A mother feels ‘unsafe’ in her community after she says she was reported to the police after voicing “child safeguarding concerns” in relation to an event hosted by Trans Equality Network Ireland (TENI).
Jennifer Kimmel says she was reported for “hate speech” and “upsetting people” after raising concerns over the presence of a controversial trans-identified male by the name of Tara Hewitt at an event which was billed as “family friendly” in Falcarragh, Donegal.
Kimmel says she called the chairman of the board of Pobail Le Cheile “who was immediately dismissive” as she believes he was ‘gotten to first’ by trans rights activists saying that “he would not even allow” her to tell him of her concerns, instead repeatedly cutting her off.
“He said stop Jenny,” and began to tell her about gay rights at which point she says she informed him that her concerns had nothing to do with gay people and were about child safeguarding.
“He just said, ‘stop right there’ and would not let me explain what the concerns were about,” she said, adding “He just dismissed me”.
Kimmel says she was advised to submit an email, the contents of which would be discussed at the next Pobail Le Chéile board meeting but that she felt this was of little use as this would only take place after the event had happened.
She said she called one more time expressing that her concerns would not be dealt with in time and was advised that if she was so worried she could ‘call the gards’.
The event called “Teni and Tea” was billed as a “family focused discussion and Q&A on supporting children and young people with transgender identities LGBTQIA+” although Kimmel says it was not made clear whether children were to be accompanied by parents.
Kimmel says that a petition was compiled against her by some of those involved, and that she received a visit from a Garda who warned her she was threading a “fine line” and that she had been reported by the main organisers of the event, Robbie Matthews and Pól Penrose.
IT IS A DIRE SITUATION IN IRELAND
This is just part of what women are facing in Ireland.
Mothers politely attempt through proper channels to express safeguarding concerns about a trans-extremist event targeting children in our locality. We are block/thwarted by the men
1— Jennifer Ultrapeasmuggling Kimmel 💚🤍💜 (@eyre_ann) July 20, 2023
She says she was referred to by event staff as a ‘fascist, bigot, a cockroach, and anti-gay’ although she insists her only wish was to inform the local community about the potential for child safeguarding risks due to the presence of Hewitt and ‘did not harass any individual’.
Speaking of the alleged response to her questions she said, “Any person or group with good intentions does not vilify parents, purposely mislead the public nor regard themselves as above reproach,” she said.
Gript contacted an Garda Síochana in relation to the alleged incident of Kimmel being reported for hate speech and receiving a garda visit but were told there was nothing on record matching our description of the alleged event.
We also contacted TENI asking for comment and advising them of our deadline, but at the time of publication we have not received a response. Should a response be received we will update this article.
Pobail Le Cheile said Kimmel contacted them and, “was advised by the chairperson on numerous occasions to put her concerns in writing so that they could be addressed at the upcoming Pobail Le Chéile board meeting” saying that the email which was “still not received.”
Gript put Kimmel’s claims that the meeting would have taken place after the event to Pobail Le Chéile and are awaiting a response.
Reduxx reported that self professed Catholic convert Tara Hewitt, who was previously the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, “requested that medical personnel ignore a guidance put forward by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) preserving single-sex spaces for women receiving health services.”
“Hewitt also branded the guidance by the EHRC as “transphobic” and urged his colleagues within the NHS to ignore its guidance,” it said.
Reduxx also reported that Hewitt’s sentiments were echoed by Trans NHS Staff Network, which shared the following text as a tweet.
“We urge all NHS Equality Teams to ignore this transphobic & hostile guidance from EHRC that is likely to be found unlawful at judicial review & continue to write & follow trans inclusive policies & guidance across your orgs … We need civic leaders to stand up for what’s right.” it said.
Kimmell says she wished to inquire what kind of issues would be discussed at the event and whether this would include cross-sex hormones for children with gender dysphoria.
She said the organiser of the event “couldn’t say what Tara would be talking about or if they would offer different approaches, not the medical pathway,” she said adding that he has simply “wrapped himself in a progress flag,” despite ‘not knowing what it means,’
“Nobody in Falcarragh really knows what a progress flag is,” she said, adding that most people believe it simply to be about ‘gay rights’.
She said the organisers of the event know that people are afraid to ask questions for fear of being labelled ‘homophobic’ but that her concerns are not related to gay people.