LGBT groups appeal against decision to make organisation a charity in transgender row

A group of LGBT charities have launched an appeal against the Charity Commission over its decision to make a controversial lesbian, gay and bisexual group a charity.

The LGB Alliance was made a charity in April after the commission decided the group benefitted the public through its educational and awareness-raising activities about discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The LGB Alliance has previously said there is a conflict between the rights of LGB people and transgender people.

Transgender children’s charity Mermaids launched an appeal against the Charity Commission’s decision at the first tier tribunal on Tuesday.

In court documents seen by the PA news agency, Mermaids argues the commission was wrong to make the LGB Alliance a charity, as it does not offer a positive benefit to the public.

The appeal is being supported by other charities and groups including Stonewall, Gendered Intelligence, and the Good Law Project.

The charities argue that one of the LGB Alliance’s aims is to oppose changes to the law or lobby government bodies to restrict transgender people’s legal rights and protections.

The charity’s appeal reads: “In reality, LGB Alliance seeks only to operate for the benefit of lesbian and gay people who are both not transgender and share LGBA’s beliefs.”

Susie Green, chief executive of Mermaids, said: “Mermaids supports trans young people, children and their families who face overwhelming hostility simply because of who they are.

“The work of the LGB Alliance is clearly designed to divide the LGBTQ+ community in an attempt to undermine and isolate trans people.

“Mermaids is proud to stand up for the rights of trans people in court, with the unbreakable support of our LGBTQ+ charity family.”

Following its decision in April, the Charity Commission said the LGB Alliance’s purposes were to “promote equality and diversity and human rights”.

In a statement, the body continued: “It is not the commission’s role to make value judgments about the aims or ideas put forward by any organisation.

“Instead, its role is to decide whether an organisation’s purposes fall within the legal definition of charity.”

The commission added that it had “carefully considered” objections it received about registering the LGB Alliance as a charity.

LGB Alliance director Kate Harris said the organisation has “confidence” in the Charity Commission after the appeal was announced.

She continued: “It is disappointing to see well-funded groups with a joint annual income of £13.5m try to remove our charitable status.

“LGB Alliance is a new charity run entirely by volunteers and funded by hundreds of individual donations. We are committed to advancing the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual people and are moving ahead with our important work.”

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