Mermaids sending free binders to teen girls

[rogdmum]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/09/25/exclusive-trans-charity-mermaids-giving-breast-binders-children/

Can also be found in the usual place.

“A transgender children’s charity is giving potentially dangerous chest-flattening devices to 14-year-olds against their parents’ wishes, an investigation by The Telegraph has found

Mermaids, which receives funding from the taxpayer and runs training for schools and the NHS, offered to send a breast binder discreetly to a girl they believed was only 14, even after they were told that she was not allowed to use one by her mother.

Evidence obtained by The Telegraph shows that the charity’s staff have offered binders to children as young as 13 who say that their parents oppose the practice.”

We sometime get the odd poster here denying Mermaids does this (or saying there is no evidence that it happens) despite people with direct experience stating that it does. And yes, it does happen.

This was just discussed in a very clear and open way on Times Radio, with Stephanie Davies-Arai given lots of time to lay out the issues.

I've never even listened to that station before but was returning when it came on. Great shafts of sunlight.

Peter Tatchell and Shelley Charlesworth of Transgender Trend on GB News:

I can't watch as at work @ArabellaScott - how did it go?

Great to see that some people have stopped seeing breast binding and breast ironing as different things.

I thought the point a PP made about the separation of these practices is potentially based on racism/misogyny as really plausible and interesting @ItsAllGoingToBeFine

Wow the bags under Tatchell's eyes

Any worries or regrets keeping him up at night i wonder

He seems pretty firm that it's all good in the hood tbh

Scout leaders ‘allowing transgender self-harm’

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/81ce3742-c654-11e7-92dc-06edfbca4aab?shareToken=878cd3e7448f85d8de501cc5d0cc506b here's an old article that has Mermaids quoted on chestbinders.

Today's Mail. Quite long. Seems they've done their own investigation - if I read this right

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11260169/Trans-charity-Mermaids-scandal-unfolding-eyes.html

@WandaWomblesaurus that article is horrific

The Daily Mail has many faults but I quite admire it for plugging away at these issues - Mermaids, Surrey Police their TG policies and prisoners, support of JKR etc, reporting of Maya and Allison's cases. There is an article seemingly everyday.

This quote from the scouts

We make no value judgment based on what a young person wants to do.

Young people (or children, I believe they used to be called) can be funking idiots. Who are the adults in the organisation? It's their responsibility to make 'value judgements'. To stop the children in their care from harming themselves or others.

If it looks like a value judgment, walks like a value judgment...

Scouts sorry for two-year ‘misgendering’ inquiry

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/54c3d740-60fe-11ec-ab46-99cae2b0f128?shareToken=543f21a5b73f2f796cc919175d9e1be2

Young people (or children, I believe they used to be called) can be funking idiots. Who are the adults in the organisation? It's their responsibility to make 'value judgements'. To stop the children in their care from harming themselves or others.

Exactky! Anyone saying they don’t make “value judgments” re the children in their care, shouldn’t be anywhere near children.

Scouts make value judgements all the time! Why not on this one issue?

"We make no value judgment based on what a young person wants to do."

Then why do we have laws preventing young persons from getting tattoos or using sunbeds? Exactly the same thing, aren't they? Alterations to bodily appearance.

Maya has tweeted the below. I couldn't see anything directly from the Charity Commission though.

twitter.com/mforstater/status/1575396257106894849?s=46&t=qQ9m7S-5Y5ii31uCJdGQGA

"The Charity Commission is considering whether to start a statutory inquiry

If you have experience with the charity as a parent, teacher or young person which has given you concerns let the Charity Commission know"

I dont understand why the CC are only interested in evidence from those who have direct experience with MMs.
If I see a crime happening or a safe guarding issue, I’m allowed to alert the authorities about that even if it hasn’t affected me personally.

I think reading their website or forum or tweets or watching one of their YouTubes or tiktoks counts as an experience. Perhaps not second hand, as in on Glinner's substack or Mumsnet though.

Apparently an investigation has been opened

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/09/29/exclusive-trans-charity-mermaids-investigated-charity-commission/

"Mermaids is being investigated by the Charity Commission after The Telegraph revealed “red flags” in its dealings with childrenn_.
The regulator said it had opened a “regulatory compliance case” after concerns were raisedd_ about the trans charity’s “approach to safeguarding young people”.
The charity has been sending potentially dangerous breast binding devices to children behind their parents’ backss_ and discussing with them how puberty blocking drugs are “totally reversible”."

The Telegraph has confirmed the Charities Commission are now investigating.

I don’t have the direct link, just the one on archive.ph which we’re not allowed to post here but it should be easy to find

Cross post!

"Mermaids does not endorse or make any recommendations regarding binding, and respects the choice of the young person and their family with regards to their own personal health needs.”"

It's starting to feel like the postponement of the LGB Alliance/Mermaids case will actually work in LGB's favour, with all of this truth coming into the light at last.

I am hoping that this is the rattle of pebbles that starts the landslide. It may peter out again as it has done in the past, but each time the stones get a bit bigger and the cracks show a bit deeper. Mermaids may be able to stop the rockfall and patch the damage yet again but Mermaids focus on children and (very) young people so their practices so are most open to scrutiny and challenge. It might not stop with Mermaids though, and I hope it doesn't. Children are not the only vulnerable people that unquestioning TWAW/TMAM put at risk.

It's starting to feel like the postponement of the LGB Alliance/Mermaids case will actually work in LGB's favour, with all of this truth coming into the light at last.

IMO Mermaids went on the attack because they are vulnerable, and it's backfired.

The Telegraph investigation highlights the need for services for young LGB people that respect safeguarding. Such as LGBA were hoping to offer. It's ironic that LGBA don't do T, because there's clearly a gap there too.