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Gamer raises $100,000 (and rising) for trans charity Mermaids by playing Donkey Kong non-stop

306 replies

FeministFrequencyFan · 20/01/2019 01:56

"Tens of thousands of pounds has been raised for transgender charity Mermaids, thanks to a Twitch streamer playing Donkey Kong 64 for an entire day.

HBomberGuy (Harry Brewis), a popular UK-based content creator who has more than 300,000 subscribers on YouTube, came up with an unlikely way to raise money for the embattled transgender children’s charity, which recently had part of its lottery funding suspended after a campaign from anti-trans activists."

www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/01/19/mermaids-trans-donkey-kong-twitch/

Thoughts?

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Katispancuddly · 20/01/2019 06:55

This does all make me think we should redouble our efforts to get the Transgender Trend booklets into the hands of our head teachers.

You know the material that was nominated for a prestigious science award.

They are producing hard copies right?

Katispancuddly · 20/01/2019 06:49

Read that they're a well respected charity? Where? Grin

Here in the UK our health service advocate a watchful waiting response to children with gender identity issues. This is based on the 60/80% of children who grow out of these feelings. The UK has seen a 4000% rise in teenage girls identifying as male. The government are concerned and I believe started an enquiry to uncover the reasons for this.
Mermaids advocates a early intervention medical pathway, hormone blockers, cross sex hormones, surgery.
ro will be along to link threads where the evidence for them saying that is, I'm sure. It's all here on mumsnet.

Concern for us parents is how to support long term gender disphoric children, without throwing the majority under a bus.

Also I have an issue with gender stereotypes, I don't believe behaviour that isn't sterotypical means you're "in the wrong body" (see mermaids training). I think it's just not being sterotypical (which is fine).

Lots of young people are very supportive of lobby groups on this issue (Mermaids being exactly that). Maybe they will be proved correct, or maybe we will look back in horror.

Knowing trans young people in real life, I'm deeply worried about the push to medicalise. I think it's an adult decision.

Original poster
FeministFrequencyFan · 20/01/2019 03:39

From what I know of Mermaids, they're pretty scary.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "scary things"? from what I've read they're a pretty well respected charity

I'm not sure I agree they're unlikely to survive considering they have just received a masssive outpouring of support in both a financial and non-financial sense.

OP posts:
Trumpdump · 20/01/2019 02:51

Yes, it's the gamers choice. We should respect his decision.

There are many charities whose message I disagree with, but they have the right to exist, just as my charities do.

From what I know of Mermaids, they're pretty scary. I don't think they'll survive much longer. They don't have the support of Mumsnet, the biggest parenting forum in the U.K., which is obviously a bad sign...

GinSoakedGina · 20/01/2019 02:39

I'd like to thank Graham Linehan for all the free publicity he gave the charity effort.

Hulo · 20/01/2019 02:19

Sad when you think how much money Mermaids gets from various sources compared to all the charities and organisations which are struggling and being shut down through cutbacks and withdrawal of funding. But it's his choice and those donating know where their money is going.