Mermaids trending on Twitter yet again ...

[MarieIVanArkleStinks]

This time in the context of JKR (qu'el surprise) and making reference to suicide statistics which, as yet, I've never seen recorded in any official capacity (and would be pleased to be directed to these if wrong). The implication is that JKR is personally responsible for some such suicides, as mentioned directly in a tweet from their CEO.

I'm slack-jawed that even Mermaids could sink this low.

twitter.com/search?q=Mermaids&src=trend_click&vertical=trends

For those without Twitter, the response from LGB Alliance is particularly pertinent. They write:

'We’re seething with anger at the attacks on @jkrowling. She’ll eventually be proved right in all she says, but meanwhile the vile accusations continue. The trans org @Mermaidsgender has the audacity to weaponise suicide in a desperate attempt to discredit her. Disgusting'.

I was absolutely gobsmacked by this. As a former Samaritans volunteer it made my blood run cold. I hope they get sued to hell and back.

Emotional blackmail.

Disgusting.

They're scum.

Vile.

If anyone is damaging children’s mental health it is the adults who seem to revel in telling children that everyone hates them, especially JK Rowling, and wants to ‘deny their existence’.

I hope she sues the shit out of them. Guess what, she’s got the cash to do it.
Hope she bankrupts them.

How are they managing to hide replies? I knew they had blocked half the world, and (as far as I can see) most sensible replies on most threads seem to end up in the "show more replies" section, but on that thread they are actually hiding individual replies.

If anyone is damaging children’s mental health it is the adults who seem to revel in telling children that everyone hates them, especially JK Rowling, and wants to ‘deny their existence’.

Exactly. And I feel like if this is the sort of stuff they do and say publicly, this sort of bizarre emotional manipulation, then what the fuck are they telling parents and children behind closed doors? These poor families.

@AlbusSirius

How are they managing to hide replies? I knew they had blocked half the world, and (as far as I can see) most sensible replies on most threads seem to end up in the "show more replies" section, but on that thread they are actually hiding individual replies.

I've just seen Scott Newgent (a trans man who is very vocally against the ideology) mention this!

Sinister. Don't want people to see the truth, eh Mermaids?

Can't wait for the day these parasites swim off for good.

The entire thread is a shitshow; a few supportive replies early on, then hundreds of critical comments. Very different from how things were a year ago!

Someone tweeted that it shows what they are frightened of, which is true.

I don't know why they jumped to the conclusion that JKR's statement was all about them. I took it to mean the whole system of organisations and followers and the people administering it that should be using all the checks and balances and safeguarding available to run properly. But they seem to be very keen to put the spotlight on themselves.

I wonder if at some point the samaritans are going to have to step in and comment on the guidance around how suicide should be discussed.

Back in the 90's one of the tabloids reported on a cluster of youth suicides. It was front page news with a headline something like "What aren't they telling us?". The local parents were obviously going out of their minds and didn't understand why no one was talking about it.

I can remember at the time my reaction was what on earth is going on. It caused quite a stir. The samaritans put out a statement explaining why the newspaper was wrong to report on it the way they did. It was the first time I heard about these guidelines and why they exist.

I don't blame ordinary people for repeating suicide statistics but a charity that supports vulnerable children should absolutely know better.

I think mermaids are reprehensible to make that post.

And I feel like if this is the sort of stuff they do and say publicly, this sort of bizarre emotional manipulation, then what the fuck are they telling parents and children behind closed doors?

Indeed.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4002016-A-Transchild-the-Tavistock-Mermaids-and-GenderGP

A nine-year-old came home from a Mermaids residential asking about GenderGP and Norman "I was salivating" Spack?!
It's hard to believe that this same organisation used to advocate watchful waiting.

I don't know why they jumped to the conclusion that JKR's statement was all about them.

Having read a number of mermaid's press releases, whoever writes them is absolutely sure that everything is all about them.

They're very paranoid. Wonder why that could be? 🤔

Janice Turner has responded.

Mermaids are really overplaying their hand now, aren't they. It's horrifying that a group this shameless have ever been in receipt of public funds.

Bollocks they support detransitioning or anything that doesn't follow their own retiring. Bag of shite, and obviously someone has thought instead of bullying and abuse, let's pretend we are a nice organisation........I really, really hope anyone with any sense sees through it.

Even I didn’t think they would be THIS stupid.
They basically exposed themselves as exactly how people said they operate all this time.

Hopefully JK will verbally burn them to the floor! fingers crossed

I would urge everyone to read the guidelines that the Samaritans have for media coverage of suicide. Mermaids violates at least three of them with this statement. I’d particularly urge those sympathetic to transactivism to read them and reflect if you think Mermaids offers the best support to you, your children or your friends. Demand that they do better, because this style of talking about suicidal ideation and suicidality is likely to cause an increase in suicides in trans identified young people.

Oversimplification of the causes or perceived ‘triggers’ for a suicide can be misleading. As mentioned in the previous section, the suggestion that a single circumstance or incident, such as bullying, job loss, relationship breakdown or a bereavement, was the cause increases the risk of contagion. Vulnerable people experiencing similar issues are more likely to over-identify with the deceased when a single reason is given

Don’t refer to a possible rise in suicides in a specific place or among a particular group as an ‘epidemic’, ‘spate’ or other similar term. Two or more people taking their own lives who, for example, share a similar background, age or live in a similar geographic area may be coincidence. Steer clear of implying a connection where there may be none. Evidence suggests that reference to clusters can lead to additional suicides

When talking to particularly vulnerable groups, for example children and young people, apply caution when quoting statistics. Bear in mind that while the statistics may be concerning, alarmist reports can have the effect of normalising or exaggerating the prevalence of suicide.

media.samaritans.org/documents/Media_Guidelines_FINAL_v2_TABa8C6.pdf

I’m just so fucking shocked by this.

Has anyone contacted the Samaritans?

I always assumed that SG was the founder of Mermaids, but I have just been reading an article about them in Third Sector and found this:

Green soon became involved in the organisation, then a support group of about 25 parents, later becoming a trustee.

In 2015, Green, then an IT manager at Leeds Citizens Advice Bureau, discovered Mermaids was answering less than 10 per cent of calls to its helpline.

Horrified, she started fundraising, initi­ally securing small grants to improve the helpline and demonstrate that the charity could handle money responsibly. Eventu­ally, a grant from Children in Need allowed her to become the chief executive at the beginning of 2016, working three days a week for four months.

"Allowed her"? There are very carefully written rules about charity trustees becoming paid employees (in almost every case the Charity Commission has to grant authority - see here: ogs.charitycommission.gov.uk/g515a009.aspx#:~:text=A%20serving%20trustee%20can%20only,the%20Commission%20or%20the%20court.)

Full article here: www.thirdsector.co.uk/pictures-child-catcher-posted-online/small-charities/article/1584904

@SophocIestheFox

I would urge everyone to read the guidelines that the Samaritans have for media coverage of suicide. Mermaids violates at least three of them with this statement. I’d particularly urge those sympathetic to transactivism to read them and reflect if you think Mermaids offers the best support to you, your children or your friends. Demand that they do better, because this style of talking about suicidal ideation and suicidality is likely to cause an increase in suicides in trans identified young people.

Oversimplification of the causes or perceived ‘triggers’ for a suicide can be misleading. As mentioned in the previous section, the suggestion that a single circumstance or incident, such as bullying, job loss, relationship breakdown or a bereavement, was the cause increases the risk of contagion. Vulnerable people experiencing similar issues are more likely to over-identify with the deceased when a single reason is given

Don’t refer to a possible rise in suicides in a specific place or among a particular group as an ‘epidemic’, ‘spate’ or other similar term. Two or more people taking their own lives who, for example, share a similar background, age or live in a similar geographic area may be coincidence. Steer clear of implying a connection where there may be none. Evidence suggests that reference to clusters can lead to additional suicides

When talking to particularly vulnerable groups, for example children and young people, apply caution when quoting statistics. Bear in mind that while the statistics may be concerning, alarmist reports can have the effect of normalising or exaggerating the prevalence of suicide.

media.samaritans.org/documents/Media_Guidelines_FINAL_v2_TABa8C6.pdf

I’m just so fucking shocked by this.

Those guidelines are more specific and comprehensive than I thought, Sophocles.

And you're right, Mermaids are in direct breach and furthering the likelihood of child suicide by the Samaritans own experience.

It's utterly shocking that they are this irresponsible. It's not as though the guidelines haven't been pointed out to them time after time.

What on earth are they thinking?

I have emailed the Samaritans asking them condemn mermaids statement.

It's despicable, especially against the backdrop of such reason and sense from JKR.

The one thing it does make me think is that they are so very much on the back foot now that they are panicking. This isn't a piece written with thought or with consequences in mind. If they are plummeting so fast into self sabotage then it's only going to get worse once the court cases start.

If suicidal feelings are as big a risk among gender dysphoria children and young people as Mermaids keeps saying, then surely they would be completely conversant with the Samaratins guidelines?

The Samaritans will be woke though, and "the woke" can't criticize Mermaids.