‘Men can become pregnant’ and so need access to abortion in the Republic of Ireland, transsexual activists say.
Lobby groups made the extraordinary comments in reference to women who are living as men, as the country prepares to change its abortion law following last week’s referendum.
One activist suggested legislators use the term “pregnant people” to cover “all gender identities”.
‘Men denied abortion’
Noah Halpin told an Irish magazine: “Despite what some may believe, men can become pregnant too”, before claiming there are “tens of thousands of transgender men and non-binary people in Ireland who can conceive”.
Radical Queers Resist told homosexual news website Pink News: “The proposed legislation for termination of pregnancy in Ireland will only allow women to access abortion”.
It added that as a result, “trans men in Ireland will be denied abortion access”.
‘Inclusion’
On Twitter Transgender Equality Network Ireland said: “Trans men & non-binary people can get pregnant” and the proposed legislation “does not include them”.
“Legislation will obviously overwhelmingly affect women & girls, but trans inclusion doesn’t take away their rights!”
Last week voters in the Republic of Ireland backed abortion on demand by 66.4 per cent to 33.6 – repealing constitutional protections for the right to life of the unborn child.
Following the vote Northern Ireland – which currently gives strong protections to the unborn – has come under pressure to follow suit.
Liberal transsexual laws
The Republic of Ireland introduced liberal transsexual laws in 2015.
Guidelines published by the Department for Education and Skills say that secondary schools should let transsexual students use toilets and changing rooms that match their chosen gender identity.
The guidance also recommends allowing students to wear a uniform according to their chosen sex.