Mermaids launch ‘fightback fund’ to keep helplines open after anti-trans abuse
"Let's beat the bullies and make sure that hate doesn’t win."
The trans charity Mermaids has launched a crowdfunding page to help raise money to keep its helplines open in the wake of anti-trans attacks and abuse.
The ‘Fightback Fund’ was started after a string of anti-trans stories in the media led to members of staff and volunteers being subjected to horrendous abuse and intimidation.
Amazingly, within the first 24 hours, the charity made 50 percent of its intended £25,000 target.
In October, Mermaids announced that it would be closing its helpline service as a result of abuse and to offer staff some respite.
“We will be resuming a normal service as soon as we can, but we are operating in a particularly challenging environment at present and there may be further interruptions to our usual service,” the charity warned.
Mermaids said there had continued to be “a high volume of distressing, and in some cases threatening, calls, emails and web chat contacts as a result of some of the recent coverage,” which was to blame.
In the crowdfunded made public on Wednesday (2 November) Mermaids affirmed, “We will NOT be bullied” and encouraged people to donate to help fight back against the anti-trans abuse.
The charity points to an article published by The Telegraph in September, where it says a journalist posed as a 14-year-old in need of support, as the cause for the recent backlash against it.
“Anti-trans campaigners are using social media to coordinate complaints about Mermaids en masse to the Charity Commission and putting pressure on local authorities to remove our resources and services from their websites,” the crowdfunding page continues.
As well as abusive calls Mermaids says “organisations are being pressured to cut ties with Mermaids.”
According to the site, money raised for the fightback fund will help:
1) Keeping our helpline open
2) Providing safe spaces for children, young people, and their families
3) Helping to ensure that trans young people’s voices are heard
“It’s hard to grow up trans, and without us it will be even harder, with many families and young people left rudderless,” Mermaids writes. “We cannot let that happen.”
It continues, “Trans people have always been here. We will always be here. We will get through this. But only if we stand together, and show the bullies that we won’t be silenced, we won’t be intimidated and we won’t back down.”
Concluding, Mermaids says, “We know there are millions who share our vision. Now is the time to come together. Let’s beat the bullies and make sure that hate doesn’t win.”
You can contribute to the fund here.