Chilling effect on freedom of expression

Thread from 4th October 2026

"The Press Ombudsperson accepts the complainant’s assertion that the article thereby draws an 'emotive' connection between a minority group and sexual offending including paedophilia."

But four out of five men who've "identified" as women and been imprisoned in this country have been sex offenders, a higher percentage than for other male prisoners.

Safeguarding requires that we avoid risks to women, vulnerable adults and children.

Men “identifying” as women in our prisons

Four out of five men who have “identified” as women in our prisons were sex offenders. Not all were placed in a women’s prison. The following may not be a definitive list as it’s only possible to record those cases reported in the media.

Women's Space IrelandWomen’s Space Ireland

"Almost two thirds of transgender prisoners who identify as female are convicted sex offenders, it has been revealed."

Out of 245 "trans women" inmates, legally recognised as male, 151 or 62 per cent, had committed at least one sexual offence.

"Lord Arthurson said it was 'obvious' that the child victim of Andrew Miller, who used the name Amy George locally, would never have agreed to have got into his car had she been aware that he was male."

There are other cases of men posing as women who go on to sexually assault women or children:

"The article suggested that the paedophile’s infiltration of a vulnerable group with intent to abuse, threw light on the possibility that a man might, with similar intentions, identify as a woman."

The evidence suggests this is indeed possible, does it not?

"A reference to a protected group in this context should have been extremely carefully scrutinised."

Why should men who misrepresent their sex to others be part of a "protected group" when their sexual offending rate is actually higher than for the rest of their sex?

No one can change sex and claiming to be the opposite sex should raise red flags for anyone in a safeguarding role.

Given the higher rate of sexual offending by men who "identify" as women it is reasonable not to employ such men to work with children, vulnerable adults or women.

And why we should use evidence rather than ideology to inform our need for safeguarding in all cases:

Putting children at risk to satisfy an ideological agenda

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality hopes to increase the number of men in childcare despite the growing number of reports of men abusing young children in such settings. Are children to be put at risk to meet an ideological agenda?

Women's Space IrelandWomen’s Space Ireland