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Mermaids Press

Mermaids’ Luan meets writer Ezra Woodger to talk about his new book, To Be A Trans Man  Ezra Woodger’s To Be A Trans Man was published earlier this month.  It is a refreshing exploration of trans men’s lives that asks, what is masculinity and how do trans men and trans masculine people experience and express their masculinity.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by ezra john (@theezrajohn) In the book, Ezra talks to eight trans contributors who share their views on masculinity and enter detailed discussion on a range of topics such as their experiences growing up.  There…

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Mermaids Press

Mermaids would like to update our service users and allies in light of recent events. Firstly, we have regrettably continued to receive a high volume of distressing, and in some cases threatening, calls, emails and web chat contacts as a result of some of the recent coverage. We must protect our staff from this unacceptable abuse, and therefore we will be closing the support line service tomorrow (Wednesday 12 October) in order to give them respite. We will be resuming a normal service as soon as we can, but we are operating in a particularly challenging environment at present and there…

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Mermaids Press

We want to update you about the position in relation to Dr. Breslow, the former Trustee of Mermaids who resigned his position this week. We have explained that it was only on the 3rd October that we became aware of his participation in a 2011 conference that would have disqualified him from becoming a trustee. Once notified, we immediately launched an investigation and Dr Breslow tendered his notice that same day. We want to apologise for the distress and concern this news has caused.  It is clear that Dr. Breslow should never have been appointed to the board, and as…

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Mermaids Press

Mermaids’ response to false claims in the media this week about the organisation and the services we provide We’re in the midst of a targeted, cynical attack on Mermaids and the services we provide, which seeks to distract us from the important work that we do, and to discredit the organisation. While aimed at Mermaids, we believe this to be an attack on the trans community as a whole, and an attempt to undermine the rights we have fought – and will continue to fight – so hard for.  This particular smear campaign began with the publication of a Telegraph…

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Mermaids Press

On Thursday 22 September, we were alerted to an upcoming piece in the Telegraph about Mermaids. We made the decision not to respond to the journalist’s request for comment but wanted to clarify our stance and offer some reassurance to anyone who might have concerns about some of the issues raised. Access to the forums We have robust security and moderation processes in place to ensure our forums are a safe space for trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people and their families. In August 2022, an individual – possibly a journalist – tried to gain access to the Youth…

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Mermaids Press

Radio and TV presenter Stephanie Hirst takes a candid look into the unspoken issues surrounding transgender people.  Featuring: Paris Munro, Cleo Madeleine and several figures from the trans and non-binary community, we bust some of the myths and misconceptions about trans people and ask the difficult questions that need to be heard.  Plus, we join Lee Lester from the Mermaids, as he holds a discussion with members of the public. Listen to the full episode here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mermaids (@mermaidsgender)

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Today (10 August 2022), Suella Braverman QC MP, the Attorney General, made a speech for the Policy Exchange think tank on the affirmation of trans, non-binary and gender diverse children in school. The contents of Braverman’s speech do not reflect our understanding of the Equality Act 2010 or the realities of being a trans child in schools. Her speech is not legally binding on schools and does not mark a change in school’s duties toward trans children in their care.  What does the Equality Act say? Under the Equality Act 2010, people with the characteristic of “gender reassignment” are protected…

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We’re one of 10 organisations who have today (Thursday 4 August 2022) written to the Health Research Authority to express serious privacy and consent concerns with regards to the quantitative research approach proposed by the Cass Review. Mermaids welcomes research into trans healthcare which aims to improve the quality and efficiency of the care provided to trans, non-binary and gender diverse children, young people and adults. However, we want to ensure that any research carried out into our community is done in a way that is ethical and safe and does not put our community at risk of unnecessary harm….

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NHS Tavistock and Portman’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), England’s sole provider of gender identity health services for children and young people, is closing its doors in Spring 2023. What does it mean for those currently accessing treatment, or on the waiting list to do so? We answer your questions… Yesterday we heard some big news: England’s gender health services are set to expand, and those who are currently GIDS patients or on the waiting lists will transfer to the new service without additional delays. If you had the unfortunate experience of reading misleading news headlines that “Tavistock is being…

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Mermaids Press

As the fifth major sporting body looks set to announce a ban on trans women athletes that will directly prevent trans girls’ participation in sports at a grassroots level, Mermaids is publishing our open letter urging the UK’s four national sporting bodies to support trans-inclusive policies across all sports. The letter, which urges sporting bodies to start from a point of inclusion, received more than 2,100 signatures from individuals and organisations, including Stonewall, LGBT Foundation, British Kickboxing Council, cyclist Dr Veronica Ivy, former footballer Neville Southall and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Divina De Campo.  To date, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI),…

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