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Banning Conversion Therapy and Single-Sex Space Guidance explained live

Three of #TeamMermaids sat down on Instagram to talk about some of the most recent trans news stories that have taken place over the past couple of weeks. They talked about the ban on conversion ‘therapy’ and the EHRC’s Same-Sex Guidelines.  The chat talks about what has happened, what we are doing to support trans youth and their families, what you can do to help and most importantly some advice on what you can do to keep yourself safe. The chat was youth-focused and great for trans youth, parents, carers and professionals. Watch here: View this post on Instagram A…

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What’s going on with the Ban on Conversion Therapy?

Conversion ‘therapy’ or practices are any kind of treatment or psychological therapy that aims to suppress, “cure” or change sexual orientation and/or gender identity. For example, gay to straight, transgender to cisgender.

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Single-Sex Spaces: Know Your Rights!

On the 4th of April 2022, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (‘EHRC’) published its guidance on single-sex spaces. We have received a lot of questions around your rights as young, trans people following this guidance being published. This helpsheet is something you can refer to, to understand what the guidance means and what your rights are in single sex spaces. Mermaids exists to support trans, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families. If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to our helpline, we are here for you: 0808 801 0400.  Please note this help sheet…

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Our Analysis on the EHRC’s Single-Sex Spaces Guidance

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published its guidance on single sex spaces on 4 April 2022. This is non-statutory ‘guidance’, it is not the law itself.  The key page regarding the inclusion of trans people in single-sex spaces can be found here.  The guidance explains broadly that trans people can only be discriminated against if that is a proportionate way of meeting a legitimate aim, but fails to offer a clear representation as to how high that threshold is. It is unfortunate (considering that this may be used by the general public) that the EHRC doesn’t stress…

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Statement on the EHRC’s guidance on single-sex spaces

Yesterday (4 April 2022) the Equality and Human Rights Commission published its guidance on single-sex spaces which can be found here. This is non-statutory guidance that explains the law, it is not the law itself. The guidance provides a number of worrying examples of instances where trans people could be barred from single-sex spaces. The guidance states that trans people can be excluded from single-sex spaces if their presence infringes upon the ‘dignity’ or ‘safety’ of others. This is very concerning as it suggests that sharing a space with a trans person is inherently dangerous, and that trans people risk…

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Statement regarding the government’s ‘Safe to be Me’ conference

Content Warning: Conversion “Therapy”/abuse. Mermaids announces that we will be joining the coalition of LGBTQIA+, trans and HIV organisations who have decided not to sign up to the government’s ‘Safe to be Me’ conference planned for Summer 2022. This is following a culmination of government inaction which has seen them fail to reform the Gender Recognition Act, address the year-on-year rise in transphobic hate crime or develop a comprehensive healthcare strategy for trans and non-binary people. The government’s latest decision to actively exclude trans and non-binary people from the ban on conversion practices has left us with no choice but…

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THE GOVERNMENT CONDONES TRANS CONVERSION ABUSE

Mermaids condemns the government’s decision to back-track on its promises to the LGBT+ communities to ban all forms of conversion abuse. By actively excluding trans and non-binary people from the ban, the government has decided to condone conversion abuse for our community. The government’s own data illustrates that trans people are at an unparalleled risk of being victim to this abhorrent practice. This decision allows conversion abusers to keep harming trans people without punishment. Such a decision secures decades of future abuse, pain and suffering. It is a dark moment in the history of LGBT+ rights in this country.  Notes…

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TDOV: Visibility is the beginning, liberation is the goal – and we can only achieve it together

Today (31 March) is Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) a day where around the world we celebrate the accomplishments of trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary people while raising awareness of the work that still needs to be done to achieve trans liberation. Over recent years, we’ve seen a rise in anti-trans rhetoric from legislation to the media. At Mermaids, we wanted to look towards the future and ask the trans community and our allies what their hopes are and what they commit to doing to make the world a better place for trans people. Our Helpline Service Officers play a…

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The Cass Review Interim Report: Mermaids’ Statement

The Cass Review’s Interim Report, published 10 March 2022, clearly recognises that NHS England’s current healthcare model is not fit for purpose and that trans children and young people deserve, but are not currently receiving, the same standard of care as everybody else.  Any healthcare pathway has to be informed by those it is there to help, here being trans, non-binary, gender diverse and/or gender exploring children and young people. We read the report from this perspective and in doing so we see these interim recommendations as a positive step toward much-needed change. The interim report from @TheCassReview has been…

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The Human Rights Act has played a key role in trans equality – let’s protect it

As the consultation period on proposed reforms to the Human Rights Act (HRA) draws to a close, Mermaids’ policy team reflects on the history of the Act and how it has advanced LGBTQIA+ rights in the UK, and looks at how the Government’s plans will restrict protections currently afforded to us all.      What is the Human Rights Act (1998)? The HRA, passed in 1998, incorporated into domestic UK law the fundamental rights and freedoms set out in the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which everyone in the UK is entitled to. More specifically, the HRA lets you defend those…

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