Veteran doctor who lost tribunal after disagreeing with transgenderism ‘disturbed’ by new rules for NI workers

Dr David Mackereth, a Christian physician of 31 years’ experience, said such rules will not end with the Northern Ireland Civil Service, but are likely to start appearing across all workplaces.

He was speaking after the News Letter revealed this week that in 2019, while there was no government in place, officials altered the rule book for the civil service so that all 23,000 workers must use whatever “names and pronouns” a transgender individual wants – and breaching the policy can lead to disciplinary action.

READ DETAILS OF THE NEW RULES AT THIS LINK

This applies to men and women who say that they belong to the opposite gender, regardless of whether or not they have had any hormone treatment, surgery, or have legally changed their name.

It also applies to people who say they belong to a “non-binary” categories such as “gender-queer, gender-fluid, genderless, crossdresser, agender, third gender, bi-spirit, two-spirit, or neutrois” (who sometimes want to be referred to using new pronouns such as “ze” and “zir”).

Dr Mackereth’s own story begins in 2018, when he was set to start work as a government disability assessor.

In a meeting with a manager he disagreed over using transgender terms to describe people, and ceased employment soon after.

Dr Mackereth, 57, said he would refuse to refer to a six-foot tall man with a beard as “Mrs” - on both scientific and faith grounds.

Though based in GB, he regularly follows worship at Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church online.

He took an employment tribunal last year, and lost his case.

The tribunal ruled “belief in Genesis 1:27, lack of belief in transgenderism and conscientious objection to transgenderism in our judgment are incompatible with human dignity and conflict with the fundamental rights of others” (that is the verse which states: ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them’).

‘TRANSGENDERISM HAS BECOME LIKE A RELIGION’:

Dr Mackereth is currently performing A&E night shifts in Wales, and sees strong parallels between his own case and the new rules for NI civil servants.

He said the rules amount to “telling everybody in the civil service in Northern Ireland: You must believe this - or else”.

“I’m very disturbed by it,” he said.

“And the reason is because essentially what they are doing is promoting an ideology - transgender ideology and gender-fluid ideology.

“And what they are doing is promoting it with the fervour of a religious organisation...

“Supposing they said tomorrow that you could only work in the civil service if you are Muslim who signs up to Islamic doctrine. That’d be shocking.

“Or if they said you can only work in the civil service if you are a card-carrying Calvinistic Christian. That would be tyranny.”

And yet he believes the NI civil service rules about transgenderism amount to “a religion that is being pushed on everybody, and is completely intolerant”.

It was put to him that some people might say he as a traditionalist Christian may be a bit intolerant himself.

“That would be great – I’d be very pleased if they responded like that,” Dr Mackereth said.

He would welcome people challenging his Christian beliefs he said – but added that when he challenged transgender beliefs, it cost him his job.

‘PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS NONSENSE BUT ARE AFRAID TO SAY’:

When it comes to the proposition that if somebody thinks they are a woman then they are a woman, regardless of biology, he said “there are serious problems with that”.

He went on the add: “I think most of my colleagues know this is complete nonsense, but they’re afraid to say so.

“I honestly believe that we are harming many people beyond measure, including little children, by promoting this foolish ideology.

“And I honestly believe the day will come when the medical profession will hang its head in shame because it’s so contrary to professional practice and scientific principles.”

In his 31 years working as a doctor he said he had come across just “one or two” people who said they were transgender - up until recently.

“Here in England its been promoted so widely that a lot more people, including teenagers, are now coming forward and saying they are transgender,” he said.

“There’s been an explosion of it, in my personal experience, in the last couple of years.”

He concluded: “I think people shouldn’t take this lying down. I think they should see this is an ideology that is being forced on people.

“It’s not a small thing - it’s a big thing.

“It’s not just going to be the Civil Service of Northern Ireland. It’s soon going to be every employer that has to do this.

“We have to stand up to it – now.”

TRANSGENDER NI HAILS GUIDELINES:

Transgender NI, an advocacy group based in Belfast, hailed the new guidelines.

“We welcome this move from the NI Civil Service to ensure that all trans employees are protected from harassment, intimidation & unsafe working conditions,” it said.

“There is still work to do, such as ensuring management and HR are adequately trained to support trans employees, however this policy is an important first step.

“Every individual, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, deserves to be and feel safe in their place of work.

“These changes are merely in line with existing longstanding law and policy across the UK, and existing case law elsewhere in the UK clearly supports the NI Civil Service’s approach.”

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