This is what Helen from Mermaids writes about MN feminist posters

I stay away from them, Helen seems to be very keen to have lots of others do exactly what she did to her child, (sex change abroad at 16) I guess that makes it "feel" like the right thing, rather than being child abuse.

I have met someone who works with their organisation, and I don't know if this person's views represent etc, but this idiot was frothing about how AGP is a myth, that it is made up by Blanchard and promoted by bigots, that no men dress for sexy feels, and even if they say and think they do, it is because they don't understand their own minds.

I replied that clearly she and I go to very different parties. I was quite proud of that!

Jesus Christ. From that article about Susie Green's son:

"Some might query whether Susie, who was always a very open-minded mother, did enough to discourage Jack from playing with girls’ toys and wearing feminine clothes – both signs displayed from the age of three. Did she really try to intervene enough?"

Why are these people so bloody stupid? She could have just told him it was fine for a boy to play with 'girls' toys' and wear 'feminine clothing', but no, she had to go and get him bu...operated on abroad. That is horrible. That poor child.

Does anyone know whether Mermaids acknowledge autogynephilia?

bird. Do you know?

Whats this? Helen from Mermaids is spouting inaccurate info based upon regressive notions of gender stereotypes?

Only EVERYDAY!

What surgical or drug based intervention does she suggest will cure us, of our non box fitting failings?

I don’t know, I got stuck at child wanting to play with dolls and be a girl - the issues is the rigid enforcing of gendered stereotypes not the sex of the child, I would have thought. But I need to read the article properly.

I've read the article linked above re the child who had surgery at 16. Do I agree with surgery at such a young age? No. However, I can well imagine the fear you would have as a parent if your child has tried to harm themselves on a number of occasions and was persistent for a number of years in terms of how they felt/how they wanted to present to the world.

I can see how you'd be scared enough to want to do what you could to help them. Where I'd diverge is in terms of the action that was ultimately taken, as I feel the child was far too young for such a drastic step.

The difference, though, is that Kids Co was primarily a financial scandal

Mostly, yes. But Camilla Whatsit did go about promoting that dodgy study that said the children of black mothers had brains damaged by abuse or something. I'd have to look it up but I remember the Grauniad journos all lapping it up.

When Mermaids goes down, it will be a much bigger scandal than Kids Company. I truly believe that.

oh is that true about kids co? that's sad if so. i have professionally come across a lot of their workers who clearly did amazing and vital stuff and whose criticism of the charity was more down the line of it being disorganised?

Mermaids will surely go the same way as Kids Company and implode on itself when everyone realises what a sham they are.

The difference, though, is that Kids Co was primarily a financial scandal (and I don't doubt that some kids did have better outcomes as a result of the work that they did), whereas Mermaids will have blood on their hands as the teenagers that they are advocating sterilising now become adults and realise what they have given up

pisacake it's almost like it's a competition to be the youngest! I wonder if that's why Susie Green booked her child's operation in on his 16th birthday - to ensure his place in the record books. If so, that is really sick.

Compare this with the difficulty that adult women face if they ask to be sterilised or to go on HRT.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1135724/From-Tim-Kim-German-pop-star-16-worlds-youngest-transsexual-sex-change-op.html

They sterilised a child IN Germany at 16

www.thedailybeast.com/the-transgender-pop-star-working-with-dr-luke

Fairyflaps This is the most appalling case of child abuse I can think of. Age 16, sterile and dependent on strong drugs for the rest of their life. I could weep. What child at 14, 15, 16 can possibly understand all the long term ramifications of this? I hope in time some of these kids sue mermaids and their reckless, irresponsible parents.

DarthArts you are correct about Mermaids CEO. It's all in the public sphere about her taking her son to Thailand for surgery on his 16th birthday.

But it's not just the Mermaids CEO who has 'skin in the game', it's all the other authorities working with her family who failed in their safeguarding duty to this child, by failing to take action to prevent it happening. I imagine this will include Leeds Social Services, and Education Authority and West Yorkshire Police.

When this blows up, it's going to be big, and a lot of people are going to have to answer for themselves. I expect Mermaids will be the first scapegoat. It's a shame in a way, as there is a need for a support group for parents of gender questioning or dysphoric children, which is what Mermaids used to be.

swivel

I do love me some marks and spencer

I tell myself its because the waitrose is just too far away

Am I the only one who thinks of zoolander? IT'S MERMAN, MERMAAAN.

Here's something odd, I was in Rome a couple of weekends ago, and the Mermen on the fountain I was looking at had 2 tails.

Then I remembered the Starbucks mermaid has 2 tails.

What's with that then? Why do some have 2, but most now-adays have 1?

seafood

I think about the merman in cabin in the woods ...scary!!

grin its funny cos its true

Ah, well, I'm clearly riff raff then, because I live for those little layered microwave pots of julienned vegetables. I've tried to do the same, it seems simple, but they're never as good.

*cage obviously
Dread to think what a Mermaids cafe would be like though.

They don’t like educated women in particular as they can point out the glaring inconsistencies in their arguments.
She’s calling MN radical when their leader took her son to Thailand to be castrated?
Wow. Well clearly their cafe is rattled so that’s good.

Am I the only one who thinks of zoolander? IT'S MERMAN, MERMAAAN.

Thankfully more and more people are beginning to see Mermaids for exactly what they are. I don't think it's going to be too long before there is litigation to sort this out and I see that being the demise of those people.

I think a big part of the problem with Mermaids is that's it's own vast echo chamber.

It's run by people who have a huge amount of skin in the game wrt to "proving" that transition is the only legitimate response to a child questioning their gender. Their CEO took her child abroad for surgery at 16 I believe.

As such they surround themselves with "experts" who validate that approach (and I would expect make a good living living from doing so).

They have to support the brain/body theory or for many people associated with Mermaid the alternative is a very stark admission they they've (certainly in some cases and possibly in others) been complicit in setting their children and those of other parents up for a lifetime of medical intervention and health problems.

That's the best case scenario, for children who remain bought into their transition. For those that later desist, god knows what the outcome will be.

It's appalling that an organisation that's so transparently prejudiced towards an approach that's not backed by proper research (and utterly rejects new legitimate research that undermines its claims/statistics/ethos) has the profile it does.

Brilliant. Our faint drum is obviously getting louder.

@dullandold

How old was the child? Were any lobbying orgs involved,