Transgender group Mermaids loses problem over homosexual rights charity’s standing
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transgender rights group has misplaced its case to have a homosexual rights organisation stripped of its charitable standing in what’s believed to be the primary case of its sort within the UK.
Mermaids, which helps transgender, non-binary and gender numerous youngsters and their households, had appealed in opposition to the choice of the Charity Commission to grant LGB Alliance charitable standing in 2021.
It is considered the primary time within the UK {that a} charity has sought to have the charitable standing of one other eliminated.
We have determined that the regulation doesn’t allow Mermaids to problem the choice made by the Charity Commission to register LGB Alliance as a charity
A two-judge panel on the General Regulatory Chamber in London dominated in a short on-line listening to on Thursday that the enchantment was dismissed.
Judge Lynn Griffin mentioned: “The appeal in this case is dismissed. We have dismissed this appeal because we have decided that the law does not permit Mermaids to challenge the decision made by the Charity Commission to register LGB Alliance as a charity.”
LGB Alliance described itself as a charity which promotes the rights of lesbian, homosexual and bisexual individuals “on the basis of sex rather than gender and believes that gender transition is largely driven by homophobia”.
During the hearings final yr LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson mentioned the organisation shared the view of Harry Potter writer JK Rowling that “without sex there is no same-sex attraction”.
Ms Jackson mentioned: “Anti-lesbian prejudice and fear is leading many teens, especially lesbians, to believe that they have ‘gender identity’ issues when they are in fact grappling with their emerging lesbian/gay sexual orientation.”
Dr Belinda Bell, chair of trustees at Mermaids, accused LGB Alliance of making an attempt to “undermine” the work of charities equivalent to Mermaids and Stonewall.
Dr Bell’s assertion ultimately yr’s listening to learn: “A central goal of LGB Alliance is seeking to undermine the work of a wide variety of organisations which it says have promoted trans rights to the detriment of women, children and LGB people.”
It added that LGB Alliance “has repeatedly stated in public forums that Mermaids seeks to inappropriately push LGB children into identifying as trans”, allegations it mentioned are “false and harmful to Mermaids’ ongoing work”.
Separately, a Charity Commission inquiry into Mermaids – opened in December final yr after new issues have been recognized in regards to the organisation’s governance and administration – is ongoing.