Mermaids vs LGB Alliance and Charity Commissioner - First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chameber) Thread 2

[nauticant]

The Tribunal started on 9 September, witness testimony started on 12 September.

There is also live tweeting from twitter.com/tribunaltweets.

To obtain access to view the proceedings, send a request email to [email protected] about case CA/2021/0013 - Mermaids vs Charity Commissioner and LGB Alliance and ask for permission to join. You then have to provide certain information and agree to a judge's direction in order to be able to join.

Abbreviations:

J or judge: Presiding Judge, Judge Lynn Griffin
AJ or Judge: Assisted by Judge Joe Neville
MG: Mermaids counsel is Michael Gibbon KC
KM: LGB Alliance counsel is Karon Monaghan KC
AR: Karon is assisted by Akua Reindorf
IS: Charity Commission counsel is Iain Steele

Thread 1: www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4629679-mermaids-versus-lgb-alliance-in-court-today
Thread 2: ongoing

Witnesses for the applicant (Mermaids):

Paul Roberts - CEO of LGBT Consortium (12 September)
John Nicolson MP - Deputy Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global LGBT+ Rights (13 September)
Dr Belinda Bell - Chair of trustees of Mermaids (?? September)

Witnesses for the respondent (LGB Alliance):

Beverley Jackson - Co-founder and trustee of LGB Alliance (?? September)
Kate Harris - Co-founder and trustee of LGB Alliance (?? September)
Eileen Gallagher OBE - Chair of trustees of LGB Alliance (?? September)

Witness Statements:

Paul Roberts: lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Paul-Roberts-Witness-Statement-Exhibits.pdf
John Nicolson MP - Not yet available
Dr Belinda Bell: Not yet available
Beverley Jackson: Not yet available
Kate Harris: Not yet available
Eileen Gallagher: Not yet available

Submissions:

lgballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Volume-4-Submissions-CA.2021.0013.pdf

(Header format follows the gold standard established by @ickky)

Is 'intersectional' on the bingo card? I think she might say this an awful lot.

She sounds defensive already...

www.csap.cam.ac.uk/network/belinda-bell/

It looks like her neck problem has improved.

Bell is a social entrepreneur expert, and has a transgender child

From Mermaids: mermaidsuk.org.uk/staff-and-trustees/

DR BELINDA BELL
CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

She/Her

Belinda is passionate about supporting fellow social entrepreneurs to develop and scale their ventures to help make the world a better place. She designs and runs programmes giving entrepreneurs the skills and knowledge they need to have the impact they seek. She has established a range of social enterprises herself including those focusing on finance, ageing and young people. Belinda also teaches Social Innovation to Masters students and on various academic programmes at Cambridge Judge Business School. Belinda holds a professional Doctorate by public works, a Masters Degree in Community Enterprise and a Batchelors degree in Social Anthropology. She is the parent of three young adults, one of whom is transgender.

Belinda bell

this will be fascinating from a charity nerd pov - the trustees oversee the direction & policy of the charity & hold the ceo to account.

she ‘should’ be really on top of her stuff

lets see

Wow

I'm not sure if they come out of the womb with a sex. FFS

Jaw on floor already. Witness not sure babies come out of their mother with a sex

BB: "I'm not sure that children come out of the womb with a sex"

Oh dear..,..🤪🤪🤪

How much do official transcripts cost? I would love one to read, this is just so bonkers.

she ‘should’ be really on top of her stuff

BB: "I'm not sure that children come out of the womb with a sex"

Looks like I chose the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

Complicated! Bingo

And don't forget "intersex"...

'They don't come out of the womb with a sex'

KM: you are born with a sex, characteristics
BB: If you want to reduce sex to penis or vagina --- but intersex
KM: Intersex are a minute number
BB: I don't have the numbers but I disagree. They are minimised though.
BB: It's complicated.

Surely it goes without saying. They always trot out intersex despite the intersex community asking them not to be included.

Cass review - ask her if she has read it

god how have ppl with a DSD not burnt down everything by now!!

it doesn’t matter how often they ask to be left out if this nonsense, they’re dragged in as a gotcha & with an outdated offensive term

snort

😂😂😂

god how have ppl with a DSD not burnt down everything by now!!

They just don't have the numbers to do it.

KM: The Cass Review. This is your field.
BB: Not a medical doctor. The Cass Review is not Mermaids field. We don't do/give advice on medical stuff.
KM: You support children with gen id issues. Some of those will go to Gids and start on medical pathway. Mermaids will have informed yourselves what that medical pathway is and how to support children and families.
BB: Yes, but understand that we are not medical people.

BB - just to be absolutely clear, I am not a medical doctor.
KM - obviously

Ouch.

She's actually trying to wriggle out of having an obligation to have read the report on the service that children & families they advocate for, use.

<slams head onto desk>

Un-fucking-believable

Why have none of these people read this report? They should have read it cover to cover, not a "summary" produced by people who may have an agenda.