Belfast City Council grants support for transgender festival without consulting councillors

A TUV figure says it should have been down to elected members to have their say on the funding of "such a controversial event", while the DUP said the festival's content will have "caused great offence to many people in our city".

The Trans Pride festival was a succession of events which ran in Belfast from September 6 to 21.

Festival activities had included a "Trans Pride pre-party (ages 12 to 17 only)", a cabaret featuring "scathing political comedy and d**k jokes", and a "Mermaids Lunch and Learn" gathering (Mermaids being a transgender activist group which is currently under investigation by the Charity Commission).

Its main event was a rally in Belfast's Writers' Square on September 14, featuring performers such as Hester Ectomy and Mast Ectomy (hysterectomies and mastectomies being the surgical removal of female reproductive organs and breasts – something which trans campaigners refer to as gender-affirming care).

Thanks to Belfast City Council's decision to grant money for the festival, the promo material for these events bears the council's logo and says "supported by Belfast City Council".

The council told the News Letter: "Trans Pride NI received funding of £1,850 via the council’s Community Festivals Fund to support the staging and operational delivery of their recent festival.

"Like other small grants, decision on allocation of funding is made under the delegated authority of the director for the department [in this case, the Place and Economy Department]. Funding for small grants was awarded in February and March.”

TUV councillor Ron McDowell said: "To the point, I am disgusted by the event.

"That Belfast City Council officers have taken it upon themselves to fund such a controversial event without input from councillors is shocking, and they must now give an account of themselves and their policy decisions on this matter to the Belfast ratepayer.

"Trans ideology that dictates a person can change sex simply by thinking it or by human intervention is a dangerous worldwide movement targeting children and families amongst others in its campaign for acceptance.

"An ideology that attacks the home and undermines the parent should have no support from council."

He also called the event "crass" saying: "The advertised 'd**k jokes' appeal to who exactly?

"Given the agenda of the trans movement to destroy female-only spaces and suppress free speech I believe that the council needs to reverse the decision to support this event."

Sarah Bunting, the group leader of the DUP on the council, said: “This funding award was made through an open call for applications to the Council Festival Fund, which is assessed and scored by council officials.

"The content of the festival programme of events will have caused great offence to many people in our city.

"I have sought clarity from officers as to what level of detail was provided in the application that secured council funding.

"Clearly, if the mature content advertised was part of the application, serious questions must be asked about the admissibility of such an application.”

The News Letter sought comment from the Trans Pride organisers, but none was forthcoming at time of writing.