In addition to Mermaids, there are a number of so-called LGBT support groups in the UK who all share the same problem. They have a belief that 'validation' of a transgender identity is important. And they encourage this in the young people who come to them for help.
If a child is looking at gender identity as a way of coping with their adolescent anguish, then they need help and support from their parents. When Mermaids promotes the idea that gender identity issues are something to hide from parents then you know they are up to no good.
We know that supporters of these groups like to portray 'gender critical' people as some kind of evil malevolence. As part of their grooming of new trans kids, they will persuade a child that a properly gender critical, sceptical, loving parent is a scary transphobic hater.
The truth of course, is that parents love their children, want them to be healthy in mind and body, know they have a duty of care to protect them from falling into dangerous cults, and will listen to them.
This job of parenting is made so much harder when the child has been fed a whole load of hokum and dangerous ideology such as 'born in the wrong body' and 'if you are masculine you must be man' and 'your parents don't support you'. All at the behest of someone wanting validation.
If a "system that makes everybody feel validated" is one that results in harm being done to young people (and it does), then, the only part I want to play in it is in its destruction.
The health and well-being of young people is infinitely more important than 'validation'.
The health and well-being of young people is infinitely more important than 'validation'.
If you are a young person, and you think you need 'validation' - you actually need to discover that you are fine as you are and you need nobody else to validate you being you.
They are selling you something you are better off without.
I don't need validation, neither do you.
They are selling you something you are better off without.
I don't need validation, neither do you.
