Northern Ireland's justice minister 'not in the business' of defining the number of genders
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However, the TUV says the claim that Naomi Long’s department doesn’t put people in boxes “makes a nonsense” of a Prison Service transgender policy she asked MLAs to support in recent weeks. It said some people identify as transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, or something else.
Last month, the First Minister declined to respond to questions about how many genders there are after criticising US President Donald Trump for his decision that the American government only recognises male and female. Michelle O’Neill had said she didn’t agree with Mr Trump’s views on “our LGBTQ+ community”.
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Hide AdAsked about the issue by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston in the Assembly, justice minister Naomi Long set out a number of protected groups her department has a responsibility to care for – including on gender.


However, she would not be drawn on how many genders there are – despite only male and female being recognised in equality law.
The Alliance leader was responding to an Assembly question from the North Antrim MLA, who asked her to “specify how many genders the Department and its arm's-length bodies recognise when it comes to the practical operation of policy papers, such as the Northern Ireland Prison Service guidance on the care and management of transgender prisoners”.
The justice minister said: “My Department is not in the business of putting people into boxes, nor is it a responsibility of the Department to define the number of gender categories that exist. Our responsibility is to support everyone who comes into contact with the justice system, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, health, disability, age, sexual orientation and many other considerations. Many of those who come into contact with the justice system are among the most vulnerable in society and have a range of very complex needs, including addictions and poor mental and physical health.
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Hide Ad“Indeed, many have suffered trauma or have been victims themselves. It is for that very reason that all those who come into contact with the justice system are treated with respect and as individuals, with their own needs and complexities, irrespective of how they identify”.
Speaking to the News Letter afterwards, Mr Gaston said the minister’s response “makes a nonsense” of a policy she urged the Assembly to support a fortnight ago. It stated that “Transgender people may express their gender identities in many different ways… Some transgender people reject the traditional understanding of gender as divided between just ‘male’ and ‘female’, so they identify just as transgender, or genderqueer, genderfluid, or something else. Transgender people are diverse in their gender identities”.
Mr Gaston said the same guidance states that a panel dealing with a transgender prisoner “wherever possible … should be gender balanced”.
The North Antrim MLA said: “Unless one is in the business of putting people into boxes or defining the number of genders which exist how can one defend a policy paper which advocates gender balance? How can one have balance between an undefined number of genders?
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Hide Ad“Minister Long would be much better recognising that the inherent contradictions in the transgender movement makes the situation farcical. Her time would be much better spent getting back to the system which has successfully operated in our prisons for centuries and ensuring that women remain in female prison space staffed by female staff and men remain in male prison space staffed by male staff. Any departure from this common sense approach represents an unacceptable erosion of female rights and is frankly one any Minister – let alone one who claims to be a feminist – should be ashamed of.”
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