Writing & Commentary by Sorcha Rosa
Welcome to the Writing & Commentary archive on Simply Sorcha.
This is where I publish long-form analysis, investigative research, opinion pieces and personal reflections on the issues shaping Ireland today. My work focuses on intersex rights, transgender equality, LGBTQ+ politics, feminism, disability, healthcare, sport, and the growing influence of organised anti-rights movements.
Drawing on lived experience alongside years of advocacy, coaching, public speaking and policy engagement, I examine both the headlines and the structures behind them. Many articles explore how legislation, media narratives, political organisations and public institutions affect marginalised communities, particularly intersex and transgender people.
Alongside political commentary, I also write about cycling, activism, public life, sex work, culture and the realities of living openly as an intersex trans woman in Ireland.
Whether analysing parliamentary debates, investigating campaign organisations, documenting community events or sharing personal experiences, the aim remains the same: evidence-led writing that challenges assumptions and encourages informed discussion.
New articles are published regularly.
-
The Curious Rise of Róisín Michaux
Róisín Michaux emerged rapidly in 2022 as a prominent gender-critical commentator. This article examines the chronology of her rise, the limited public record before 2022, her links to Irish and international gender-critical networks, her writing on transgender and intersex people, and the political campaign that has come to define her public identity.
-
How Graham Linehan Allowed Hatred to Define His Legacy
Graham Linehan was once one of Britain’s most celebrated comedy writers. Today, his public identity is increasingly shaped not by Father Ted or The IT Crowd, but by years of anti-trans campaigning, online outrage and legal controversy. This opinion article examines how one of comedy’s most successful writers became defined by hostility towards transgender people…
-
Bullying Victim to Bully: How Niall Boylan Built a Career Targeting Trans People
Niall Boylan frequently claims to be asking difficult questions, yet his public output reveals a consistent pattern: transgender people, particularly trans women, have become the focus of an increasingly relentless campaign. This opinion piece examines how his broadcasting, social media and political ambitions have converged around one of Ireland’s smallest and most vulnerable minorities.
-
Trans Healthcare in Ireland: A Socialist Feminist Perspective
Ireland’s transgender healthcare system is failing the very people it is meant to serve. With waiting lists stretching for years, psychiatric gatekeeping, and increasing numbers of people forced into DIY healthcare, this article argues that the crisis is political rather than clinical. From a socialist feminist perspective, Sorcha Ní Fhaoláin examines why informed consent, public…
-
Philip Dwyer: A Career Built on Hating Trans People.
Philip Dwyer has built his public profile around confrontation, outrage and anti-trans campaigning. This investigation examines his rhetoric, his political alliances, his claim to be a citizen journalist, and how transgender people have become the central target of his public identity.
-
Using the Memory of Murdered Gay Men to Attack Trans People
Ken O’Flynn’s Pride Month speech claimed to defend gay people while attacking transgender inclusion. This article examines the rhetoric, the political strategy behind it, and why using the memory of murdered gay men to divide the LGBTQ+ community should concern everyone.
-
Ireland May Finally Recognise Non-Binary and Intersex People
Eleven years after the Gender Recognition Act became law, Ireland may finally be taking steps to recognise non-binary and intersex people. Sorcha Rosa examines Ruth Coppinger’s proposed legislation, what it achieves, what remains missing, and why this moment matters for equality and human rights.
-
The Countess Guide to Excluding Children
The Countess presents its latest schools guide as a resource for parents. A closer examination reveals a culture-war blueprint aimed at trans children, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and modern education in Irish schools.
-
We Have Never Been Silent: Speaking on Intersex Healthcare and Human Rights at RCSI
At LGBT Ireland’s Silent Letters conference in RCSI, I spoke about intersex healthcare, human rights, bodily autonomy, and the consequences of invisibility. Intersex people have never been silent. The question is whether our institutions are finally ready to listen.
-
The Network Behind Women’s Space Ireland
Women’s Space Ireland presents itself as a collective voice, yet remarkably little is publicly disclosed about its internal structure or leadership. This investigation examines Jill Nesbitt, recurring contributors, overlapping organisations and the wider ecosystem shaping Ireland’s gender-critical movement.