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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Mermaid's chatroom is dodgy af. What a shock.

36 replies

mirax · 01/10/2022 05:27

Times' latest article exposes dodgy activities and blatant lack of safeguards for vulnerable teens on the charity's chatroom:

Unbeknown to Katie, her son had joined the charity’s youth forum, a private online community for 12-19 year-olds who are struggling with gender issues. Parents and carers are not allowed. No proof of ID or age is required, only an email address.

Once signed up, he entered an online world where vulnerable children seeking support with others in similar pain, share their personal details, including phone numbers, email addresses and social media handles, under the apparently approving supervision of Mermaids moderators.

archive.ph/EzZ0b

OP posts:
Dreikanter · 01/10/2022 09:01

Security of our platforms and safeguarding of young people is of the utmost importance to us

Because who wants another ICO fine where the investigation findings states “Mermaids had a negligent approach towards data protection”.

ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2021/07/ico-fines-transgender-charity-for-data-protection-breach-exposing-sensitive-personal-data/

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 01/10/2022 09:30

[Mermaids] said: “We’re in the midst of a targeted, cynical attack

nope

you’re just a group trying to justify your own choices by transing other people’s children

surely the wheels have got to come off this time?

Smilelesstalkmore · 01/10/2022 09:35

Who were these moderators, what training did they have? What checks did users of the forums have before being allowed to post, how did the site know the users were actually between 12 and 19?

Hearthnhome · 01/10/2022 09:40

Exactly what’s to stop me, a 40 year old mother, joining if they don’t check details?

And if I can join and pretend to be a teenager, who else can?

Mermaids aren’t being attacked. They just were allowed to get away with too much for too long and now facing the consequences of that.

ArabellaScott · 01/10/2022 09:41

Scrutiny is not attack.

TheClogLady · 01/10/2022 09:43

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 01/10/2022 09:30

[Mermaids] said: “We’re in the midst of a targeted, cynical attack

nope

you’re just a group trying to justify your own choices by transing other people’s children

surely the wheels have got to come off this time?

And training christ knows how many teachers, social workers and youth workers to trans other people’s children.

These Mermaids have tentacles.

TheClogLady · 01/10/2022 09:48

ArabellaScott · 01/10/2022 09:41

Scrutiny is not attack.

What is it da SJW kidz say about privilege? That if you’ve always had privilege, equity for others feels like having your privilege taken away?

If you’ve never faced scrutiny before, I bet getting all this at once does feel like an attack.

It’s not an attack though, just an attempt at a rebalance. If there is a lot of dodgy shit to find, that’s a them problem, not an us problem.

ArabellaScott · 01/10/2022 09:54

Instructive to have the Childline approach laid out as a comparator. The key difference apparently being Mermaids' repeated preference for things being hidden.

Why all the secrecy? Why does everything get funnelled into private servers, private camps, private conversations, secret packages?

This echoes 'no debate', it's a movement that runs on obfuscation and avoidance of sunlight.

If it's all fine, healthy and safe then Mermaids have nothing to worry about.

Whatwouldscullydo · 01/10/2022 09:56

TheClogLady · 01/10/2022 09:48

What is it da SJW kidz say about privilege? That if you’ve always had privilege, equity for others feels like having your privilege taken away?

If you’ve never faced scrutiny before, I bet getting all this at once does feel like an attack.

It’s not an attack though, just an attempt at a rebalance. If there is a lot of dodgy shit to find, that’s a them problem, not an us problem.

What should make them angry is the while low standards discrimination. They should be made every aware if the fact that insinuating that any trans based forums involving children not being held to the same safety standards as any other platform is in fact the real attack/transphobia. Because not being giving the same safeguarding as other children it being assumed they can't abide by the same rules as others is discriminatory and dangerous.

TheClogLady · 01/10/2022 10:07

I agree Scully - same with GIDS, anyone who actually cares about minors with symptoms of Gender dysphoria should be up in arms at the notion that GIDS has not been working to the same high standards as other paediatric specialisms in the NHS eg no differential diagnosis, no follow up, no evidence base for the prescriptions issued, no overall clinical responsibility by a named consultant doctor (instead the ability to hide from responsibility as the psychologist blamed the endocrinologist and the endocrinologist days, ‘I’m just doing what they ask, they make the diagnosis’.

and then mermaids coaching kids on what to say to get through the assessment process, like it’s a system to be gamed.

GIDS has been shocking, but it’s been in an abusive relationship the whole time ‘give my kid the drug I ask for or I’ll just buy it on the grey market or take them abroad anyway’

stealtheatingtunnocks · 01/10/2022 10:11

I wonder whether Jackie will make a statement in defence of Jackei’s mum/‘ decisions?

RedToothBrush · 01/10/2022 10:15

Everyone knew.

Everyone in authority turned a blind eye.

Cos trans is trendy.

Adults making decisions obviously should be allowed for children. Cos it's completely the same. (face-palm)

Other agencies and charities have to demonstrate safeguarding of children.
Mermaids thought this didn't apply.

Other agencies and charities have to demonstrate transparency and accountability.
Mermaids thought this didn't apply.

Best practice and ethical conduct using evidence based approaches are sacrosanct everywhere else. Mermaids deliberately and purposefully aligned itself with individuals and organisations that had been discredited as doing neither. That was an invitation to scrutiny as it suggested Mermaids themselves are doing similar.

All the way through Mermaids is a cavalier attitude to consensus of well being of children. It comes from Susie Green down - when standards were too high in the uk, she bypassed them. Mermaids encouraged similar without thought to why those standards and barriers existed in the first place. And to hell with the consequences and whether this is in the best long term interests of children. Mermaids knew better.

Mermaids freely admit they aren't medical experts. They freely admit not reading up on ethical and medical concerns. Mermaids simply 'know' because ideology comes before all this and they are above knowing the latest position on formal assessments of whether harms may be occurring.

Children were treated as masters of their own destiny, regardless of their ability to consent or comprehend. Cos this was irrelevant, because Mermaids says children just 'know'.

Mermaids have acted as if the only bad players out there are evil parents and evil doctors and no one else will seek to exploit vulnerable children.

Allowing the sharing phone numbers with strangers? Good fucking Lord, where we're they at the stranger danger or internet safety classes? They teach this shit to 6 year olds.

Fuck them. I hope the whole thing comes crashing down and the rightful prosecutions are made.

rogdmum · 01/10/2022 10:18

Smilelesstalkmore · 01/10/2022 09:35

Who were these moderators, what training did they have? What checks did users of the forums have before being allowed to post, how did the site know the users were actually between 12 and 19?

They had no idea who was joining the Youth Forum because scant checks were carried out, not even an ID check. There was one specific poster who spoke in such detail about “their” experience with GenderGP (and in complete glowing terms) that I seriously wondered whether they were an adolescent or a plant.

As recently as 2021 they still weren’t doing any ID checks for the under 18s (can’t speak for more recently)

Mermaid's chatroom is dodgy af. What a shock.
rogdmum · 01/10/2022 10:18

Joining the parents forum was FAR more rigorous than joining the Youth Forum which I think is madness.

rogdmum · 01/10/2022 10:20

Ooops, the second screenshot for above didn’t post

Mermaid's chatroom is dodgy af. What a shock.
FlibbertyGiblets · 01/10/2022 10:22

Of COURSE they ring and check, there are no liars or truth-economical types out there, there are never any adults grooming young people now, are there?

scrufffy · 01/10/2022 10:22

I'd love to say I'm shocked.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 01/10/2022 10:24

A chilling article and completely predictable.

FlibbertyGiblets · 01/10/2022 10:26

mermaids: ohai there, you want to join our yoof forum, you are Joe Bloggs you're 15 and you live at 75 Festival Avenue?
Potential member: yeah I wanna join, I am he, I am 15, I have lived at this address for 5 years
mermaids: okay, you're in
/
end

I mean, surely NOT?

rogdmum · 01/10/2022 10:29

Well they do ring and “check” but it’s a casual conversation. Anyone could spin any tale. (though should make clear, my complaint to the CC was in 2020 and it’s possible they are more rigorous now, although clearly in 2021 they still didn’t require ID checks)

Nuffaluff · 01/10/2022 10:34

Jesus H Christ, that is horrific.

Igmum · 01/10/2022 10:34

At last some reasonable scrutiny. I agree Arabella, I thought the comparison with Childline was both excellent and instructive. Mermaids' practice was appalling. I hope the Charity Commission opens a full investigation and closes them down, using their funds to help heal the children they have damaged so badly.

RedToothBrush · 01/10/2022 10:39

'held on our secure system'

Fucking hell. Given their track record on understanding any level of security or safeguarding, saying 'we are secure' without explanation means bugger all.

Mermaids has just made one poorly thought out decision after another. And are now wondering why its coming back on them.

They are incompetent.

rogdmum · 01/10/2022 10:42

I could never understand why the criteria to join the Parent Forum was so more stringent than the criteria to join the Youth Forum (ages 12-19).

Well, I could say why I think but my post would be deleted!

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