McDonald says all rights should be respected after Sinn Féin TD criticised

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Mary Lou McDonald says she wants everyone to be able to live a “full, authentic life” following criticism of a social media post by a Sinn Féin TD on trans issues.

Last week, Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane apologised for a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the UK court ruling on excluding trans women from the definition of “woman” in equality law.

Mr Cullinane said the “complex” issue needs to be approached with “comion” and he apologised for any offence caused.

The UK Supreme Court ruled last week that the “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act “refer to a biological woman and biological sex”.

This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and homeless hostels, if “proportionate”.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Cullinane called for the ruling to be “fully examined in this state”.

The Waterford TD said on X: “The Scottish (sic) Supreme Court ruling on the legal meaning of woman is a common sense judgment.

“The ruling found that for the purposes of equality legislation a ‘woman’ means a biological woman & ‘sex’ refers to biological sex.

“It also confirmed that trans people are protected under their Equality legislation in a separate category of gender reassignment.”

He subsequently deleted the post and stated: “I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the trans community following a tweet I sent last night.

“That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with comion, understanding and dignity for all.

“I’m sure those in the trans community will feel vulnerable and isolated today in the aftermath of yesterday’s judgment, and I apologise that my words added to that.”

On Friday, Ms McDonald said Mr Cullinane had explained his position in the subsequent post.

The Sinn Féin leader said a problem with social media is that it is “immediate, fast and reflexive”, adding that short posts are not the best way to comment on “sensitive and complicated matters”.

Speaking on the Late Late Show, Ms McDonald said the matter was not an “abstract issue” for her personally.

“I have a trans sibling, and I love my sister. She’s comionate and clever and accomplished, and she’s loved beyond measure and unconditionally.

“I want her to live a full, authentic life. I want that for every human being and I want us to live in a society where that’s possible.”

She added: “So, the first thing in discussing any of the issues around this, you need to have the right atmosphere, and we need to reassure each other that we’re starting from a position of respect.

“If we don’t have that, we can’t have the conversation to clarify, to reassure and to straighten out the issues that need to be addressed.

“So for me, I look across to Britain, you look further afield and you see a really toxic, divided, divisive approach to issues that can’t be solved in a hostile environment.”

Pressed on whether the UK Supreme Court decision would influence Sinn Fein policies, Ms McDonald said it would have implications in Northern Ireland.

However, she said it was unclear what influence it would have in the Republic of Ireland.

She added: “The first decision has to be that we work for equality, for inclusion and, by the way, the rights of everybody can be protected and maintained.

“We shouldn’t have to select individuals – women, men, trans women, trans men – everybody has to have their rights respected, and I believe that we can that to point in a fair, balanced way that brings reassurance to people.”

Earlier, Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said trans constituents ed him after being “upset” by Mr Cullinane’s social media post.

Mr O Broin said his colleague “responded appropriately” in deleting the tweet and apologising, adding that he was satisfied the matter was closed.

Asked if the party needed to clarify its position on transgender people, Mr O Broin said: “The party’s policies are the party’s policies.

“And David Cullinane did the right thing in removing the tweet and apologising.

“I’ve been ed by quite a few constituents who are trans, or family of trans people who were very upset by it.

“Obviously, the party is doing a piece of work around further developing a policy on trans rights and trans healthcare in due course.”