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Senator Rónán Mullen

@RonanMullen15,875 subscribers

Independent NUI Senator #27Seanad.

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A shameful guillotining of consideration and debate of amendments to the ‘Hate Crimes’ legislation took place last Wednesday night in the Seanad. The Bill goes back to the Dáil now. So we had no Report Stage for the Minister to explain her thinking; no explanation for the new, dangerous definition of ‘gender’ other than that it is inclusive; even a claim by the Minister not to understand my position on the issue. Let’s spell it out one more time. The Bill comes up with a new definition of ‘gender’ that conflates the issues of ‘gender’, as always understood, and ‘gender identity’. The timelessly understood idea of the gender binary, i.e. male and female, is displaced by a new, fluid and unscientific gender spectrum notion. This conflation is totally unnecessary for the protection of any individual or class of person. The Bill could simply have listed both ‘gender’ and ‘gender identity or expression’ as separate protected characteristics, (as was done for example in the 2017 Victims of Crime Act). But the Minister would not do this. No adequate reason was ever offered for the new definition other than that it was 'futureproofing' (Simon Harris) and ‘inclusive’ (Helen McEntee). The new definition will have an immediate contagion effect across all criminal legislation aligned or altered by the ‘Hate Crimes’ Bill. The same politicians who foisted this on us will (if returned at the election) continue to seek to harness all laws built around the ordinary meaning of ‘gender’ (as in male or female) and apply these instead to an indefinite range of gender identities. The new definition will give new cover to those promoting gender ideology to young people—especially in new school curricula. It will give ideological support to the invasion by certain men of womens’ spaces and sports. It will provide cover for dangerous HSE approaches to gender dysphoria. It will be used to shore up the unpopular Athena Swan charters imposed by the HEA on third level academics. It will lead to a dismantling of the Equality Acts. Men can be women, and you simply have to suck it up. This Government sought to erase women and the concept of ‘mother’ from the Constitution earlier this year as part of the same fringe ideology. The People, by a large majority, stopped them. The Government refused to learn and doubled down on its woke policy. Your TDs could actually block this Bill in the coming days—if they were willing to defh the party whip. So please let them know what you think. I told the Minister on Wednesday that she will not deserve the votes of any parents of schoolgoing children if she maintains this corrupt definition of ‘gender’ in this legislation. Politicians who will not stand up for sex/gender really do not deserve to be returned. They are enablers of harmful practices. The voters will have an opportunity to choose new representatives soon for the next Dail. They should punish irresponsible TDs and choose more wisely next time. Look for good quality Independents and sympathetic small parties, and Members of the larger parties only if they vocally and clearly defy their political masters. We urgently need change.

Senator Rónán Mullen

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