Man believes he was wrong to change his gender

A man who was transitioning to become a woman, has had surgery to reverse the first of a series of planned operations to change his sex.

Joshua McParland, from Belfast, said he now believes it was wrong to try to change his gender and that he had been "running away" from problems in his life.

The 23-year-old from Belfast said he had been questioning his sex from a very young age, but now believes he was wrong to try and change his gender.

In December, Stormont introduced an indefinite ban on the supply of puberty blockers to under-18s.

Puberty blockers work by suppressing the release of hormones and can be prescribed to children questioning their gender.

Joshua was 17 when he began taking hormones to help his transition.

"Through primary school people would mistake me for a girl, because I had a high pitched voice and I had long hair," he told Good Morning Ulster.

"So that's where the confusion of my identity sort of happened… because I looked so feminine.

"You're like a sponge as a child, absorbing people's opinions."

In January 2024 he travelled to Turkey for breast implants.

He said he changed his mind about going ahead with any further surgeries after becoming a Christian and just ahead of surgery to change his genitals.

"That was my first time that I was ever honest with myself, that I actually wasn't a woman," insists Joshua.

"I was also giving up a future, with a family and kids.

"You are literally mutilating God's creation.

"It's so wrong. That's my view."

The Rainbow Project, an LGBT campaign group in Northern Ireland, said: "Everyone deserves the space and time to figure out who they are.

"And should be provided with all the support they need to do so."

When asked if he was concerned that many members of the trans community would take offence with his opinions, Joshua insisted he was entitled to his opinion.

"I've already walked in their shoes," he told Good Morning Ulster.

"I've been down that path, and now I'm walking a new life with Jesus."

In February he had surgery to remove his breast implants and has stopped taking hormones.

As a teenager Joshua said he put pressure on his mother to allow him to go ahead with procedures to change his gender.

She has also supported him through the process of reversing the changes he had made to his body.

"As a mother she just wanted to love me," Joshua said.

"I think as a teenager, you think you know it all, and you really don't.

"I was partying… I was doing drugs… I was just doing crazy stuff."

On its website the Rainbow Project makes clear that how people approach the issue of transition is a personal subject.

They say: "Some people decide that medical transition is the best thing for them – for others, it isn't a necessary part of the process.

"It all depends on how you feel about yourself and your body: only you can make the decision that is right for your life."

They also point out that it can be quite difficult accessing transgender healthcare in Northern Ireland.

Ash Jones, who is a Green Party representative in Belfast and a trans woman, claims it is becoming more difficult for members of the trans community to access health care.

And she argues that public debates about trans athletes and access to spaces like changing rooms has had a negative impact.

"I came out about eight years ago and honestly it is a much harder place to be trans now than it was then," she told Good Morning Ulster.

"We may be more visible but that visibility hasn't brought any real tangible benefits in terms of acceptance.

"In fact in terms of waiting lists it's so much worse than it used to be."

She added she is a "much happier person" after transitioning.

"Honestly, transitioning was probably life-saving for me given the mental anguish I was experiencing."

Northern Ireland's regional gender identity service in Belfast provides care and treatment to adults who are assessed as having gender dysphoria.

People who use it can also access other services such as hormone treatment and mental health services, but those approved for gender reassignment must travel outside Northern Ireland because there is no surgical service here.

Children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria can avail of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Knowing Our Identity Service which has a small number of staff with specialised skills.

Once a young person reaches the age of 17 and a half, arrangements can be made for them to move into adult services.

However, there are long waiting times for assessment and treatment in adult services. The regional gender identity service in NI is currently seeing people referred to them in October 2017.

The move to ban puberty blockers came after a report into children's gender services - the Cass Review - said there were "gaps in evidence" around the drugs.

If you are impacted by any of the issues in this article details of help and support are available on the BBC Action Line.