A WOMEN'S Rights Network Northern Ireland event set to take place as part of Féile an Phobail has been cancelled after organisers claimed it would "promote campaigns against rights for the Transgender community".
The event – Respect, Rights and Reality – had been due to take place as part of this year's programme.
On Tuesday, organisers confirmed it had been withdrawn.
In a statement, Féile an Phobail said: "An event application was submitted to this year's Féile programme by a group called the Women's Rights Network.
"Féile an Phobail was unaware from the initial submission that this event would promote campaigns against rights for the Transgender community.
"Féile an Phobail takes pride in standing up for those who are marginalised and attacked.
"Féile was founded in 1988 at a time when the community of West Belfast was being attacked and demonised and as a positive response to that demonisation.
"In recent years, Féile has organised discussion events with the Transgender community, providing a platform to raise issues of pressing concern, and we fully support the right of the Transgender community to be treated with equality and respect.
"On that basis, Féile an Phobail has informed the organiser of this event that we are withdrawing their event.
"This event is no longer part of the Féile programme."
In response, Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland said they were "shocked and deeply disappointed" that Féile an Phobail cancelled the event.
"Our event was a discussion on women’s sex-based rights. That was made clear to Féile when our application was submitted," they said.
"This decision follows an organised online campaign against the event. That campaign included misogynistic, abusive and, in our view, threatening rhetoric directed at women associated with it. No organisation that values free speech should allow intimidation to determine which voices are heard.
"Féile describes itself as a festival of the people, of ideas, culture and debate. We therefore have to ask whether its commitment to free speech extends only to viewpoints with which it agrees and only to some people.
"Through this event women have sought to discuss their own rights. Feile has chosen to silence the voices of the very group that makes up half the population. Women are not a fringe interest group. We are half the population.
"Women advocating for their sex-based rights are not campaigning against the rights of others. We reject any attempt to misrepresent either our organisation or the purpose of this event.
"We remain committed to ensuring this important discussion takes place. This decision will not silence women."
The controversial gender critical commentator and bestselling author JK Rowling has promised to provide support funding for any legal challenge to the Féile decision.
