Susie Green has left the trans youth charity
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE VIA PEXELS
Mermaids is a charity that supports transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse youth, as well as their families. On Friday (25 November) the organisation announced that CEO Susie Green would be leaving the charity after six years of incredible work for the community.
Chair of trustees Belinda Bell said: “The Trustees are very grateful to Susie for everything she has done over the last six years to support trans, non-binary and gender-diverse young people and their families, and to build Mermaids into the organisation it is today. We wish her all the best for the future.”
Mermaids has also shared that an interim CEO will be appointed shortly.
Mermaids CEO Susie Green has left the charity after six years in charge. https://t.co/RP5HOjuAvu
— Mermaids (@Mermaids_Gender) November 25, 2022
TransActual UK is an organisation which was founded in response to the rise of hostility, transphobia and misinformation. The group shared their love, well wishes and thanks to Susie in a Twitter post writing: “Sending our love to Susie and our thanks for all the work sheās done for trans children and young people and their families – especially through and incredibly challenging time.”
In 2021, TransActual UK released the stark results from their Trans Lives Survey. The findings showed that 93% of participants reported that media transphobia had impacted their experiences of transpjobia from strangers on the street and 99% had experienced transphobia on social media.
The rise of transphobia and misinformation in the mainstream media has directly impacted the trans and non-binary community. It has also sadly impacted Mermaids and hindered the lifesaving services the organisation provides.
The charity has been attacked in recent months following a range of articles published by The Telegraph which targeted the charity and alleged safeguarding issues. The Mermaids team have also been under extreme scrutiny since spearheading an appeal against LGB Alliance and the Charity Commission, in attempt to overturn the anti-trans group’s registration as a charity.
The abuse Mermaids staff received and threats were so severe that the police had to be notified of 80 separate incidents. The resilient abuse directed at the team “was and continues to be deeply traumatising.”
In response to the abuse and attacks, Mermaids launched the Fight Back Fund, to enable the vital charity to continue the essential work of supporting trans, non-binary and gender-diverse youth. At the time of writing, the fund has raised Ā£49,624 out of its Ā£50,000 target.
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