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Bayswater Support Group vs. transgender people

Bayswater Support Group is a British anti-transgender Twitter/X account and website that supports conversion therapy on their trans and gender diverse children. It is part of the “parental rights” movement and engages in direct political campaigning against the rights of trans children and young people.

Background

Bayswater Support Group was founded as an unincorporated association in 2019, reportedly by three unsupportive parents of gender diverse children. The Twitter account was created in 2019. The first in-person meeting in the Bayswater area of London reportedly had 25 attendees. The website was created at jamest35.sg-host.com in 2020 and later moved to a top-level domain.

Because of their attitudes toward their own children, and because they lack the courage of their convictions, no one involved in the website was public about their identity until they were incorporated.

The website has a members forum for unsupportive parents from the UK and Ireland. They claim there are hundreds of members: “Our members are overwhelmingly parents whose children are adolescents or young adults.”

On June 17, 2025, Bayswater submitted an application to register a a corporation. On October 14, 2025, Bayswater was incorporated as a private company number 16784519, listed at a shared office / virtual office hub in Mildenhall.

People

Richard Stephens was one of the three original co-founders in 2019.

The 2025 Bayswater corporate application listed 3 active persons with significant control:

  • Mrs. Tracy C. Smith (born May 1981)
  • “Protected person”
  • “Protected person”

Anti-transgender activism

Bayswater has published a number of letters and statements, including co-signing the 2022 Sunday Times open letter that attempted to keep anti-trans conversion therapy in place in the UK

In 2024, their private Discord server was accessed. An investigation found that parents discussed methods for attempting to “stop” their children from being trans or gender diverse:

  • refusing to use preferred name or pronoun
  • sharing or threatening to share pre-transition images
  • isolating them from support
  • canceling visits with supportive healthcare providers
  • sending them to conversion therapists
  • pulling their children out of school or extracurricular activites
  • attempting to shut down school LGBTQ clubs
  • restricting their internet access and confiscating children’s devices
  • witholding money
  • destroying their possessions, including binders, clothing, and medications
  • prohobiting the from for using rape crisis services and Childline

On November 5, 2023, Bayswater posted on Twitter:

  • Earlier this year, @BayswaterSG wrote to the CPS with concerns about their domestic abuse guidance, in particular a list of inappropriate examples of ‘abuse’. Our concerns are now echoed in a new @Policy_Exchange report by @OHaraMaureen9: https://telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/04/judges-warn-cps-have-been-captured-by-pro-trans-lobby/
  • Annex D of the CPS guidance cites the following as potential examples of domestic abuse:
    • · Refusing to use […] preferred name or pronoun
    • · Threatening or sharing pre-transition images
    • · Destroying medication or clothes
    • · Withholding money for transitioning
  • This has the potential to undermine NHS recommendations for supporting young people with gender dysphoria and could result in spurious accusations of abuse against parents of trans-identified children or young people (including adult offspring).
  • Regardless of their offspring’s age, parents who are concerned about their child’s long-term welfare may not believe this is best served by unquestioning acquiescence to demands for family members to go along with the use of cross-sex pronouns etc.
  • Parents also need to consider the well-being of their other children & should not be forced into a deception about a sibling’s sex by referring to them in a particular way. Similarly, a parent should not face accusations of abuse over sharing pre-transition images of their child.
  • Finally, withholding money or destroying medication could be a reasonable response to a very real and immediate threat to a young person, particularly given the risk posed by sourcing hormones etc. from unregulated providers and without clinical oversight.

CPS responded to Bayswater that the guidance “could be read in a way that is not in line with the meaning of the guidance and its intended purpose […] We are therefore reviewing how this could be expressed differently for clarity.” In May 2024, the CPS updated its domestic abuse guidance, removing or revising several of the anti-trans tactics used by Bayswater parents. On May 4, 2024, Bayswater posted an update:

  • Bayswater contacted UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to revise their guidelines that classified forms of anti-trans guidelines domestic abuse. We originally wrote to the CPS with concerns in July 2023 & received a reply acknowledging the need to review the guidance. Constructive dialogue with the CPS followed and we are pleased to see this reflected in the updated advice for prosecutors.

In June 2024, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting revealed that Bayswater parents had met with Streeting. Streeting expressed sympathy for the “traumatic experiences” those families had been through.

On 20 August 2024, Streeting’s department issued a targeted consultation on proposals to make an indefinite statutory order to prevent new patients aged under 18 from being supplied with puberty blockers for the purposes of gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria, under the care of private or non-UK prescribers. In addition to professional medical associations, government entitites, and academics, a number of anti-trans groups were consulted, including:

Following outcry, the goverment said they would avoid meeting with people who “promote unsafe practices.” Six months later, they consulted with Bayswater again.

References

Baker, Sasha (February 21, 2026). What Trans+ kids say about draft education guidance that could force schools to segregate them. Queer AF https://www.wearequeeraf.com/what-trans-kids-say-about-schools-guidance-that-could-force-schools-to-segregate-them/

Fox, Aine (February 6, 2026). Campaigners launch legal action in bid to stop puberty blocker trial. The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jk-rowling-government-wes-streeting-high-court-b2915032.html

Wheeler, Brian (December 17, 2025). Streeting rejects calls to stop puberty blocker trial. BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgme45g1elo

McCool, Alice (December 16, 2025). From Russia to the far right: the shadowy forces challenging the NHS puberty blockers trial. Good Law Project https://goodlawproject.org/from-russia-to-the-far-right-the-shadowy-forces-challenging-the-nhs-puberty-blockers-trial/

Perry, Sophie (December 11 2025). Gender critical campaigners demand puberty blockers trial be scrapped. PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/12/11/puberty-blockers-trial-nhs-gender-critical/

Wareham, Jamie (September 20, 2025). ‘Section 28 2.0’ RSE consultation featured four explicitly anti-trans groups, FOI reveals. Queer AF https://www.wearequeeraf.com/section-28-2-0-rse-consultation-featured-four-explicitly-anti-trans-groups-foi-reveals/

Hansford, Amelia (August 12, 2025). Wes Streeting met with ‘gender-critical’ groups to discuss ‘gender policy.’ PinkNews https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/08/12/wes-streeting-gender-policy-meeting/

Baker, Sasha; Rocca, Valeria (February 1, 2025). Revealed: Streeting met with and expressed sympathy for pro-conversion therapy parents group Bayswater. Queer AF https://www.wearequeeraf.com/revealed-streeting-met-with-and-expressed-sympathy-for-pro-conversion-therapy-parents-group-bayswater/

Wareham, Jamie (December 14, 2024). Puberty Blocker ban consultation featured eight explicitly anti-trans groups. Queer AF https://www.wearequeeraf.com/puberty-blocker-ban-consultation-featured-eight-explicitly-anti-trans-groups/

Livingston, Eve (September 5, 2024). Trans+ Voices: what our project has done so far – and where it will go next. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-09-05/trans-voices-six-months-on

Brown, Rivkah (November 12, 2024). Are NHS Workers Bringing Trump-Style Anti-Trans Ideology to the UK? Novara Media https://novaramedia.com/2024/11/12/are-nhs-workers-bringing-trump-style-anti-trans-ideology-to-the-uk/

Livingston, Eve (July 17, 2024). Puberty blockers: what are they and why are they in the news? The Bureau of Investigative Journalism https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-07-17/puberty-blockers-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-in-the-news

Baker, Sasha; Rocca, Valeria (July 2, 2024). ‘One day they may thank us for that “abuse”’: Inside the Bayswater Support Group. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-07-02/one-day-they-may-thank-us-for-that-abuse-inside-the-bayswater-support-group

Baker, Sasha; Rocca, Valeria (July 2, 2024). The parents group at the centre of a rollback of trans rights. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-07-02/the-parents-group-at-the-centre-of-a-rollback-of-trans-rights

Russell, Steve (December 20, 2023). Why the government’s new transgender school guidance is a massive blow to the trans community. Glamour https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/transgender-school-guidance

Amery, F. (2023). Protecting Children in “Gender Critical” Rhetoric and Strategy: Regulating Childhood for Cisgender Outcomes. DiGeSt – Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.85309

Latham, A. (2022). Puberty Blockers for Children: Can They Consent? The New Bioethics, 28(3), 268–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/20502877.2022.2088048

Anti-trans coverage

Johnston, Lucy (February 28, 2026). BBC faces legal wrangle over ‘dangerous’ coverage of transgender issues. GBNews https://www.gbnews.com/news/bbc-legal-dangerous-transgender

Sawer, Patrick (February 28, 2026). Parents prepare for court battle to protect children from BBC ‘pro-trans bias.’ The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/28/parents-court-battle-to-protect-children-bbc-pro-trans-bias/

Wise, Jacqui (February 24, 2026). Puberty blockers: Controversial trial paused over safety concerns. BMJ, 392, s355. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s355

Staff report (February 6, 2026). Campaigners launch legal action to stop puberty blockers trial. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/06/campaigners-legal-action-stop-puberty-blockers-trial/

Walden, Celia (January 12, 2026). It’s mad that we’re relying on JK Rowling to save our children from the horrors of puberty blockers. TheTelegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/12/jk-rowling-save-children-puberty-blockers/

Simpson, Craig (January 11, 2026). JK Rowling calls for puberty blocker trial to be stopped. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/11/jk-rowling-calls-for-puberty-blocker-trial-to-be-stopped/

Bartosch, Josephine (December 12, 2025). New puberty-blocker trial ignores children’s wellbeing. UnHerd https://unherd.com/newsroom/new-puberty-blocker-trial-ignores-childrens-wellbeing/

Dyer, Clare (December 12, 2025). Puberty blockers trial faces potential legal action from campaigners. BMJ, 391, r2629. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r2629

Sharkey, Jessica (December 11, 2025). Senior Tory backs campaign to stop NHS puberty-blocker trial. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/claire-coutinho-blocks-nhs-puberty-blocker-trial-833fj9752

Gentleman, Amelia (December 11, 2025). Campaigners in legal effort to suspend trial of puberty blockers in England. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/11/campaigners-in-legal-effort-to-suspend-trial-of-puberty-blockers-in-england

Staff report (November 26, 2025). Parents of gender-confused children call for probe into BBC pro-trans bias. The Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/news/parents-of-gender-confused-children-call-for-probe-into-bbc-pro-trans-bias/

Pearce, Georgia (November 20, 2025). BBC blasted for ‘indoctrinating children’ with ‘trans bias’ as outraged parents call for investigation. GBNews https://www.gbnews.com/news/bbc-trans-activist-bias-investigation

Sawer, Patrick (November 19, 2025). ‘BBC’s pro-trans bias damaged our children.’ The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/19/bbcs-pro-trans-bias-damaged-our-children-ofcom-parents-uk/

Knox, Brady (November 19, 2025). Hundreds of parents accuse BBC of ‘constant drip-feed’ of pro-transgender content for children. Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3891875/parents-accuse-bbc-constant-drip-feed-pro-transgender-content-children/

[Anonymous] (April 30, 2025). A landmark study of gender medicine is caught in an ethics row. The Economist https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/04/30/a-landmark-study-of-gender-medicine-is-caught-in-an-ethics-row

Staff report (March 14, 2025). Kemi Badenoch slams puberty blockers trial. The Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/news/kemi-badenoch-slams-puberty-blockers-trial/

Davis, Nicola; Marsh, Sarah (May 3, 2024). Concerns as cross-sex hormones available online for just ÂŁ11 a month. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/03/cross-sex-hormones-available-online-11-pounds-a-month-young-people-gender-identity

Bird, Steve (November 18, 2023). Parents fear ‘spurious’ domestic abuse arrests over trans children. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/18/parents-of-trans-warn-cps-that-they-face-spurious-allegatio/

Amery, F. (2023). Protecting Children in “Gender Critical” Rhetoric and Strategy: Regulating Childhood for Cisgender Outcomes. DiGeSt – Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.85309

Staff report (February 7, 2023). Parental rights ignored by schools socially transitioning children. The Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/news/parental-rights-ignored-by-schools-socially-transitioning-children/

Freeman, Hadley (January 07 2023). The prize for being a good parent is hatred. The Times https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/the-prize-for-being-a-good-parent-is-hatred-xj8gpsbw3

Swerling, Gabriella (September 17, 2021). NHS trust wins legal fight to overturn ban on puberty-blocking drugs for children. The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/09/17/nhs-trust-wins-bid-overturn-landmark-puberty-blocking-drugs/

Selected writing by Bayswater

Bayswater (October 11, 2025). Bayswater Support Group Statement on Misinformation About the Group. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bayswater-support-group-statement-on-group-misinformation/

Bayswater (April 14, 2024). Bayswater Statement in Response to the Final Report of the Cass Review. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/statement-final-cass-review/

Bayswater (January 29, 2022). Joint Statement On Scottish Government Plans to Legislate For The Self Declaration Of Sex. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/joint-statement-on-scottish-government-plans-to-legislate-for-the-self-declaration-of-sex/

Bayswater (March 2, 2021). Bayswater Support shares concerns about Telegraph investigation into GenderGP. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bayswater-support-shares-concerns-about-telegraph-investigation-into-gendergp/

Bayswater (January 28, 2021). BMJ Rapid Response: Supporting Parents of Children with Gender Dysphoria. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bmj-rapid-response-supporting-parents-of-children-with-gender-dysphoria/

Bayswater (January 20, 2021). Statement: Bayswater Support Group Shares Concerns of CQC Inspection Report, Calls for Enhanced Child Mental Health Support. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bayswater-support-group-share-concerns-of-cqc-inspection-report-calls-for-enhanced-child-mental-health-support/

Bayswater (January 16, 2021). Statement to The Mail On Sunday about Puberty Blockers. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bsg-statement-to-the-mail-on-sunday-about-puberty-blockers/

Bayswater (December 1, 2020). Statement: Bayswater Support Group Welcomes Court Ruling in Use of Puberty Blockers in Under 18s. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/bayswater-support-group-welcomes-court-ruling-in-use-of-puberty-blockers-in-under-18s/

Bayswater (September 23, 2020). Statement: On the NHS England Announcement of an Independent Review into the Treatment of Gender Dysphoria in Children. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/statement-on-the-nhs-england-announcement-of-an-independent-review-into-the-treatment-of-gender-dysphoria-in-children/

Bayswater (September 4, 2020). Our Letter: Regarding the EHRC Transgender Guidance for Secondary Schools. https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/our-letter-regarding-the-ehrc-transgender-guidance-for-secondary-schools/

Bayswater (July 13, 2020). Our Letter: Concerning the Oxford Study “Identifying the Health and Care Needs of Young Trans and Gender Diverse People.” https://www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/a-letter-concerning-the-oxford-study-identifying-the-health-and-care-needs-of-young-trans-and-gender-diverse-people/

Bayswater (April 2021). Bayswater Support Group Constitution. http://jamest35.sg-host.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Constitution.pdf

Media

Philosophy Tube with Abigail Thorn (March 20, 2026). Britain Still Has Conversion Therapists. Here’s Why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S5w18sjYLk

Resources

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Bayswater Support Group (bayswatersupport.org.uk)

X/Twitter (x.com)