National Autistic Society and Mermaids [Title edited by MNHQ]

[GColdtimer]

My friend just posted this on Facebook this morning. She isn't on MN so I have her permission to share. She would really like more people, especially people with ASD or who have children with ASD, to write to NAS thanking them for their willingness to listen and their agreement that Mermaids is not reputable.

This is really great news so please can we keep this bumped and shared. Thank you.

If posters on the SEN board would like to share that would also be great (if appropriate).

Dear XXXX ,

Thank you for your feedback regarding the Gender and autism page on our website.

I’m writing to let you know that I’ve raised your concerns regarding Mermaids UK, one of the organisations we link to on our Gender and autism page, with a number of teams within the National Autistic Society. In light of the concerns raised in your message, and of other feedback that we have received, we have decided to remove all links to Mermaids UK from our website, while we take the time to consult with relevant professionals and to reconsider which organisations we wish to place links to on our website.

As such, our Web Team are working to remove all links to Mermaids UK from our website as soon as possible. Please do be aware, however, that, as we are currently in the process of updating our website to reflect our new branding and organisational identity, it may take a few days for this to be actioned.

Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and I hope that you are satisfied with the actions we are taking in light of the concerns that you have raised.

Kind regards,

National Autistic Society

[Edited by MNHQ to remove personal info]

@Spirituallove

You have consistently and deliberately refused to read what is actually being written on this thread. You are responsing to what you have decided is being said!

This is a quote from the Mermaids website:

When you are born a doctor will assign you a gender, either "male" or "female" based on the appearance of your genitalia. Gender dysphoria is when your gender identity differs from the one which was assigned to you at birth.

And that is the starting point for all their advice....

But that statement is bollocks. There is no medical, biological or scientific definition of 'gender'. Mermaids have decided to erase the word sex. And from there on you know you are dealing with an organisation that has no evidenced basis for their advice. It is entirely based on opinion, belief and feeling.

What is terrifying is that this organisation, with no scientific basis, is spouting opinion as fact and directing young people towards irreversible physical and medical intervention. Why does that not worry you Spirituallove?

Unquestioning acceptance of your child's sexual orientation, or personality and outward presentation has absolutely no risk attached to it. It allows that young person to explore and challenge themselves. And there is absolutely no inherent danger associated with that support because that young person has a lifetime ahead to develop and change.

Unquestioning support of a child saying they are "trans" carries massive risks if you follow the mermaids mythology, because it can lead to that young person being physically changed, their bodies permanently altered and their fertility ended. In what other aspect of life would this be seen as good parenting????

Can you imagine the reaction if a parent simply accepted that their child knew what body weight was best for them, and allowed their child to restrict their food intake to achieve emaciation? Or the parents of a child who got emotional release from cutting, simply bought razor blades and didn't seek advice?

The Tavistock clinic does not advise this approach and other organisations offer support in line with the Tavistock approach.

Questioning the approach of Mermaids and challenging a completely unscientific ideology does not make anyone transphobic.

I will say again, autistic people (adults and teens) are telling you that autistic young people are particularly vulnerable to this ideology. And all teenagers are susceptible to social contagion. To ignore these issues is highly irresponsible and bringing them into the debate is NOT being transphobic.

I’m sick of these people. Truly sick of them. Even autistic kids they have to target. Wtaf is wrong with them??

Just look on twitter at THEASHLEYG there are plenty out there. You saying Mermaid is best interest to children like one of mine who is Autistic.

YeTalkin start contacting everyone in any support groups Facebook, here, anywhere. People who are already members of NAS will have more of a voice than those who just join up if you know what I mean.

Say nothing on here, take in underground because we know that they stalk MN and can’t come up with their own ideas.

Spirituallove

Your tone in that post about the letter writer panicing but now they should be accepting is a whole lot like that "Women in diapers is the new world order" poster. saying the same thing about nappies.

And before anyone starts quoting the suicide risks if you don't unquestioningly support or give you the "better a happy boy than a dead girl" line please read this:

www.transgendertrend.com/a-scientist-reviews-transgender-suicide-stats/

And also remember that the leading cause of premature death for autistic people is suicide. And burdening the autistic with rubbish about gender will not help that one bit

Thanks MrBirkings for posting link.

I’m not engaging anymore with the ‘cult’ trying to defend position as that’s what they want. Focusing on spreading the correct knowledge contacting the people who this affects.

I've emailed the link to my probably autistic, gender fluid adult child. This is shocking.

The NAS have an AGM if anyone is interested. I cant go due to chronic illness - AGM at the Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Rd London NW1 2BE on Saturday 24 November 12.45-4.30pm.

The Wellcome Collection?

That place that is doing a talk about 'womxn' (not a spelling mistake).

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3386022-What-s-your-definition-of-womxn

The Wellcome Collection being a part of The Wellcome Trust.

The Wellcome Trust is a biomedical research charity based in London, United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Sir Henry Wellcome to fund research to improve human and animal health. The aim of the Trust is to "achieve extraordinary improvements in health by supporting the brightest minds", and in addition to funding biomedical research it supports the public understanding of science. It has an endowment of £23.2 billion (2017) making it the second wealthiest charitable foundation in the world, after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Trust has been described by the Financial Times as the United Kingdom's largest provider of non-governmental funding for scientific research and one of the largest providers in the world.

I'm slightly about why there is a need to debate the meaning of the made up word womxn in the context of improving health - not when women's health is compromised because research on how conditions affect women and men present differently in the first place. Ideology plays a huge role in being a barrier to women's health and there is a lack of political will to support the advancement of women's health.

@ R0wantrees

Wellcome Collection is a great place, near to Euston Station
Good cafe and interesting exhibits.

Facinating history too.

The womxn thing is bonkers.

No they didnt decide Mermaids should stay, they decided to keep up the link pending further investigation. They havent made their decision yet. Its the equivalent of giving them bail pending a court hearing

I thought about it and decided to send them a small donation with a message thanking them for examining Mermaids and the possible risks they pose towards ND children.

I'm going to trust them to look into the facts and make the correct decision.

Keep talking to NAS.

They have apologised for not following their own rules and procedures, that’s all.

They’ll still investigate.

If the NAS subsequently decide there is no issue at all with a charity that pushes gender unquestioningly, and doesn’t do due diligence on the stats and facts, I will be surprised and tremendously disappointed.

But we should allow them the space to decide.

Agreed NoSquirrels.

To be honest while they're still linking to Stonewall it's almost pointless anyway, since they've decided who counts.

Stonewall are, ironically, the bad guys who've made this all happen.

I guess that's what happens though when you make a human fallible charity the one who has all the authority on sexuality and gender.

I really do not understand what the problem is with a link being on their website. Or why there is such a fuss in them putting it back up. It is not as though Mermaids would be an integral part of the charity. The fact is that there are human beings who do not identify with the gender they were born into. Many of these people need support, and that should not exclude people who happen to be autistic. If there are nefarious criminal activities linked directly to the charity then that should be investigated, fully, by the CPS, but that has not surfaced, and until it does and remains an officially registered charity then there should be no issue with the NAS including the link. Unless there are other motives for persons to have it removed, and they would be more personal.

I really do not understand what the problem is with a link being on their website. Or why there is such a fuss in them putting it back up

Then maybe this isn't the thread for you?

that there are human beings who do not identify with the gender they were born into.
Have you been to the website, there are other links to other trans charities.

Nobody is born into a gender. Societies make genders. Mainly to benefit men.

If there are nefarious criminal activities linked directly to the charity then that should be investigated, fully, by the CPS, but that has not surfaced

Yes they have surfaced. you know this, it's mentioned many many times in this thread. Mermaids sent people to Dr Helen Webberley, as you know becuase it's all over the thread. They do not act in the best interest of children.

Anyway, you are not even based in the UK are you?

This is nothing to do with you, you have no connection to it.

I really do not understand what the problem is with a link being on their website. Or why there is such a fuss in them putting it back up. It is not as though Mermaids would be an integral part of the charity. The fact is that there are human beings who do not identify with the gender they were born into. Many of these people need support, and that should not exclude people who happen to be autistic. If there are nefarious criminal activities linked directly to the charity then that should be investigated, fully, by the CPS, but that has not surfaced, and until it does and remains an officially registered charity then there should be no issue with the NAS including the link. Unless there are other motives for persons to have it removed, and they would be more personal.

Duty of care.

Someone said up thread that mermaids say that transitioning cures autism. Do they really say that? If so, does anyone have a link to proof. I've been googling but can't find anything.

The fact is that there are human beings who do not identify with the gender they were born into.

Can you explain what you mean by this sentence? I'm having trouble working out what it means to 'identify with a gender' and why that should be of any importance.