At this point, we’ve all heard the shortcomings of Dr Jacob Breslow – an associate professor in Sexuality and Gender at the London School of Economics. And if you still need to, let’s get you caught up.
CW: SA, Consent, Paedophilia
Dr Jacob Breslow, who joined Mermaids in July this year while still a PhD student in 2011, gave a speech at an academic conference hosted by B4U-ACT, a Paedophile Support group that encourages the use of “MAP” or “Minor Attracted People” over the term Paedophile, which is beyond worrying.
But that’s not the worst part of all this – Breslow is quoted as saying “to cum on or with a child” and compared consent for children to asking “a shoe consent to wear it”.
He is beyond a disgusting human being – and I believe we can all agree on this.
This was unknown to the charity, Mermaids, and upon them finding out, an investigation was opened, and Breslow resigned the same day.*
Mermaids haven’t released a press statement at this time. However, an internal investigation into Breslow is likely ongoing.
This has come out at a terrible time for Mermaids, with allegations about safeguarding issues and child abuse being lodged against the charity by members of the public.
While we can all agree that this man shouldn’t’ve been a trustee at a charity specifically designed to assist children, we also need to acknowledge that Mermaids were unlikely to know* about this before being informed. While Breslow doesn’t have a criminal record, while vetting him, this should’ve been brought up and found – whether by looking at his past academic history or just by Googling him. Most employers in this day and age check social media to see what someone does and who they work with. But, clearly, this didn’t happen. Which is disgraceful.
Breslow knew what he was doing – he knew his past and still proceeded to become a Trustee at a primarily children’s charity.
With all this said and done, I would like to ask Gender Critical activists whether they were just as outraged by the Oxfam allegations – where two staff members sexually exploited people in Congo. Or when staff members, including a top boss, sexually exploited women and children in Haiti?
While I know this is a “whataboutism”, I’m asking in the same way Gender Criticals are asking Trans people and LGBT+ Rights Activists about Mermaids when sharing unrelated content.
If you post about LGBT+ hate crimes in the UK or any other country, you will likely be asked about Mermaids, Breslow, or the other allegations.
Posts supporting the LGBT+ community, fighting for human rights, or trying to shed light on the increase of hate crimes towards the community are now being bombarded by Gender Criticals and their whataboutism. For example, explicitly asking trans people to comment on the alleged abuse children have suffered at the hands of Mermaids.
In the same way that I have no right questioning Gender Criticals on their opinions on Oxfam abusing women and girls, Gender Criticals have no right bombarding and pestering Trans people on their views on Mermaids. After all, not all trans people, like Mermaids, know anything about the charity or support them.
Discuss it with people discussing Mermaids rather than attacking trans people for the misdoings of a charity – that just shows your Transphobia.
Note – 11:56, 05/10/22 – Since the publication of this article, Gender Critical activists and online posters have asked why it is believed that Mermaids was unaware of his academic past as a PhD student; this is because Mermaids themselves stated the following in conversation with PinkNews:
“Once notified, we took swift and decisive action to investigate. Dr Breslow tendered his notice on the same day. We will be reviewing our processes and procedures in light of this event to make them even more robust. Safeguarding is of the utmost importance to Mermaids, and the safety of the young people we support is our highest priority.”
Revision – 08:06, 07/10/22 – Further worrying information has come to light around Breslow, showing him to most likely be a paedophile. With that being said, my attempt of a non-bias stance has been cancelled, and my opinion is now part of the article.
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