The Tribunal has agreed to hear our arguments as to why the LGB so-called Alliance (LGBA) should not have been given charitable status. This means we, as the main claimant in the case, will have the opportunity to present the full facts as to why LGBA’s activities are not those of a charity. The hearing will take place in May 2022. The LGBA wanted a separate hearing to determine whether or not we had what’s called “legal standing” – whether we could bring the claim at all. We believe they wanted to close the conversation without having to properly explain…
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Analysis from Mermaids’ legal and policy team into a new report by the Women and Equalities Select Committee into proposed changes to UK Gender Recognition legislation We welcome the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s (WESC) report released today (Tuesday 21 December 2021) that reviews the Government response to proposed reforms to Gender Recognition legislation in the UK. You’ll see that the WESC examined the Government’s proposals, gathering evidence on whether the Government’s proposed changes are the right ones and whether they went far enough. The Commission were exploring what changes, if any, should be made to existing legislation, in order…
Welcome to the first instalment in our new Day In The Life series, designed to spotlight the important work being done by Mermaids’ staff who, across their different teams, are collectively working towards our goal; a world where trans young people can be themselves and thrive. To kickstart the series, we speak to the dynamic Lee (he/him), our Youth Rights Advocate Manager. Despite being just three months into the role, Lee has been working hard to amplify the voices of the young people we support, in and outside of Mermaids. Want to know what a typical day looks like for…
Today (15 December 2021) the UK’s Supreme Court has dismissed Christie Elan-Cane’s application to have a gender neutral option on passports. The Court said that there is no consistent approach from the European Court of Human Rights on whether there is an obligation on European Convention on Human Rights member states, which the UK is one of, to provide a gender neutral passport. The member states have a wide margin to decide whether this is something they want to do. The UK government has said they do not want to open up recognition of gender beyond male or female categories…
To mark Pansexual Pride Day, Lu Hobden (they/them) pens a message of support to their TransPan family First off, Happy Pansexual Pride Day to all my wonderful pan family! I am pansexual and agender, which means my experience is a little bit different to those who are cis, or somewhere else on the trans spectrum. The absence of gender can and has made some people who aren’t pan change their mind about even wanting to know me – let alone be in a relationship or any other way involved with me. I think it’s because I don’t easily fit into…
Multi-Disciplinary Artist AJ has a message for allies this TDoR This period is hard. Life is continually made hard for trans people,but,this period is especially difficult and trying. Over the past year or so, I have made a conscious effort to try and not write from a place of pain.When you’re hurting,and you’re suffering,and you’ve been hurtingand suffering for,well,your whole life, it can be hard to see anything else. On top of that, when you’ve had to remain silent about your pain,and your hurt,and your suffering,when you finally have the chance to speak out, it can feel so very relievingand…
Mermaids broadly welcomes the new framework on inclusion for transgender athletes from the International Olympic Committee, published on Tuesday 16 November 2021. This framework stresses that no athlete should be excluded from competition on the assumption of an advantage due to their gender. The new guidance follows a two-year consultation process with more than 250 athletes and concerned stakeholders. The new framework focuses on 10 principles: inclusion, prevention of harm, non-discrimination, fairness, no presumption of advantage, evidence-based approach, primacy of health and bodily autonomy, stakeholder-centred approach, right to privacy and periodic reviews. This framework stresses that no athlete should be excluded from competition on…
This Trans Awareness Week, let’s celebrate gender euphoria, says Lucy Rose Shaftain-Fenner Happy Transgender Awareness Week! And when I say “happy”, I mean it. Recently, I have been editing my documentary film, Pronouns In Bio, about my gender journey. It has been a cathartic process, allowing me to reflect on the past few years. In 2018 I moved away from my family into university accommodation and started to experiment with my gender presentation. I began painting my nails black, wearing eyeliner and sometimes skirts as well. After a couple years, this went from just something I did in my room…
Lui Asquith (they/them), Director of Legal and Policy at Mermaids, with an important and timely reminder this Trans Awareness Week Trans Awareness Week was introduced as an opportunity to platform our lives and raise awareness; it’s an opportunity for anyone to understand what it means to be trans from people that are trans and non-binary. This year’s TAW is particularly crucial. It must be a moment to remind everyone – and in some instances, ourselves – who we are as people (not as headlines) and that we are worthy of celebration and respect. I know first-hand that sadly many of…
What are neopronouns, how long have they been around for and how do you use them? Rome explains… Personal pronouns are a way of referring to oneself or another person. Many people wonder why the trans community advocate for the correct pronoun usage, and the answer is simple: pronouns matter. They are a form of self expression and act as a bridge between the three basic concepts of expression: how one feels, how others view us and how we view ourselves. One thing to always note is that pronouns do not equal gender identity, and any person of any identity…