From 9am today, we are joining the boycott of @Twitter for 48 hours to protest their inaction on antisemitism. We know as well as anyone here that this platform has been a safe haven for choreographed hate and lies for too long. #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate
In the meantime, our volunteers are here to support you as normal.
We hope @jack will help to #cleanuptwitter by actively deleting sock accounts clearly set up by those ejected from Twitter and delete accounts which amplify hate. @StopFundingHate mermaidsuk.org.uk/contact-us/
Just before we sign off, we must celebrate some good on here by reminding everyone to watch our proud patrons @hannahw253 and @JakeGraf1 tomorrow on @Channel4 in an important documentary about their road to becoming new parents. We're so proud.
Today is a dark day for rugby, with both @TheRFL and @RFU telling trans people that they are not welcome on the pitch. Our thoughts are with all those affected by today’s announcements, and who are now facing a future on the sidelines of a sport which should be for everyone.
While this is a huge blow for those who support trans inclusion in sport, it is not the end. Rest assured we will pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and keep working towards a world where all kids are free to play, free to dream, and free to be who they are.
We welcome the news that NHS England plan to provide a more resilient and robust gender identity service in 2023 by expanding provision and improving the quality of care received by trans, non-binary and gender diverse young people 🧵⬇️
The current provision is not fit for purpose, with waiting times of more than 2.5 years for an initial appointment and inadequate mental health support, and we have been calling for drastic improvements for many years.
We welcome the Cass recommendations and are cautiously optimistic that we might finally see positive change and investment in the current system, after years of pain and anguish which has caused untold damage to the health and wellbeing of trans young people and their families.
🚨LAUNCHING TODAY🚨
Over 2,000 individuals and organisations signed our open letter urging the UK’s four national sporting bodies to support trans-inclusive policies across all sports.
As the fifth sporting body looks set to announce a ban on trans women, we are already seeing the effects at a grassroots level. We have heard stories from children as young as nine who are being refused permission to join swimming clubs or take part in their school's sports day.
To date, @UCI_cycling, @fina1908, @IntRL and @BritTri have all announced policies banning trans women athletes from competing in international elite competitions, with more bans poised to follow, including from England’s Rugby Football Union on Friday 29 July.
“Mermaids are excited to see the inclusion of trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard from New Zealand in the Tokyo Olympics team and wish her every success in her competition during the games.
This is a great step forward from the Olympics committee to show inclusion and diversity to show trans women are women and can compete as women. Policies have been in place since 2004 and it has taken till 2021 to see this major step for inclusion and equality.
If we take the word trans away we are just people who want to enjoy their sport and participate in it – it’s nothing more complicated than that.
Deep breath everyone: what *SHOULD* be the headline today: We as trans people are protected by equality law and this decision in the Maya Forstater case does NOT give anyone the right to unlawfully harass, intimidate, abuse or discriminate against us because we are trans. 1/
From the judgment: “This judgment does NOT mean that those with gender-critical beliefs can ‘misgender’ trans persons with impunity…The Claimant, like everyone else, will continue to be subject to the prohibitions on discrimination and harassment under the Equality Act 2010.” 2/
3/ Maya Forstater has NOT been told her conduct was lawful: “Whether or not conduct in a given situation does amount to harassment or discrimination within the meaning of EqA will be for a tribunal to determine in a given case.” [118] 3/
Today the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is being discussed in Parliament. We believe it presents a serious threat to civil rights. Protesting has been an instrumental tool for the advancement of LGBT rights, Black Civil rights, Women's rights, and others.
These struggles are interconnected, and we stand in solidarity with all of them. The #BlackLivesMatter protests last summer highlighted the way the current policing system negatively impacts Black people and people of colour disproportionately...
QTIPoC and Black trans people have historically played a leading role in the advancement of LGBT rights, but are often the most exposed to police brutality and violence within our communities.