This decision runs contrary to the Executive’s stated agreement to participate in this trial, and demonstrates that the apparent need for evidence-gathering and more research are being abandoned in favour of political game-playing and culture wars.

Alexa Moore, Policy Campaigns & Communications Manager at The Rainbow Project, said, “The Executive claimed that its ban on puberty blockers was based on evidence: this decision is very clearly based on politics. This clinical trial was held up by Executive parties across the board as a means by which to gather the evidence for the use of blockers, assess their safety and efficacy, and make a decision on their use on that basis.

“Trans communities are bearing the brunt of a political culture that views us as a stick with which to beat political opponents, not as real people with real lives and real healthcare needs. This decision demonstrates that no amount of evidence, no amount of research, no amount of suffering within trans communities will trump the need for politicians to score political points against each other at our expense.”

A Freedom of Information Request submitted by Belfast Live and seen by The Rainbow Project showed that, when approving the indefinite ban on puberty blockers, “Ministers agreed that the scientific and medical advice must be followed and noted the importance in public messaging of referring to the clinical trial as providing an evidence base for future policy decisions in this area.”

Scott Cuthbertson, CEO of The Rainbow Project, said, “The Health Minister’s reversal of his position on this clinical trial, coming on the same week as the Justice Minister was forced by Executive colleagues to remove protections for trans people from her Hate Crime legislation, demonstrates very clearly that this Executive is not interested in doing anything at all to improve the lives of trans people.

“We are clear: the Executive’s decision to ban puberty blockers was contingent on both the funding of gender services and participation in this clinical trial. All Executive parties agreed to this course of action. If Northern Ireland will not partake in these trials, Northern Ireland should not have a ban on puberty blockers – it should be reversed, and doctors should once again be empowered to make decisions in the best interests of their patients.”

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

• The Freedom of Information request referenced above can be found here: https://www.rainbow-project.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Final-Executive-Minutes-E-M-24-22-Executive-meeting-10-December-2024-1.pdf
• The indefinite ban on puberty blockers, passed by the Executive in December 2024, only applies to their use as treatment for under-18s experiencing gender incongruence. Puberty blockers remain routine medicine used in other treatments, including for under-18s, such as precocious puberty.
• The Justice Minister stated in the Assembly on Tuesday 10th February that “I sought the agreement of [Executive] colleagues to include “transgender” in the list of protected groups under the hate crime provisions in the sentencing Bill. Regrettably, there has been a lack of consensus on that measure, so I have had to remove “transgender” from the list of protected groups identified in the Bill.”

The post Press Release: “NI Executive, Stop Playing Politics with Trans Lives” appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

What is available in this LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training?

This will be an interactive workshop with the aim to provide the following as learning objectives:

• Increase understanding of The Rainbow Project, our services, and other services available to LGBTQIA+ people.
• Learn about identity and its importance, particularly in regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Gain clarity on key language and terminology in regard to LGBTQIA+ people.
• Increase understanding of the health and wellbeing needs for LGBTQIA+ people in relation to experiences in the North West.
• Increase understanding on the key barriers that impact LGBTQIA+ people.
• Learn more about what LGBTQIA+ discrimination is, why it happens and what the impact is.
• Grow in ability to become stronger allies to LGBTQIA+ friends, family, colleagues or loved ones.

What is the North West Learning City Region?

Derry City and Strabane District Council successfully became a member of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in July 2019 under the Learning City name of ‘Derry City and Strabane Region’, with the aim to promote lifelong learning for all, it has always been their goal to expand the status to the wider North West Region to include close partners in Donegal.

The North West Tertiary Education Cluster; Derry City and Strabane District Council; and Donegal County Council are relaunching the UNESCO Learning City Initiative with it being expanded to the North West Region to become the ‘North West Learning City Region’.

To celebrate this they are holding a Lifelong Learning Festival on 5th March, 2026 which includes LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training delivered by The Rainbow Project as the leading experts on LGBTQIA+ identities, issues and experiences in the North West.

The post Lifelong Learning Festival – LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

The post LGBT History Month appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

Pop us an email, let’s have a chat about it:  events@rainbow-project.org

The post Run For Rainbow – Belfast City Marathon 2026 appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

It involves a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes, as opposed to a grief support or counselling session.

The objective is to increase awareness around death, help encourage people to make the most of their lives and support individuals who are going through loss or have lost someone.

Why is it important?
Death, dying and bereavement are a part of life, but this is often a taboo subject and can be difficult to talk about.
Death Cafés offer connection, friendship, friendship, kinship. We know from our previous cafe’s that there are things that come up for LGBTQIA+ folks in a safe space around end of life care, complex grief, funerals, partners, family…we are here to share and to listen.

They are a great way to connect with new people who can understand what you’re thinking, feeling and going through. This allows you to validate your own experiences and remind you that you aren’t alone!

Do I need to have come to a Death Café before?

Not at all, everyone LGBTQIA+ is welcome to attend, regardless of your experiences with death, dying and bereavement. You might be curious about the topic, or just want a dedicated space to discuss it.

Who runs the event?

This event will be externally facilitated by Patricia Lübeck, Birth and Death Doula. It is hosted by the Cancer Champions, a partnership pilot project between The Rainbow Project and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The event will be in Belfast city centre, held in Paperxclips new venue, 162 North Street, from 6-8pm.

Note: This event is strictly for LGBTQIA+ (18+) attendees to ensure that it remains a safe space for service users. 

Catering will be available including refreshments and vegan pastries with gluten-free options.

Register for free below so we can contact you with any changes or updates to the event.

The post LGBTQIA+ Death Cafe Belfast appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

Fans had the opportunity to purchase the Giants’ Pride jersey, which was also worn by the team, proceeds from which went towards our work to deliver LGBTQIA+ equality in Northern Ireland. Fans were also able to buy tickets for the Shirt Off The Back raffle, giving them the chance to win jerseys worn by some of the Giants during the Pride game, again with all proceeds donated to The Rainbow Project to help fund our vital services. This support directly helps us continue delivering mental health support, advocacy, impactful campaigns, and life-saving services for LGBTQIA+ people and their families.

On the night, our team were also based on The Bridge, speaking with fans about the work we do and sharing information about how people can access support. It was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when sport and community come together in solidarity.

A huge thank you to the Belfast Giants and their supporters for standing with us – all are equal in the land of the Giants!

The post Thank You Belfast Giants: A Powerful Night of Pride and Support appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

Click here to check out the videos

The post Cancer Champions launch YouTube series ‘Screening for all’ appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

The walk will take around an hour and should be relatively gentle however, it is important to take note of your own ability level. Unfortunately, we will not be able to facilitate lifts or taxis.

Note: places are limited, and it is a strictly 18+, LGBTQIA+ event.

The post LGBTQIA+ Nature Walk for Cancer Awareness 2026 appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

All welcome! You don’t have to be directly affected by cancer to come along, have a chat and find out more about what we do – it might even help you know more about your own screening options, or support a friend or family member.

Drop in over lunch & meet our Cancer Champions Team, along with other inclusive Cancer & LGBTQIA+ support organizations at The MAC to:

• Have some tea, coffee, & sweet treats with our friendly team
• Learn what LGBTQIA+ cancer support looks like
• Get advice & support
• Find out about screening
• Increase your awareness of services so you can better support friends & family

The venue will have multiple health information stalls, both from our staff and from other services.

About World Cancer Day

A global awareness day to raise awareness about cancer, promote early detection, prevention, and treatment, and advocate for improved services. The theme this year is ‘United by Unique’, focused on delivering cancer care that meets people’s individual needs.

Accessibility

The MAC is a fully accessible venue, and the event will be  clearly signposted on the ground floor. Speak to the reception staff on the ground floor if you need any additional assistance.

– Free event – 

-We ask you order your free ticket below for catering numbers –

-You are still more than welcome to drop-in on the day without a ticket – 

The post World Cancer Day 2026: LGBTQIA+ Information Cafe appeared first on The Rainbow Project.

But for those of us who are new to hook-up apps, to exploring their sexuality, or are more tech-weary than tech-savvy – it’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed when starting out on Grindr.

But we’ve got your back! With ‘Grindr for Beginners‘ on Wednesday 28th January 2026 6.30PM at The Rainbow Project, 15 Union Street, Belfast, BT1 2JF we’ll cover everything you’ll need to feel more comfortable, confident and safe on the app including;

• Thinking about why you want to use Grindr and how to set realistic, healthy expectations for its use.
• What’s good and what’s hard (pun-intended) about Grindr
• Staying ‘fresh’ (i.e how to be seen by more profiles)
• Explanation of abbreviations (DL, FWB, LTR, T4T etc.) & Tribes (Sober, Poz, Geek etc.)
• How to stay anonymous, even if you want to share explicit pics or videos
• Using in-app features like ‘expiring photos’ or ‘albums’ and STI testing reminders
• What to discuss with a partner before hooking-up
• How to stay safer at a hook-up 
• Warning signs of sextortion/blackmail and what to do if you’re a victim of it
• How to look after yourself (PEP, PrEP, STI testing etc.)

Whilst we’ll be focusing on Grindr specifically much of the other information about keeping safe on and offline will be applicable to other hook-up or dating apps like Hinge, Tinder, Feeld etc. so even if Grindr isn’t your thing, this workshop still might be for you!

‘Grindr for Beginners’ is suitable for those aged 18 or over.

Please note, whilst registering will require you to give an address & phone number – you may instead include The Rainbow Project’s address (23-31 Waring Street, Belfast, BT1 2DX) and phone number (028 90 319 030) We will only contact you via e-mail. 

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