Here are my observations. Sorry if they load up in a mess. I wish it were easier to quote from external sources on Mumsnet.
Firstly - I dislike the use of the terms Youth and Young people. It seems deliberate to distract from the fact that school pupils are still children.
This part about the law is disingenuous, unless things are different in Scotland. I hope schools have better knowledge of the current Equality Act and what it says about exemptions being allowed. "110.The Equality Act 2010 allows for the provision of separate-sex113 and single-sex services114 where this is “a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”.
The Supporting Transgender Youth guidance says:
"What the law says There is no law in Scotland, or in the UK, which states that only people assigned male at birth can use men's toilets and changing rooms, or that only people assigned female can use women's toilets and changing rooms. Discrimination case law has established that transgender people who have started living in accordance with their gender identity must not be banned from using the facilities matching their gender identity."
Really? Have any of these case laws been against schools?
Is it not a legitimate aim to allow privacy and dignity to all the other children, a large proportion of which are likely experiencing their own feelings of self-consciousness over their changing bodies? My children's' primary school stopped boys and girls changing together for PE when they were in Year 5 (age 9). What is the point of that if it can suddenly be deemed unimportant at some later date and overridden by another's conflicting wants. Either it is or it isn't important for children to have sex segregated spaces when their bodies are developing. It can't be both. My DDs have to do mixed sex swimming in Years 7 - 9 and the majority of the pupils hate it, girls and boys, doing what they can to get out of it. That's how much they do not wish to be undressed in front of the opposite sex.
I note the guidance says:
"As a guide, it is helpful to ask: Is the young person being treated with dignity and respect? Have you taken all reasonable steps to accommodate their needs? "
Will they not ask these questions of all the other pupils?
Ah and then there's the twisting of statistics again to scare parents or teachers. In the infographic about having supportive or supportive parents they cite this:
Based on a 2012 study of 433 individuals. Travers R, Bauer G, Pyne J, Bradley K, for the T rans PULSE Project: Gale L, Papadimitriou M (2012). Impacts of Strong Parental Support for Trans Youth: a report prepared for Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and Delisle Youth Services.
Here's the report pdf
"Survey data were collected from a total of 433 trans participants (youth and non-youth) by internet or paper survey." "Participants were recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS) over a 12-month period in 2009-2010, including 123 trans youth, 84 of whom had socially transitioned gender (or begun to), come out to their parents, and provided information reporting how supportive their parents were of their gender identity or expression. This analysis is based on data from these 84 youth."
So not 433 individuals who are trans youths then.
Finally:
"Transgender professionals who could be referred to in lessons include:
J uno D awson – author (young people's fiction and non-fiction) and trans woman"
Who, in the Guardian in the summer in a piece about summer likes and dislikes, answered the question: What’s your summer soundtrack? with
"It’s a bit cliched, but Lana Del Rey. It’s all languid California suncream and cherry cola. You can roll around in the garden pretending to be Lolita, or Cecile from Bonjour Tristesse." Ugh - a YA author who does school visits. Worrying.
I'm happy with my children learning about gender dysphoria, I'm glad for teachers to be provided with guidance, I don't wish for any young person to suffer any hatred or bullying or nonacceptance for how they express themselves but this guidance is one-sided, shits all over girls especially and is overkill. Do schools get issued with guidance for dealing with children with other issues which are 60 pages long? A quick google for Autism and the guidance I found for for secondary schools is only 20 pages long. Where are all the school-wide pro campaigns to support girls with ASD or ADHD, children with social anxiety, children who experience bereavement etc...?