AIBU to think that this has gone way too far?

[dorade]

The Alberta Government in Canada has issued guidelines to schools that essentially allows kids to 'identify' however they want, use whichever toilet/changing room they want and play on whichever sport team they want.

I can't help feeling this is bad for girls.

(PS I'm a long time mumsnetter (2004), just have not posted for ages)

[SirVixofVixHall]

It is utterly ridiculous.

[VoldysGoneMouldy]

It's absolutely fantastic, and a great step forward for trans, genderqueer and genderfluid people.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

And down the rabbit hole we go.

[GruntledOne]

FFS, not another thread whinging about transsexuality.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I hope that they are going to provide changing and toilet facilities that allow all the children to feel safe and to give them privacy.

[nephrofox]

Ridiculous and verging on abusive in my opinion

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

Fucking ridiculous.

[Oswin]

It's stupid.
A few years ago I would have said it was all great, I would have been tripping over myself to make sure trans people felt ok.
Now though I feel it's getting silly.
No way should anyone be able to just say I am a women then bam be able to access women's spaces.

[museumum]

I'm starting to wonder if this is just a phase were all going to go through on the way to realising that gender means fuck all and that biological sex is only important in purely physical/medical/childbearing issues.

[RJnomore1]

How the fuck is that manageable from a safeguarding point of view?

[OhShutUpThomas]

It's fucking ridiculous and a massive step backwards for women's rights.

[slebmum1]

It is ludicrous.

[Griphook]

It's always the women and their rights that get shoved under the bus.

[ElsaAintAsColdAsMe]

The way I read it there will be separate toilets and changing areas for those who identify as transgender, or, if any child who identifies as transgender wants to use the toilet/changing room for the gender they identify as the separate room/toilet can be used by those uncomfortable with sharing.

With regard to everything else (sports, classes etc) schools shouldn't be separating children according to their sex anyway, yet I see it a lot.

I think this is a really positive step.

[dorade]

My concern is that with the publication of the Trans Inquiry Report it is only a matter of time until it happens over here.

How long until girls' spots teams are full of bilogical males 'identifying' as female?

Does this mean that segregation on the basis of sex for certain things (changing rooms, toilets, hospital wards) no longer matters?

[BibaDiba]

World's gone mad. It seems to be trendy at the moment. It's only acceptable to be "open minded" to the extreme otherwise we're the intolerant ones.

[caroldecker]

So 1 transgender person in the girls changing room and all the girls in a 'separate' room?

[dorade]

But Elsa, this is not just about the rare child who may have genuine dysphoria, this is about anyone being able to identify as anything anytime.

Boys have little, if anything to lose from this. Girls have a great deal to lose.

[SalemSaberhagen]

Pre MN, I would have been cheering it.

Since reading the many enlightening threads on here, my stance has changed completely. It's fucking ludicrous.

[ElsaAintAsColdAsMe]

In my experience most transgender children will want the privacy of their own space so it is unlikely to be an issue anyway.

[dorade]

Biba,

If you read the comments below the article (not always a good plan, I admit, and not scientific) most people there think it is barking. Those of us who do are going to have to run the gauntlet of being seen as intolerant or unprogressive because otherwise this WILL be coming to a school near you.

[dorade]

This person did not want the privacy of his own changing space. He actively wanted to be in the girls' space.

[ewbank]

I always think about a very funny MNer who wrote "ok fine, I'm going to identify as an overweight Glaswegian bricklayer called Brian"

Made me chuckle it did, and makes about as much sense.

I might identify as a beautiful purple unicorn. Which bathroom should I use?

[HamaTime]

Does this mean that segregation on the basis of sex for certain things (changing rooms, toilets, hospital wards) no longer matters?

Hospital wards are already separated by gender. It's in the 2010 Essence of Care white paper.