Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I thank the Member for giving way. There is an irony with the Bill in that the intention, I am guessing, of the sponsor is around the frightening nature, humiliation, intimidation, fear, alarm and distress, but, in fact, by not allowing conversation around that, that actually increases that fear, alarm and distress…
When did you not hear me, Mr Deputy Speaker, so that I can go back? I jest. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for that intervention and instruction. The subject is very important because there are people out there who are hurting. What we find with the Bill is that we are in danger of not helping that hurt or rescuing or…
I thank the Member for giving way. It is easy for people to laugh at some of the situations that some people may find themselves in. I think particularly of some of the distressing states that some young people find themselves in. The world today is complex. Things are being thrown at young people in a severe and fast…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
There may well be genders out there that, the vast majority of people in this country think, are unreasonable. That is why the unreasonableness test or the "reasonable persons" test in this regard is highly problematic. It is not what the reasonable person thinks; it may be someone who is suffering in fear, alarm and…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging.
I thank the Member for his intervention. I agree with that. How would the judiciary do that? How would the ordinary individual who could fall foul of those offences know what a victim considers their gender identity to be? How then can they measure or assess whether they are suppressing it?
What hope has the judiciary of making any ruling on the legislation when we cannot get a clear definition, whether it is in clause 6 or any of the other clauses, of gender identity? What hope does it have when it considers the Hansard report of the debate, when it is unclear throughout the debate what gender identity…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging.
The definition given by the Bill sponsor for sexual orientation and gender identity is at clause 6: "6.—(1) In this Act, a reference to a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity includes— (a) what the victim considers it to be, and (b) what the person considers it to be." That is the only definition of sexual…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I do not seek to challenge you in any way. Given that gender identity comes under clause 6, and the Bill sponsor has refused to define "gender identity" on repeated occasions, and he has refused to define it in his explanatory and financial memorandum, and given the historic…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am now unclear, because my understanding was that an earlier ruling by yourself, which contradicted what the Principal Deputy Speaker said before you, was that, yes, we were entitled to debate and ask questions around gender identity. You said — I do not want to quote you word…
I thank the Member for giving way on that point, which is important. As was said, we had an attempt to censor the debate on gender identity. I know where the Member stands but not where the Bill sponsor stands. Unfortunately, in the wokery-pokery world of the Alliance Party, there are 136 genders, as identified…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Identity framing, Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.
I appreciate the Member's giving way. He rightly articulates that it is the first time that the term "gender identity" is proposed to be used in Northern Ireland legislation. From my perspective, that is why it was all the more alarming that, when Members on these Benches tried to raise concerns about the issue, not…
I thank the Bill sponsor for that, but when he talks about conversion therapies in that regard, he is talking about coaching, instruction, counselling and any form of talking therapy. If that is deemed to have caused "fear, alarm or distress" to the victim, that person will be in trouble with the law. Here is the…
I thank the Member for giving way. Mr Brett is correct in that we consulted on a definition of "harm" that was "fear, alarm or substantial distress". At consultation stage, there was significant opposition to any firm harm requirement. People pointed to domestic abuse and other offences where harm need not be proven…
I appreciate the Member's giving way. On clause 8 and the issue of "distress", I do not know about him, but, when I read the sponsor's consultation document, I saw that it spoke about the threshold being "substantial distress". At clause 8 of the Bill that is before us, the word "substantial", as proposed in the…
The Member makes a good point. It was well rehearsed, so I will not have to repeat it. He is absolutely right, and that is just one of our concerns. Before I finish on religious practices and why I think that the Bill would do massive damage to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, I will say that any preacher,…
I appreciate the Member's giving way. He has spent the past number of minutes referencing the concerns of the Christian community from a biblical perspective, which is right. He has quoted verses that some Members perversely misinterpreted when quoting them earlier in support of the Bill. That was an affront to those…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging.