Owen Exie Hurcum

I’m not going to talk here about why the Welsh Gender Service’s decision to suspend gender affirming surgeries and new referrals on the NHS in Wales is fucking bullshit as others have already done just that (e.g. Trans Aid Cymru’s statement or QueerAF’s article). Instead, I’m going to focus on what this means for Plaid Cymru’s Welsh Government – a government elected on a mandate of trans equality.

Before getting into the weeds of this blog post, I think it is only fair to say I have a history with Plaid Cymru and its stance on trans issues. In 2021, whilst I was the deputy Mayor of Bangor and Plaid’s first ever openly non-binary Senedd candidate, I resigned from the party because of transphobia. Which is why, as a former fierce critic of the party, you should understand that what I am about to say next is not some party-political bias or line.

Since leaving the party Plaid have acted on the concerns I, and others, raised. They have addressed many of their structural anti-trans issues and even produced arguably the most trans inclusive manifesto of the 2026 Senedd elections (along with the Green Party). These manifesto pledges included introducing Gender Self-ID and a not so veiled critique of the Cass review with their pledge to “Support the development of the Welsh Gender Service in line with best international practice, ensuring that people – including young people – can access appropriate and timely care in Wales”. I know that because of these manifesto pledges many trans people in Wales were proud to vote for the party in May of this year.

And those that did should not immediately feel betrayed by Plaid Cymru and this Welsh Government. It wasn’t Plaid who introduced this dangerous ban on gender affirming surgeries in Wales two days ago. That decision was taken by the Cardiff and Wales University Health Board (who run the Welsh Gender Service) independently as day-to-day operation of the NHS in Wales is generally left to the various health boards in the country.

However, this does not absolve Plaid Cymru of their manifesto commitments to trans equality moving forward. The Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, currently Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor, does have powers related to the NHS in Wales. This includes powers over oversight, strategy, health protection, primary care, patient experience, etc… This means that, whilst Plaid didn’t introduce the ban, it is within the competency (powers) of this Plaid Cymru Welsh Government to direct the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to overturn their prohibition on gender affirming surgeries.

So, the question is now will Plaid Cymru stand by us, stand by their manifesto pledges, in the coming weeks and use the powers entrusted to them by the electorate to protect trans rights? It cannot be argued that the pause on surgeries is anything other than one directly opposed to their manifesto pledge to “Support the development of the Welsh Gender Service in line with best international practice”. They have the democratic mandate to intervene by citing this part of their manifesto – and they have the moral duty to do so too.

I still have several contacts in Plaid Cymru, across all levels of the party, from when I used to be a member. Once I learned of the health board’s decision I immediately spent the morning (as I was getting ready for a wedding of all things) sending texts and emails to them. I have been told that my outrage and anger is shared, and that they will be meeting with trans people across Wales to hear about the impact of this ban and feed these directly to Mabon as the health minister – something later announced in a statement by Matthew Jones AS/MS on Plaid Cymru’s Instagram. These words come from people in the party I trust, who earned that trust due to their role in making the 2026 manifesto trans inclusive, and I hope that this trust will prove well placed now.

Saying this, I don’t expect Plaid Cymru to force the health board to reverse their decision next week (though I’d more than happily be proved wrong here). But I do expect – or should I say demand – that Plaid Cymru and Mabon ap Gwynfor act quickly and act transparently. Every day that the prohibition remains in place is a day of elevated danger to trans people in Wales.

Coming from Bangor, the Penrhyn Quarry strike of 1900-1903 lives long in cultural memory (stick with me here). I know of houses in the city which still proudly display replica “Nid oes Bradwr yn y ty hwn” (‘there is no traitor in this house’) signs displayed by the striking miners over 100 years ago. As I was digesting the news of the surgery suspension and how Plaid would react, it was this sign that appeared in my head. Will Plaid Cymru prove to be traitors ‘yn y ty hwn’ (or rather ‘yn y Siambr hwn’), or not?

That decision lays before them. It is the first trial of their trans inclusive manifesto pledges, and it will be a defining moment in the lives of trans people in Wales. As for what we can do, if you live in Wales contact your local Plaid Cymru member of the Senedd – there is at least one in every constituency. If you live outside of Wales, you can still send emails too. I’d recommend in this instance contacting Mabon directly in his capacity as Minister for Health and Care. We cannot let this latest step in our genocide go unchallenged – and we cannot let this Plaid Cymru government rest until they do what they pledged. Dim Bradwyr Yma? I’d like to think so.