A tribunal has ruled in favor of controversial organization LGB Alliance, allowing it to retain its charity status. The decision came after trans youth charity Mermaids and other LGBTQ+ non-profits challenged the LGB Alliance’s charity status. The LGB Alliance applied for charity status in 2020, a year after its formation, which sparked a petition garnering over 44,000 signatures in opposition.
During the tribunal hearings, representatives of Mermaids argued that it would be fanciful to claim that the LGB Alliance serves lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Legal counselor Michael Gibbon stated that the LGB Alliance did not meet two key criteria for charitable status under the Charities Act 2011 – providing tangible, legally recognized benefits that outweigh associated harms and benefiting the public or a sufficient section of the public.
Formed in 2019, the LGB Alliance consists of co-founders Bev Jackson, Kate Harris, Allison Bailey, Malcolm Clark, and Ann Sinnott. The organization emerged after an open letter published in The Sunday Times accused Stonewall of undermining women’s sex-based rights and protections by supporting trans people. The LGB Alliance positions itself as a proponent of freedom of speech and biological definitions of sex and has associated with ‘gender-critical’ figures such as Graham Linehan, Rosie Duffield, and Joanna Cherry.
The LGB Alliance’s main office is located in London’s Westminster, alongside various right-wing lobby groups, pro-Brexit think tanks, and climate denial organizations. However, the organization has faced criticism for allegedly publishing misleading information about its work, including a tweet claiming to be the only registered charity in the UK focused on protecting and promoting the rights of people with LGB orientations. The Fundraising Regulator found that the tweet breached the Code of Funding Practice, stating that fundraising materials must not mislead or be likely to mislead.
In addition, leaked emails obtained by Vice World News revealed that senior members of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) held private meetings with anti-trans lobby groups, including the LGB Alliance and Fair Play For Women. The EHRC itself has faced controversy in recent years.
It is important to note that this article presents multiple perspectives and opinions to maintain journalistic integrity and provide a balanced view of the topic. The decision of the tribunal regarding the LGB Alliance’s charity status has generated significant debate within the LGBTQ+ community.
