A protest on Thursday at Leinster House which announced the forming of a “natural” women's council has been labelled as “appalling” and “hateful” by onlookers.
Organised by Jana Lunden, who described herself as a “concerned parent”, the movement surrounded what they call an erasure of women as well as the teaching of LGBTQ+ issues in schools. Jana Lunden, surrounded by placards she said were paid for by donations to a GoFundMe said that, despite what she calls a small turnout, it’s only a start.
“I’m really happy that it was a peaceful, happy celebration without any hassle. It was a good vibe, my friends who are both straight and gay do not want women erased so I think we got crowds from both communities,” she said.
Read more: Major garda probe after social media account 'shares intimate images of up to 200 women'
Jana opened her speech at the protest by reading the definitions of male, female and trans male, and trans female before her mic was cut off.
“ ‘Woman’ will literally be erased from our legislation, this is only the start, this is just one bill, it sets the precedent, it won’t end here.” she said before adding that there is nothing inclusive about “erasing” women. A “natural” women's council was announced during one of the speeches which they say will “stand for women” and “celebrate womanhood.”
The protest was primarily in response to the General Scheme of a Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022’s amendment which will replace the word “woman” with the word “person.” The amendment is to ensure that anyone who has given birth, including transgender men who have their gender recognised under the Gender Recognition Act 2015, would be entitled to maternity leave.
The protest which saw heated moments from both sides had several gardaí in attendance as a precaution. Arguments ensued when several protestors crossed the road and recorded counter-protestors across the road, which gardaí brought to a halt.
Protestors were also arguing against the teaching of LGBTQI+ issues in schools. One woman who spoke at the event wished to remain anonymous and is a co-founder of the Irish Education Alliance, a group that has called for the end of child covid vaccinations. Speaking to the Irish Mirror she said: “Children are not ready to hear information about sexual orientation. We’re okay with sex education as in the biology of sex being taught in schools but not about sexual orientation.”
The woman who is a teacher said that children’s brains are not ready to hear this information, saying that It could be “very traumatising” for them. She said that it’s the place of the parents to teach their children when they feel the time is right.
“A teacher standing up and saying to children, ‘girls can become boys’ and ‘boys can become girls,’ a child will take that in and believe it. A girl might be a ‘tomboy’ for example, and she might think ‘I can be a boy if I want’ and it’s pure ‘cockbull,’ we want to protect them and we don’t want this coming into schools.” she said.
She labelled these discussions in schools, both primary and secondary, as “dangerous” and “destructive.”
Andrea Murray attended from a distance to counter-protest as she said it was important to be there and show support for trans people. “This fake opposition has been imported from abroad. Trans people are one of the most marginalised groups, and we owe it to them to stand up for them and their rights.”
Tina Kennedy was passing through on the way to the beach when she saw the protest, “It’s horrible what these people are doing, it’s so narrow-minded and anti-love. I don’t understand how they think that anybody can erase their identity. They’re asking for other people to erase their identity; they’re actually doing what they’re afraid of being done to them,” she said.
Tina said that the protest fired up anger in her, “Imagine if you were a trans person or non-binary person walking around here. I’m a woman but somebody else needing to refer to themselves as a woman does not make me any less of a woman, they’re so insecure and full of hate and it’s wrong.” she said.
In response to the protest and in a statement to the Irish Mirror, a spokesperson from The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said: “The General Scheme of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill proposes to make a very small number of amendments to the Maternity Protection Act to ensure anyone who has given birth, including a transgender man who has had his gender recognised under the Gender Recognition Act 2015, would be entitled to maternity leave.”
The spokesperson said that no family or child should be disadvantaged because of their parent’s gender and that the amendments, which have been developed from legal advice received, will ensure that does not happen.
They said: “For the most part, the Maternity Protection Act 1994 is expressed in gender neutral language, referring to "pregnant employee" throughout, other than one reference in s.16(1) to “woman” and one reference in s. 7(2) to “female employee”.”
The deletion of section 7(2) and the replacement in section 16(1) of the word “woman” by the term “person”, which includes “woman”, ensures the Interpretation Act can be relied upon to read a reference to “her” in the 1994 Act as gender neutral or to include a transgender male/male pregnant employee. The spokesperson also said that the references to “mother” in the Act are not being amended.
Sign up to our free newsletters here to get the stories that matter most to you direct.
READ NEXT:
- Ekin-Su has four hilarious words for Jack Keating as he exits Love Island
- Irish professor warns of latest Covid symptom occuring at night in some patients
- Wimbledon fans get eyeful after 'ridiculous' rule forced female stars to play braless
- Irish teen ensures girlfriend arrives to her debs in style - via a helicopter
- Love Island: Ronan Keating's ex-wife Yvonne's dramatic showdown with mistress before police came
