Mermaids
Mermaids is a UK charity supporting transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families. It was founded in 1995 by a group of parents seeking support for their gender-diverse children.
Background
Mermaids provides helpline support, online resources and community events for young people and families. It is a member of the LGBT Consortium.
Legal action against LGB Alliance
In 2021 Mermaids commenced legal action against LGBAlliance, challenging the decision to grant that organisation charitable status. In July 2023 Mermaids lost that legal challenge [1].
Charity Commission investigation
In 2022 the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Mermaids, examining its governance and policies including guidance on chest binding [2].
In October 2022 a trustee, Dr Jacob Breslow of LSE, resigned following reports of his participation in a conference hosted by an organisation that had promoted services to paedophiles [3].
In October 2024 the Charity Commission concluded its investigation, requiring Mermaids to rewrite guidance on puberty blockers and to suspend its chest binder lending service pending proper safeguarding procedures and parental consent frameworks. The Commission also found governance failures in trustee recruitment [4].
References
<references>
- ↑ Trans charity Mermaids loses challenge against LGB Alliance https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65340857
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63081644
- ↑ https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trustee-of-the-transgender-charity-mermaids-quits-over-speech-to-paedophile-aid-group-jkjn2jrk9
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/24/trans-childrens-charity-told-to-rewrite-guidance-on-puberty-blockers Guardian 24 October 2024