AIBU in thinking British Gymnastics new guidelines are disadvantaging girls and putting them in danger?

[GColdtimer]

I have just seen the BG new guidelines on inclusion (here.

They go against all of their own safeguarding policies by saying that children should use the changing room of the gender in which they identify (so boys who identify as girls can use the girls changing room. Their own safeguarding guidelines state changing rooms should be single sex.

They then say if the girls don't like it they can go elsewhere. If an individual remains unhappy about a trans person using facilities appropriate to their gender identity, then they should make alternative arrangements

They also say the same for residential trips. And because privacy is of greatest important (although not for girls it would seem), a teenage girl (or her parents) may not be told she is sharing a room with a teenage boy (who identifies as a girl.)

This goes against all of their published safeguarding guidelines which says there should be single sex changing rooms, washing facilities and sleeping arrangements (for trips).

They also say children under 16 can compete in the gender they identify with. So boys can compete against the girls if they wish.

(Girls can also complete against boys but its highly unlikely they will).

Their guidelines on gender also, say Signs can appear at a very young age e.g. a child refusing to wear typical clothes of their gender or taking part in non- typical games. I'd better tell my short haired, trouser wearing, rugby playing niece that the leading governing body for one of the most popular sports for children believe she is actually a boy.

AIBU in thinking this is sexist and dangerous and BG should be held to account?

[sexnotgender]

They should absolutely be held to account, that is outrageous!

[UnderHerEye]

YANBU

Organisations are actively being encouraged to override their safeguarding principles and policies, which should be ringing alarm bells for everyone.

[Mumminmum]

So now tomboys are actually transgender? FFS! For not to mention the fact that a very well published study showed that "the creative children do not conform to gender stereotypes as rigidly as the non-creative children" ("non-creative" being a polite way of saying "non-intelligent"). So intelligent children are less likely to think that items are gendered and that only girls can play with dolls and only boys with cars etc.

Just because some kids like to play with toys that are considered to belong to the other gender, it does not in my opinion automatically follow that they want to spend all their time with the other gender and to be considered to be the other gender. The world is not so black and white.

[sexnotgender]

I had short, short hair growing up. I climbed trees and played football.
I hated dresses.
I played rugby for 6 years.

It meant absolutely fuck all except that’s what I liked doing.

My parents aren’t lunatics and didn’t try and tell me that my short hair and penchant for trousers made me a boy because that would have been FUCKING INSANE.

I’m now a grown up woman who still doesn’t really like dresses unless I have to. I’m married and pregnant and scared for the next generation.

[GColdtimer]

Its crazy on too many levels I can't actually get my head around it.

Dds coach thinks so too.

[TeenTimesTwo]

I really worry for the future of female engineers, male ballet dancers etc. Saying a girl is showing that 'she might really be a boy' just because she likes e.g. football and traditional lego is simultaneously outrageous and depressing.

When will politicians and other organisation leaders have the courage to stand up and say this is all Emperor's New Clothes?

Let children wear what they like and have whatever interests they like. But recognise there are 2 sexes and you can't literally change sex. (Even if for years we have been happy to treat post op trans people as if they were the opposite sex, even though we know that biologically they aren't.)

[Birdsgottafly]

We've let Men declare that once again, Gender is everything and once again, Women are the losers.

I can understand why a Man dressed as a Woman doesn't want to use a Man's public toilet. But this is senseless. There is no reason why a person who just identifies as a different gender needs to sleep in that Gender's bedroom. Or get changed into what is near identical clothing, for both Sexes.

[NothingOnTellyAgain]

Where does this leave boys who may want to compete as boys against boys in these disciplines?

Do they have any argument left to make, about how it's nto right that some sports / disciplines are "for girls" and some are "for boys"?

This entrenches gender role doesnt' it?

Plus of course the idea that any girl who doesn't want to get her kit off in front of a boy can "make alternative arrangements" ie they can get fucked, mirrors the Swim England guidance where they have to be re-educated and teh Girl Guides guidance where girls who aren't suitably feminine should leave as well.

BIG push to turn everything that is current for teh female sex, to for "feminine people" + any male who fancies going in with them.

Girls and women who do not align with femininity / aren't cool with taking their clothes off with men & boys around >> should stay at home.

This is what men always wanted isn't it?

[BeefyCakes]

Complain and complain loudly. Do it logically.

Their safeguarding policy says that changing rooms, dorms when away and toilet facilities should be single sex. Ask them why they are allowing penises in there?

Ask them why they are allowing boys to compete against girls on the boy saying that he's actually a girl.

Ask them why they failing to protest girls. Ask them why they are throwing girls under the bus to make boys comfortable.

Ask for clear answers, not newspeak or gaslighting answers.

[NothingOnTellyAgain]

Good luck with that! Please do let us know if / how you get on.

GG answer was "Transgirls are girls so there are no safeguarding considerations".

Uh-huh.

[BeefyCakes]

Fuck it, I've just tweeted them, asking why.

[Ereshkigal]

Complain and complain loudly. Do it logically.

This.

Ask for clear answers, not newspeak or gaslighting answers.

Good luck with that. You're likely to get the same answers GG and NSPCC gave.

But if everyone complains they can't ignore it forever. I hope one day all these organisations will be held accountable.

[ShimmyShimmyYa]

YANBU with bell's on!!
i have daughter who loves gymnastics- it's what she's good at- and my jaw is on the floor right now!
how did we get to this point???
mind you my son's moderately good at gymnastics- wonder if he's feeling at all female today- he'd do well in this new, remarkably unfair playingfield.
sport's wasted on females anyway (angry emoji if i knew how to!!)

sport's

[BackInTime]

If an individual remains unhappy about a trans person using facilities appropriate to their gender identity, then they should make alternative arrangements

So what about the rights of girls and women to privacy and safety in changing rooms. It’s a case of put up or shut up if you feel uncomfortable where the rights of the few trump the many. How about providing a separate non communal changing facility where required for those who need extra privacy?

[eniledam]

Why does everyone on Mumsnet seem to assume that all transgirls are sex attackers? That a teenage boy would go to such drastic lengths to ensure that they shared a room with a girl? That they would commit to dramatically changing their appearance, face ridicule from their friends, be bullied/harassed at every turn, all to launch some kind of sex attack?

Do any of you even KNOW any trans people?

[Wittow]

Wow! My DD, 10, goes to a gymnastics club and we have to pay British Gymnastics membership for the accident insurance. I'm raging about this, I think it's absolutely sledgehammer to crack a nut territory, complete overkill. Why alienate 99.9% of the bloody population for the 0.1% to whom this policy would be fucking relevant????

[sexnotgender]

I’m not sure anyone on here thinks transgirls/transwomen are sex attackers? Where on earth have you got that?

[GColdtimer]

Nobody is assuming that eniledam. Where does it say that in this thread. Enlighten us.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Fgs another national association, which has drunk the cool aid. Has everyone’s brain seeped out? 🤤

[BlackeyedSusan]

is it true that girls don't wear pants under their leotards?

how is that going to work in a mixed sex changing room?

[GColdtimer]

Current guidelines are that girls shouldn't wear underwear or shorts/tights when they compete. But a section in these new guidelines says that to protect the privacy and dignity of trans girls, all girls will be able to now wear shorts.

[drspouse]

90% of the children in my DD's gymnastics class are girls. Hence all the boys must be trans as it's not a typical "boy" activity.

[LeftRightCentre]

Fucking hell.

[PamsterWheel]

Look enil it's not exactly about that is it?

My DD is entering puberty, her gymnastics changing room is open plan. If you know anything about gymnastics you know they cannot wear anything under her leotard so when she gets changed she's naked. She doesn't want to see a 15 year old penis and she ddoesn''t want the owner of one looking at her. She doesn't care that they're not perving at her. She cares that she's only comfortable with others who have the same genitalia as her present in the room.

The POINT and message really is FUCK OFF GIRLS your comfort (and safety) means cock all. That is the fucking point. Jesus fucking christ.