Mermaids closes chatlines

[Sparklybutold]

So... Mermaids closes chat lines owing to abusive phone calls. I can't help but think this is awful behaviour from those ringing.

Did anyone else read the sentence “Mermaids chat line closes due to abusive phone calls” and have the initial reaction: “making or receiving them?” . Given their behaviour to the LGB Alliance…😬

Such is my low opinion of them. They could turn that round. But they’d have to take the criticism they’re receiving seriously, and on current form, not much chance of that.

Did anyone else read the sentence “Mermaids chat line closes due to abusive phone calls” and have the initial reaction: “making or receiving them?” . Given their behaviour to the LGB Alliance…

😂

But wouldn’t that depend on your definition of abuse? In mermaids eyes, telling a child no is literal violence and asking questions is transphobic hate, so I’d like to know exactly what this ‘abuse’ consisted of first before firming an opinion

The line about DBS checks often causing anxiety makes me laugh - I mean anyone who has had one has probably imagined the scenario of the check coming back saying that you have a conviction for armed robbery from 1998 that you had completely forgotten about (or is that just me?!)

But if a DBS check is causing genuine anxiety then isn't that a bit worrying in itself?

Angry parents was my initial thoughts too, another poster mentioned journalist which is quite likely!

Unless you have something to hide, why would a DBS check cause anxiety? It says more about the calibre of people mermaids were attracting.

Or, indeed, are still seeking to attract despite the curr shitstorm.

current

Why would anyone believe this organisation at this point?

They should have so little credibility that people should just assume they are either exaggerating or lying. No one should be being abused, however I question where that abuse is coming from and what it consists of. I doubt it is from feminists.

We know that you make things up.

Unless you have something to hide, why would a DBS check cause anxiety? It says more about the calibre of people mermaids were attracting.

Exactly! If you think the you are attracting to your charity are the sort of people who will be 'anxious' about DBS checks, then isn't that a red flag in itself?!

And if the issue that you have to write down your 'dead' name, well, perhaps there needs to be some extra counselling and support there to assist people to cope with this necessary part of life - if they want a DBS check to be able to work with underage and vulnerable people.

They either do want to work with those people or they don't.

That this can be framed as 'traumatic' to write down your previous names for this kind of process really doesn't help anyone to exist in modern society.

Jeeze you actually couldn't make it up! 🙈

If you need counselling to write down your dead name, I'd question suitability to deal with children giving going through their own difficulties. How are you going to cope if they say something potentially triggering?

I don’t believe it’s for abusive phone calls. I really think it’s because the majority of volunteers they had in were not background checked OR trained and could show them in even more bad light. I really think this is down to legal advice they have been given.

I honestly believe more revelations will come out which will truly shock us to the core. This is just the tip of the iceberg for that dreadful ‘charity’. They felt so empowered to try and bring down a charity that focuses on LGB with out even considering what their own house looked like - it’s obviously run by complete narcissists who are detached from reality.

You are obsessed with that place aren't you.

Its like you want people to go looking there.

Particularly clymene if you are giving evidence as a witness in a tribunal and not there as either a claimant or a defendant. Seems rather even more of an issue. You have to question in what parameters can that person function without the additional support from their mum there before they can speak.

Indeed. But if the charity commission want to comprehensively investigate their employees or volunteers they can just ask for a list and take it from there.

The woman who is Mermaids helpline services supervisor is another Susie Green - started working there after she went to mermaids to transition her child.

Interestingly, she has deleted her linked in profile and locked down her Twitter.

I think Marge is a bot. There is no other credible explanation. No human could keep relentlessly trying to defend a position that has been so damaged and been shown to be so dodgy.

Or a human that is being paid to try and downplay any criticism of certain organisations in the face of mounting evidence. That's why they don't get angry or frustrated. It's just a job to them. Probably a grad at a PR agency.

I do wonder how far these people will go to protect actual open paedophiles. It really is quite eye opening.

Exactly this. If you suffer anxiety at the thought of your old name how can you support a vulnerable child questioning their own gender identity? Or any vulnerable child at all?

I honestly can’t believe anyone could have the guts to claim a DBS check would cause them anxiety. If I did that I would NEVER get another job working with kids.

And by guts I mean audacity.