For decades the transgender community has advocated, marched, and fought for equality, and inclusion. Our work, our fight, our campaigns, have all been underscored by two things; intersectionality and solidarity, tied to working in wider acceptance of queer people. 

Now, unfortunately, we see a rise in discriminatory organisations and vocal transgender exclusionary activists using Twitter and divisive antics to attempt to a drive a wedge in queer communities between transgender people and fracture our support from feminists. The vitriol and disinformation these accounts and people share does not represent the beliefs of the legitimate organisations and signers of this letter, and together we repudiate their actions, and call for an end to giving airtime to their despicable brand of harassment.

These fringe internet accounts stand against affirmative medical care of transgender people, the right to self-identification of transgender people in this country. They stand against trans, women’s and gay rights by aligning themselves with far right tropes and stances. They have attacked LGBT+ education in school and attacked anti-bullying campaigns. 

We need an Ireland of inclusion so trans kids are not pushed to suicide, not forced to live in closets, and are not bullied for being born this way. In no uncertain terms we agree that trans lives matter, trans people should be given full rights, and trans people should be included fully in society. Trans people are our friends, neighbours, colleagues, classmates and loved ones. 

Our focus is now on strengthening our resolve, turning away hate, and continuing to support the trans and gender expansive community members from those that would seek to harm them. We will not be bullied, we will not be silenced, and we will not allow transgender rights to be maligned. We move forward with hope and unity for a better world, and a better Ireland.

Please find a longer, more detailed version of this letter at GCN.ie 

Together in #IrishSolidariT with:

Organisations:

Transgender Equality Network of Ireland  (TENI)     
GCN                                       
BelongTo
National Women’s Council of Ireland
National LGBT Federation (NXF)
LGBT Ireland 
Amnesty International
Bi+ Ireland Network 
ShoutOut
Gay Health Network
LINC
Gay Project
Intersex Ireland
Trans & Intersex Pride 
Sporting Pride 
Le  Chéile
BRÓD West Cork
Cork Trans Network
Irish Network Against Racism (INAR)
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI)
Migrants and Ethnic Minorities for Reproductive Justice(MERJ Ireland)
Abortion Rights Campaign
AMCH! LGBT+ Galway
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland
This Is Me Campaign
Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)
Outhouse

Individuals:

Éirénne Carroll, CEO TENI
Lisa Connell
Sara R Phillips
Vanessa Lacey
Noah Halpin
Ailbhe Smyth 
Ailsa Spindler
Rita Wild 
Lynne Tracey
Aoife Martin (she/her)
Denise Breen (she/her)
Ben Power (he/him)
Leighton Gray (they/them)
Tina Kehoe (she/her),Mother
Taryn De Vere (she/her), Quare Media
Andrew Galvin (he/him)
Audrey Beattie, Human Being & Mother
Mary Doolin-Murphy, Mother
Ronan Burke
Hannah Solley
Fiona O’Rourke, Mother
Brian Farrell, Dad
Loretta O’Reilly, Mother
Aleks Mooney (he/him)
Declan Walshe, Father
John Fleming
April Bracken
Simon Coulter
Dani O’Connor (he/she)
Jen O’Shea (she/her)
Siobhan Thomas (she/her)
Vicki Marchant (she/her), Mother 
Muiris Mahon, Father
Maureen Mahon, Mother 
Lisa Brinkman
Sam Blanckensee (they/he)
Dr. Chryssa Dislis (she/her, Parent
Mark Holland
Dr. Stuart Neilson (he/him), Parent
Donnacha O Mesra, Dad
Pierce O Meara (he/him) 
Ollie Bell (they/them)
Aideen Kelliher
John Teahan
Remus Teahan
Micah Neilson (he/him)
Nyree Fitzpatrick (she/her), Mother 
Joe Donohoe (he/him), Father 
Jo Ellen Donohoe, Family
Tom Donohoe, Family 
Conny Donohoe (she/her), Family
John Mansfield (he/him)
Geraldine Brown (she/her)
Linda Kavanagh
Fern Higgins Atkinson