker Legislation in NI
by Aisling Suri
In December 2024, the four parties in the Northern Ireland executive voted to introduce a definite ban on the sale or supply of puberty blockers for anyone under the age of 18. This comes after the conservate government introduced an emergency ban on puberty blockers in May of 2024, which was upheld by the prime minister Kier Starmer when he took over government in the previous summer. Puberty blockers are used to suppress the release of hormones and can be prescribed to children who are questioning their gender, along with children who reach the age of puberty too early (BBC News 2024).
In Northern Ireland, puberty blockers were previously only available on prescription to children and young people under the age of 18 who were accepted on the CAMHS gender identity services prior to March 2020 (BBC News 2024). The ban itself derived from the ‘Cass Review’, which stated that there was a poor quality of studies around the effects of puberty blockers on those questioning their identity, giving a lack of evidence to base clinical decisions upon (Cass 2024). There has also been a substantial increase of the number of those on the waitlist to receive treatment, with conflicting explanations for the reason why. The recommendations from the Cass Review therefore state that NHS services must operate at the same standard NHS wide. There has also been a recommendation for standard evidence-based treatment to form an individualistic care plan, with a follow-through service for 17–25-year-olds also being put in place. This is aimed to extend the range of regional services to ensure continuity of care and allow follow-up research to be collected (Cass 2024).
So, what does this mean for the trans community? Transgender is a relatively new term to wider society, only being officially coined in the 1960s, however this does not mean that gender nonconformity is a new concept. Historians have a multitude of evidence of the existence of people questioning the binary throughout history. Some of the earlier evidence dates to accounts of Gala and Galli priests who, assigned male at birth, crossed the gender barrier during their worship of a variety of goddesses in ancient Greece and Rome (Blakemore 2022). The Roman emperor Elagabalus (C.E. 218-222) also questioned traditional notions of gender; while assigned male at birth, the emperor adopted a feminine dress sense and requested to be referred to as ‘she’. The emperor also expressed a desire for genital removal surgery, however Elagabalus was shunned and murdered at the age of 18 (Blakemore 2022).
During the American civil war, it is thought that at least 250 people who, despite being assigned a female at birth, fought in the war as a man. Medical advancements in the early 20th century also made gender confirming surgery a possibility, originating in the institute for sexual research in Germany in 1919. This was indubitably a transforming time for the lives of trans people and the public perceptions of traditional gender norms. Despite these advancements, early attempts at surgery were callus and there was little wide acceptance of the concept. During the organisation for civil rights in America, in 1966 there was an uprising carried out by the drag queens of San Francisco, which resulted in the birth of ‘Transvestia’ – a foundation that served the transgender and gender nonconforming community for decades (Blakemore 2022).
In 2025, the trans community still suffer large injustices within society, more than 1 in 4 trans people having experienced bias-driven assault, with the statistics being even higher for women and people of colour (Blakemore 2022). In the recent years there has been a push for visibility within academia and medical research. However, despite puberty blockers being in use since the 1980s (Oulds 2024), the medical evidence is still deemed insufficient, despite calls from people in the trans community for increased information on the studies.
The key takeaway from this ban is the everlasting resilience of the trans community. Through each point in history, trans people have proved time and time again that they are present and will live authentically despite continuous political efforts made to prevent this. Every child and young person should be able to access the correct care that they need to ensure the best quality of life. Trans healthcare is lifesaving healthcare; the fight for their rights will not be over until they are protected by our laws and given the necessary access to feel comfortable in themselves. In support of this, there has been an increased movement from queer charities across the UK demanding the correct care and support for the young generation of trans children, with a multitude of mental health and LGBTQ+ charities offering immediate support and advice.
Organisations in Northern Ireland offering support:
– The Belfast Trans Resource Centre supports trans individuals with physical, mental health, emotional wellbeing and social support. Belfast Trans Resource Centre – A home for the trans community in Belfast
– The rainbow project provides a free counselling service to LGBTQ+ people in Northern Ireland. Home – The Rainbow Project
– Cara-friend provide a regional LGBTQ+ youth service across Northen Ireland. Cara Friend – Supporting LGBTQI+ People in Northern Ireland
References
BBC News. 2024. “Puberty Blockers Set for Indefinite Ban in Northern Ireland,” December 10, 2024. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyxr43e2m7o.
Blakemore, Erin. 2022. “How Historians Are Documenting the Lives of Transgender People.” National Geographic. June 24, 2022. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-historians-are-documenting-lives-of-transgender-people.
Cass, Hilary. 2024. “Final Report – Cass Review.” Cass.independent-Review.uk. April 2024. https://cass.independent-review.uk/home/publications/final-report/.
Oulds, Flo. 2024. “Joint Statement in Response to the Continued Ban on Puberty Blockers – Scottish Trans.” Scottish Trans. December 12, 2024. https://www.scottishtrans.org/joint-statement-in-response-to-the-continued-ban-on-puberty-blockers/.
Wareham, Jamie. 2024. “Puberty Blocker Ban Consultation Featured Eight Explicitly Anti-Trans Groups.” QueerAF. December 14, 2024. https://www.wearequeeraf.com/puberty-blocker-ban-consultation-featured-eight-explicitly-anti-trans-groups/.
