Lockdown has created some unique challenges, especially for people who already deal with feelings of loneliness and isolation. We’ve put together some quick tips for staying in contact with people and keeping occupied at home, hopefully giving you the tools you’ll need to make each day better. Video Call Your Friends Using free apps like Zoom, Houseparty, Google hangouts and Skype, it’s never been easier to video chat with multiple friends at once. Whilst bad connections and slow internet can get the best of us all, you can’t underestimate the value of seeing your friends faces and hanging out like…
Blog
Some of our trans staff members share their experiences at Mermaids and being visible in the workplace. Lui Asquith There is no expectation, no agenda, nothing but pure integrity and care at its core. That’s no small thing. I first came across Mermaids whilst I was at a previous law firm as a practising family solicitor, running a LGBT department in the North East. I was put in touch with Mermaids as the only (at the time) trans and gender diverse children’s charity in the UK. As soon as I connected with Mermaids, I felt incredibly compelled to help the…
Is Mermaids still able to support people in need? Yes, our helpline, webchat, email support and text support services are operating as normal. Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers are determined to offer more support not less during this period of uncertainty. However, some services which rely on group meetings and activities have had to be postponed or cancelled in the best interests of our service users, volunteers and staff. What services are closed or postponed? We have taken the difficult but necessary decision to cancel or postpone all group events or appearances with immediate effect to allow people…
Tyler I was emotional when Tyler was chosen because I finally knew my name and I felt valid as who I am. Tyler talks about how he chose his name through a Facebook poll I actually used Facebook to run a poll voting on my new name, as I’d originally picked ‘Harley’, but then the new Joker film came out and I was worried people would think I’d named myself after Harley Quinn, which I didn’t! I was pretty indecisive on which one I liked the most at the time, but Tyler was definitely one of the names I secretly…
Today, a new Conservative Government has been elected and many service users have been reaching out to us asking what this means for the future of trans and non-binary children and young people. As with any new Government, we see this as a fresh opportunity to work towards a better world for our service users. Reform of the Gender Recognition Act is, of course, a major priority for us over the course of this term. We must ensure the reform process launched by the previous Conservative Party leader, Theresa May in 2018, is honoured and completed under Johnson’s Government in…
We’re proud to have launched our powerful crowdfunder campaign, “If I Had A Voice”, sending the plea to journalists, broadcasters and social media campaigners: “If you haven’t listened to transgender kids, don’t speak about them”. Corpus Linguistics research carried out exclusively for Mermaids by Professor Paul Baker of Lancaster University found that*: – The British press has increased its coverage of stories about trans people over the last 6 years writing roughly three and a half times as many articles in 2018-19 compared to 2012. – Mentions of transgender children are 23 times as common in 2018-19 compared to 2012. – An analysis of…
Mermaids is delighted to have a limited number of places in the 2020 Great North Run. As a #TeamMermaids runner Mermaids will cover the cost of your entry fee and provide you with a Mermaids running vest. In return, we ask that you raise a minimum of £350 sponsorship for the charity Please be aware that the charity is unable to cover any other costs incurred such as travel to and from the race, so please consider this before applying. About the Great North Run: The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world, taking place annually in North East England each September. Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and South…
Recently, we’ve tried very hard to step away from the most degrading examples of anti-trans rhetoric in the national press and focus on the positive. Today, in the middle of what might feel like nothing short of an orchestrated onslaught, we feel we have no choice. We cannot stand silent amidst a slew of misleading stories, seemingly designed to undermine, frighten, alienate and demonise a vulnerable minority, including children. We have been approached for comment by all of the journalists responsible and it has been depressing, trying to offer fact-based, reasonable information. In truth, while a small number are simply too…
An open letter from Mermaids on World Suicide Prevention Day 10th September 2019 Change now to save transgender children from suicide Mermaids has been supporting transgender children and young people for nearly 25 years. We know that there is nothing more devastating than the loss of a child or young person to suicide. We see, first hand, the terrible psychological trauma suffered by some of our service users because they live in a society that seems unable or unwilling to understand and accept them. Overall, the number of suicides in the UK fell between 2017-2018 but the number of under…
Today we received support from international actress, model and human rights campaigner, Jameela Jamil. She posted a heartfelt video on her Instagram and already the video has had a massive response with positive comments flooding in! It comes after other worldwide names gave their support to our charity. Harry and Megan have shown their support for us, calling the work we do “Amazing” A spokesman for the Royal Foundation said: “Mermaids are one of a number of important organisations who are working on the frontline to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people in Britain.” You can read more about this here!…