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Mermaids Press

To mark the State Opening of Parliament 2022, we teamed up with Drag Race royalty River Medway for a Queen’s Speech with a difference! And our Queen has one message for Boris Johnson and his Government: #KeepTransInTheBan. River, who appeared on season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, says: “There are many misconceptions about support for trans youth, which is why now more than ever it is more important to continue to use our voices to educate and make a change. “The dangers and long term effects of conversion practices are far worse and more damaging than any support young…

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Mermaids Press

On Tuesday 10 May, the State Opening of Parliament takes place, and we’ll be watching to find out if the Government plans to keep its promise and ban conversion practices after years of delays. But why is the Queen involved? Who on earth is Black Rod? And what happens if the Government don’t #KeepTransInTheBan? Read on to find out more.  What is the State Opening of Parliament?  The State Opening of Parliament, also known as the Queen’s Speech, is a ceremonial event marking the start of the parliamentary year.  An extravagant affair, it usually begins with a procession from Buckingham…

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Mermaids Press

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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Mermaids Press

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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Mermaids Press

The reforms are a significant step forward for trans rights as fundamentally, they acknowledge that trans people are who they say they are. The current system is unnecessarily bureaucratic, stigmatising and invasive, and consultations in both Scotland and the UK have shown overwhelming public support for change.

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Proposed legislation has worrying implications for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people. Derwen Fay, who is genderfluid, shares their story I am concerned that the current mandatory voter ID proposals have the potential to disenfranchise and discourage many people from participating in the electoral process, a cornerstone of our democracy. In my opinion, the right to vote is one of the most important parts of our society, but these plans threaten to limit people from lower income backgrounds and the LGBTQIA+ community from participating in this process. There are many pitfalls within current proposals which I believe could be exclusionary…

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New research shows most (86%) Brits do not understand that negative mental health is one of the most likely impacts of misgendering someone. A quarter do not understand why people change their pronouns, but almost a fifth (18%) would like to learn. Instagram and Mermaids are launching a new Insta Allyship Guide and calling for more people to think about their pronouns and #ShareWithPride to help normalise the conversation Instagram and Mermaids have released new research showing the lack of understanding around pronouns, and the impact of getting them wrong.  The research1 of over 2,000 UK adults, revealed a third…

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We welcome the proposal set forward in the Queen’s Speech to ban the horrendous practice that is so-called “conversion therapy”.  We, as LGBTIQ* people, are victim to “conversion therapy” if someone seeks to convert, cancel, cure, or change a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity.  We call for the Government to publish a full and comprehensive Bill, that bans conversion practices: 1. In all forms, 2. For all LGBTIQ+ people,  3. Of all ages,   4. In all settings. It is vital that all forms of so-called conversion therapy are banned, in all settings including psychological, medical, privately in families…

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Today was an important day, as MPs in Parliament continue to search for the facts around trans lives, amidst ongoing misinformation and discrimination in society, in the media and – in some quarters – at Westminster. Primarily, the Women and Equalities Select Committee was gathering evidence around reform of the Gender Recognition Act. Lui Asquith, (they/them) Mermaids Director of Legal and Policy, gave evidence to the committee, representing trans children, young people and families. The two-hour session covered a wide range of issues related to gender identity, many of which have no connection to the Act itself. However, we’re pleased…

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As you will no doubt be aware, the census is live in the United Kingdom and must be filled out before 21 March 2021. The ONS has now clarified that sex should be recorded as that which is stated on an individual’s birth certificate. Millions of people across the UK have already completed the census, and we understand that the answers provided will be included by the ONS. It is not mandatory to read the ONS guidance before completing the census. Individuals must answer to the best of their knowledge and belief. You should not feel pressured to give an…

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