POLITICAL PARTIES THAT supported a ban on puberty blockers in Northern Ireland have been barred from some NI Pride events.

Foyle Pride, which covers Derry city and Strabane in Co Tyrone, was the first to ban these political parties from their events.

In December, the four parties of the Stormont Executive – Sinn Féin, the DUP, UPP, and Alliance - introduced a permanent ban on the sale of puberty blockers to anyone under the age of 18.

Puberty blockers are now only available to under-18s with gender dysphoria who are already taking the medication. They can also be used in NHS clinical trials.

Trans advocacy groups had been critical of the move to ban puberty blockers, saying they are an important part of treatment for some people.

In a statement on Wednesday, Foyle Pride said Pride is “not just a celebration; it is a statement of resistance”.

“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. Allyship is more than just rainbow flags and Pride Month social media posts – it means showing up when it matters.”

Foyle Pride said this means there will be no political party banners in the parade or advertisements in the programme, and there will be no official messages from the mayor or mayoral attendance at any events.

The mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, SDLP councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, said she was “disappointed at this decision by Foyle Pride”.

She added that she was proud to lead the parade as mayor and would “continue to attend in her own personal capacity to show support”.

Meanwhile, Causeway Pride said that while no individuals have been banned from attending, “they will have to do so without party banners or branding”.

The chairperson of Causeway Pride, Riley McCahon, yesterday told BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme that the decision to ban “puberty blockers 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,” said McCahon.

“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.”

Belfast Pride has yet to make a decision on the matter, but Alliance councillor and Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray has said “no one will dictate to me whether I can or can’t march in a pride march”.

In a post on X, Murray said: “I proudly led the Belfast Pride march last year, as the first openly gay Lord Mayor of Belfast.

“I’m a seasoned rights campaigner, who has been at the forefront of every campaign.”

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

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

No one, will dictate to me whether I can or can’t march in a pride march.

— Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Micky Murray (@micky_murray) February 13, 2025

Moves to restrict treatment for transgender youth came following the publication of the Cass Review last April.

Commissioned by the UK government, it reported that the pillars of gender medicine are “built on shaky foundations”, citing a lack of evidence on the impacts of puberty blockers and hormone treatments.

At the time, People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll was among those criticising the decision to ban puberty blockers.

He said that puberty blockers are “safe and in use around the world” and that the focus on trans people was a “distraction” from the area’s wider health problems.