,
13 tweets,
11 min read
Read on Twitter
As my blood pressure rises on yet another Saturday night reading Times hate targeted at supporters of trans kids, I want to make a plea to trans allies and trans advocates 1/
Anti LGBT haters target trans people as the easiest target. The ones with least power & support. Transphobes target trans kids as the weakest part of trans communities, the ones who often cannot speak up. This is a concerted attack tactic 2/
Attacking trans kids is easy. Few trans advocates or allies can speak up confidently about trans kids. Concerns of 'safeguarding' are thrown at any trans adult who speaks up for trans kids, a tactic aimed at silencing adult trans supporters of trans kids eg @MunroeBergdorf 3/
@MunroeBergdorf Once adult trans people are quiet, that only leaves a few organisations, and parents of trans kids. But parents like me are scared into anonymity, we fear drawing hate towards our vulnerable kids, so we dare not speak up 4/
@MunroeBergdorf This leaves only a few organisations who will speak up for trans kids. And whenever mainstream orgs like @NSPCC consider being actively supportive, the pressure from haters is swift and strong. They fear mainstream support for trans kids immensely 5/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC With mainstream orgs like @NSPCC scared off, with even mainstream LGBT orgs avoiding talking about trans kids, it is left to a tiny number of orgs like @Genderintell and @Mermaids_Gender to speak up for trans kids 6/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender So the haters focus their huge resources & power against tiny charities, orgs like mermaids that were purely volunteer run until very recently. They dig and dig and distort and distort and pile on the pressure 7/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender I don't think @Mermaids_Gender is a perfect organisation. Every small upstart org has its problems. I know that as a family we would have been lost without it. I know we would not have a happy carefree daughter without @Mermaids_Gender and Susie Green 8/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender Partly the constant attacks on @Mermaids_Gender is a personal vendetta. But that is not the main reason for the continued attacks. The aim is to throw enough dirt, enough questions, enough concern at @Mermaids_Gender that it scares everyone else off supporting trans kids 9/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender If you care at all about trans kids. Or trans adults. Or LGBT people. Understand that the attacks on mermaids, the constant questions about any support for trans kids, and the thin end of the wedge being used by forces opposed to diversity and inclusion 10/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender If you care about trans kids, stick up for them. The best way to do this, is not only through support to mermaids and GI, but through making sure that other people and other organisations are loudly and confidently speaking up for trans children. 11/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender It is not good enough to claim to be an LGBT ally and be silent about trans kids. It is not good enough to leave Mermaids out and exposed and taking most of the pressure for being the bravest at speaking up for trans kids 12/
@MunroeBergdorf @NSPCC @Genderintell @Mermaids_Gender Trans kids need allies in the UK now more than ever. If you don't know enough to stand up for trans kids - then learn! If you work for or support an org that could advocate loudly for trans kids and is silent - ask questions. Trans kids need you. End.
