All of Mr Timothy Gaston’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Thank you very much, Mr Kingston, for your input. Indeed, going back to some of the comments that I have made on the verses referenced, if a pastor or a minister takes said person to First Corinthians and talks them through it, they might not be saying, "You need to change your way", but First Corinthians quite openly…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Identity framing, Dog-whistle messaging.
I thank the Minister for his intervention. I completely understand why he is concerned about that. I have listened to Mr Tennyson who has been at pains to say that that is not the case, but the reality is that it is not about what Mr Tennyson says in the Chamber; it is about what is written in the Bill. If somebody…
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I will take your advice to move on at this hour. I will look at the medical exemption in clause 4, which raises further questions. The Bill exempts therapy provided by persons regulated by four specified bodies and acting within those bodies' professional standards. I take the Bill…
— my reading of the Bill is that, if that were to happen on two or more occasions and the child were to present as alarmed or distressed — the fluffy words in the legislation — that would fall within its ambit. I am happy to give way to the Bill sponsor.
— Bill provides that — it may be an unintended consequence — if, later in life, the child were to decide to take a grievance case against the parent, they could use that example as the second occurrence of the behaviour. I am happy to give way to Mr Burrows.
I find it hard to believe that that would be the case. From my reading of the Bill, if a parent does not want to affirm the gender that, the child says, they are, it being something not in touch with reality that is different from their biological outlook, the —
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Identity framing, Dog-whistle messaging.
Thank you very much, Mr Tennyson, for your input. I just want to give you another scenario. Could a mother or father who refuses to purchase clothes intended to present their son or daughter as the opposite sex to what they actually are find themselves accused of coercive behaviour if that happened on two or more…
Uncertain: close callGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging.
I thank the Member for his intervention. When I talked about somebody exploring who they are or their gender, there was sniggering from the usual suspects in the Alliance Party. The last thing that a young and vulnerable person needs is activists and ideology-driven people imposing their world view on them and getting…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging.
I thank the Bill sponsor for coming in on that. I liked his use of the word "explorative". That is what the Alliance Party is all about: it wants people to explore who they are. It wants people to consider all things apart from their biological reality.
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Identity framing, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
— that will create an imbalance and a chilling effect for somebody who is delivering pastoral care or counselling that person. I am happy to give way to the Bill sponsor.
Absolutely. I was just coming to clause 7. Clause 7 creates that imbalance. It makes it a one-way system that protects conduct intended to affirm a sexual orientation or gender identity that a person considers themselves to be. It goes back to the earlier point that, if somebody is distressed and trying to find…
Indeed. That is an impassioned and detailed breakdown of how the organisation views the Bill and the outworkings and problems that it will bring forward. It is important to recognise that not everybody has my world view, and it is important that those with a world view are allowed to express it regardless of whether I…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
Absolutely. I thank the Member for her intervention. I have a right to do that. I read out that passage and laid out a scenario because ministers and pastors in Churches across the country are concerned about the implications of the Bill and its chilling effect, because it would inhibit them from carrying out their…
Uncertain: close callGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
I thank the Member for intervening. I gave him a scenario in which somebody comes to a preacher or pastor after they have preached those verses on a Sunday to ask them to go through them again, and the preacher or pastor says that they believe that the practice is wrong and that that person could convert and leave it…
The Member may find that offensive or believe that people in the House will find that offensive, but, as a Christian, you either believe the Bible or you do not. Loving thy neighbour is also warning thy neighbour of certain dangers. All I am doing is using those passages to tease out, essentially, from the Bill…
As a Christian blessed to be co-opted into this North Antrim seat, I have a moral duty to speak out against the dangerous and reckless legislation that Mr Tennyson is attempting to bring in. I do not claim to be a theologian or a preacher; I am just a sinner saved by grace. That is my qualification to speak on the…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Identity framing, Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging.
On a point of order, Mr Speaker, you have the power under section 44 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to compel a witness to produce documents and to come in front of the Assembly to give evidence. Mr Speaker, I urge you to use the powers at your disposal to ensure that Ms O'Neill comes here. I also urge you to…
In typical Alliance style, the Minister likes to talk about the issue rather than grasp the nettle. While you continue to talk about TB and issue endless consultations, many family farms continue to be put at risk. When will you stop dithering, and put in place the necessary legislation to allow for a province-wide…
It is clear from the hysteria over the weekend that nationalism is in turmoil. Sinn Féin is using the people of the Garvaghy Road as part of its election campaign. Sinn Féin is gaslighting nationalists in general to hide its failures, such as being on the wrong side of history when it comes to immigration and its…
FlaggedSectarianism, hate crime and community relationsCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.