The Safeguarding Files - Speakers
Annaïg Birdy and Seán Atkinson
Annaïg Birdy is the President of Not All Gays, a growing international LGB rights organisation founded in Ireland. As a lesbian, Annaïg has been a key voice in advocating for the distinct rights of same-sex attracted people, for women’s sex-based rights, and for child safeguarding. She brings a fierce commitment to ensuring that LGB people can define themselves without ideological coercion.
Seán Atkinson is the Co-President of Not All Gays. As a gay man, Sean works to defend the distinct reality of same-sex attraction amidst rising ideological pressures. He is a dedicated advocate for free speech, child safeguarding, and preserving the dignity and safety of LGB people in Ireland and beyond.
Both Sean and Annaïg are former attendees of BeLonG To youth groups—and it was their first-hand experiences within those spaces, and the growing influence of BeLonG To in Irish schools, that led them to found Not All Gays in 2023. What they witnessed—children being funnelled toward social transition, critical thinking being discouraged, and fear used as a tool in place of real support—shaped their determination to speak out.
In this panel, they’ll examine how education policies, youth organisations, and healthcare systems have created a perfect storm for vulnerable children—especially LGB youth—to be swept along a path toward medicalisation. With the Cass Report now shedding international light on these practices, this discussion will ask: what needs to change, and how do we protect the next generation?
Iseult White
Iseult White is a writer, feminist, and psychotherapist known for her commitment to freedom of expression and advocacy for women, gender non-normative, and same-sex attracted people. She is a contributor to the Sunday Times bestseller The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht, a collection of essays from women who have spoken out for sex-based rights, often at significant personal cost.
Iseult brings clarity of thought, compassion, a sense of humor, and deeply held principles to her activism. Her work is characterized by a willingness to create space for difficult conversations and a genuine openness to listening to all perspectives.
As a psychotherapist and management consultant, she draws on extensive experience in leadership, organizational development, and mental health in her work. Central to Iseult's philosophy is the belief that when women say no, that boundary must be respected. She is dedicated to fostering environments where women's voices, particularly lesbian and bisexual women, are heard and their autonomy is upheld.
Iseult will speak on The Safeguarding Files panel, bringing her expertise as a psychotherapist to bear on the urgent need to prioritise the wellbeing of young people in a culture increasingly hostile to clear safeguarding principles.