TCDSU highlight inadequacy of trans healthcare in Ireland with Nassau entrance poster

The sign was put up yesterday, marking the beginning of Gender Equality Week

Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) have highlighted the inadequacies of trans healthcare in Ireland in a large-scale poster unveiled yesterday to mark Gender Equality Week.

The sign reads: “Ireland has the worst Trans Healthcare in the EU.” It also displays a QR code that leads to a TCDSU website which contains links to more information on the subject.

TCDSU Gender Equality Officer Jenny Maguire told Trinity News that it was “very important to [her] to create a gender equality week that was unapologetically Trans inclusive”. She noted that TCDSU Communications Officer helped her with the project.

“The state of trans healthcare is often underreported and most people don’t know the extent of how bad it is. So I wanted to highlight the state of Trans healthcare in this country and figured there was no better place,” Maguire continued.

On Twitter yesterday, Maguire pointed out that the sign would be seen by tourists entering the college to see the Book of Kells. She adde “Ireland must take responsibility for its horrific treatment of transgender citizens. We are dying”.

She also encouraged students to “take photos with [the sign]. Share it. Scan the QR code”.

A 2022 study by Transgender Europe (TGEU) ranked Ireland as the worst in the EU for standards of trans healthcare.

The study used a 12 point scale based on six criteria. Ireland scored just one point, for the fact that trans healthcare is available in the country at all.

The six criteria evaluated the type of trans healthcare and coverage available in the country, whether hormonal treatment or surgery require a psychiatric diagnosis, waiting times for appointments, the exclusion of groups from accessing trans-specific healthcare, the youngest age at which puberty blockers may be prescribed, and the youngest age for access to hormones.

Ireland scored worst on waiting times, with delays of over 7 years after requesting an appointment with a specialist, compared to a wait of less than a year in most EU countries.

Charlotte Kent

Charlotte Kent is the Co-News Editor at Trinity News and a Senior Freshman PPES Student.