The LGBTQ+ lobby is furious with Executive politicians for following expert medical advice on the prescription of hormone blocking drugs to adolescents questioning their gender, and has said they are not welcome at this year’s parade. The decision to allow staff to march in the parade has led to questions about civil service impartiality – with the theme of this year’s protest ‘No Going Back’. Organisers have condemned the ban on puberty blockers and the Supreme Court clarification of the law on single sex spaces as an “attack” on “LGBTQIA+ rights”. The Department of Finance has said that the decision is part of its commitment to being an “inclusive employer” – but that has been slammed by unionist politicians and a women’s rights group. Women’s Rights Network has accused the civil service (NICS) of aligning itself “with a narrow ideological position” on gender identity that “excludes and stigmatises those with differing, but lawful, beliefs”. The campaign group also says concerns have been raised within NICS about “institutional capture”. Its Policy and Engagement Officer Marianne Stewart said: “Civil servants report the erasure of women’s language in internal communications and the prioritisation of the LGBT network’s demands without critical examination”. Despite the role of NICS in implementing Executive policy – including on the puberty blocker ban – Stormont officials have now given the green light to staff attending the event. Belfast Pride has not responded to questions about whether NICS is welcome. The DUP’s Jonathan Buckley says “public sector organisations should not be involved in political campaigns, yet Belfast Pride have chosen a theme which explicitly challenges not just decisions of the Northern Ireland Executive, but the ruling of the Supreme Court”. The Upper Bann MLA added: “Those are decisions that are to be implemented by a politically neutral Civil Service. By participating in this parade it is impossible to escape the implication that the Civil Service LGBTQ+ Staff Network is actively campaigning in at least two directly political issues.” TUV’s Timothy Gaston says the participation of NICS “is grossly inappropriate” – and has questioned whether civil servants will be able to be part of pro-life rallies or other political demonstrations. He said that given the Department of Finance has maintained a relationship with “the widely discredited Stonewall” the decision is not a surprise. The North Antrim MLA said: “Even the NICS justification for attending is illogical. There is nothing inclusive about Belfast Pride which has banned participation from political parties following the Executive’s decision to follow medical advice and ban puberty blockers - life altering drugs for young people. “There is a duty on the Civil Service to remain rigorously apolitical. Participation in a Pride parade — which is politically charged and ideologically loaded — identifies the NICS very clearly as taking one side on contentious political issues. “There will be many members of the Civil Service who hold serious convictions about Pride and what it represents - both from within the Protestant and Roman Catholic communities - who will feel anything but included in this decision. Official NICS endorsement and participation in Pride will alienate and marginalise these individuals. There’s nothing inclusive about that”. Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie says neither himself nor his party will attend and “compromise our values just for a photo opportunity”. The Upper Bann MLA says who attends the event and who is banned is up to those individuals and the organisers, but says he has seen some political parties “tripping over themselves” to get organisers to reverse their decision to ban Executive parties and their party banners and logos from the event. “I and my party are comfortable with the decision to ban puberty blockers on medical advice, unfortunately Pride sees that as a reason for exclusion as they see safety and fairness in sport as a reason to ban Ulster Rugby and the IRFU in 2023 due to their transgender policies”, Mr Beattie said. Stormont’s finance department said “Alongside supportive family, friends and colleagues, the Civil Service LGBTQ+ Staff Network has participated in the Belfast Pride parade since 2018. The Network plans to participate in the Pride parade as it has done since then.”