popnolly - Primary school LGBT+ education

[OvaHere]

My DS came home today with a sticker from this organisation www.popnolly.com who have been into school today to work with the Yr6 children. Parents weren't given any notification of this or an explanation of content which I would have appreciated.

I asked him what he learned and he said it was about about sexuality and falling in love and they read a fairytale (I assume the Prince Henry one from the website). I'm going to talk to him more later because I'm not sure whether they delved into trans issues or it was just about same sex equality.

I've had a look on the website and youtube channel and of they link to Mermaids as one of their resources.

One of their fairytales is about Jamie a transman. I can't work out what they are trying to say in this video beyond if you like cars and motorbikes and are good at fixing things then you are a boy . I don't think the idea that you can magically change sex with a swish of a wand is helpful either.

I'm not sure yet if he was shown this particular video but as someone who spent many years as part of a motorcycle club and know many GNC women motorcyclists I'm a bit put out at the association.

Overall they seem quite good on lesbian and gay content based on their video collection so on balance I'd rather them than Mermaids or GIRES directly it's just the stereotypes needed to explain trans in my opinion don't sit well next to the other 'it's okay to be yourself' messages.

[LonginesPrime]

On top of the fact the video suggests that if you're practical you're a boy, the overriding message I got was that (1) girls are oppressed by the patriarchy and (2) the solution for girls who have a problem with this oppression is to become boys.

[OvaHere]

Yes you are right. It's a terrible message to be giving to girls at such a young age (or any age really).

It spoils what otherwise seems a positive educational resource but I imagine no such organisation can exclude the T these days.

[PetuniaPetunia]

Sooo, boys get everything they want, boys are "royal" and get to go to the ball but girls don't, boys can't have long hair, boys don't have to do cooking and cleaning?

[NeurotrashWarrior]

See, it's confusing as the daughter of my friend attended our wedding in a tux aged 8 and she's very clear that she's a girl.

[whathaveiforgottentoday]

God that video was awful. So Jamie was treated like shit by her brothers the fairy godmother and pretty much life. the solution was not to become a boy. I think even the original cinderella study has a less worrying message for young girls than that video.

[RockyFlintstone]

What a load of absolute keeerrrraaaaaapppop that video is.

Girl who likes fixing cars and using tools dons a tux and cuts her hair and boom, she is a boy!

Agree about the message that females can avoid being treated like shit by changing into boys. Great

For all the messages about people accepting trans kids as their 'authentic selves' there is a strong message of 'you are not OK the way you are, you need to change' running through ybr whole thing.

[OvaHere]

Probably worth pointing out in the year since i started this thread PopnOlly actively tried to recruit primary school age children to fill in the GRA consultation using a Stonewall pre-filled pro forma.

Astounding that would encourage this in children not old enough to begin to grasp the complex issues at stake.

[SoloClarinet]

Jamie must be a boy because she can fix things??? FFS

Is there not a single teacher with an atom of common sense reviewing this material before they use it in school?

[VickyEadie]

Is there not a single teacher with an atom of common sense reviewing this material before they use it in school?

See, this is my great fear since the news on SRE in primary schools came out yesterday. I can't think of many teachers - in primary or secondary - who would feel the least bit confident to teach this stuff and I reckon they'll jump at any packs produced by the likes of Mermaids, et al.

We need Transgender trend to produce some decent materials - with some urgency.

[TalkingintheDark]

I couldn’t watch more than a couple of minutes of that and feel sorry for all the kids who have to sit through the whole thing. But especially the girls, apparently being told that if boys bully and abuse them and enjoy huge amounts of male privilege, they can identify as boys instead and poof! Problems gone.

So, so sad.

[HawayMan]

You need to mention this to the other parents at the school. I bet not many will be pleased about this. Once you have a good group, write a letter or arrange a meeting with the head and voice your concerns.

[ChickenonaMug]

As I understand it schools should abide by human rights legislation as well as Public Sector Equality Duty act.
I have no idea how a school uncritically showing the film above would be paying due care to "article 5 of CEDAW, on modifying the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, State Parties have an obligation to eliminate practices that are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes, or on stereotyped roles for men and women." The link between sex stereotypes and gender based violence is a considerable concern.

The video shows a girl who is controlled and abused by her brothers and who struggles with the stereotypes placed upon her because of the perceptions attached to her sex. This girl then resorts to drastic measures to free herself from the control and stereotypes and also to be free to be in a same sex relationship.
I guess the video could be a good teaching aid if examined critically! An alternative one with a different ending could be made to highlight the problems of gender/sex stereotypes and abusive control and bullying.

[OldCrone]

From the new draft guidance for RSE:

31. Schools should be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated, and any occurrences are identified and tackled.

75. Sexual orientation and gender identity should be explored at a timely point and in a clear, sensitive and respectful manner.

How do you teach about gender identity without invoking gender stereotypes, which it says should not be tolerated?

[NeurotrashWarrior]

In my opinion, the word gender should not be used unless with the word stereotype is after it.

75. Sexual orientation and gender identity stereotypes should be explored at a timely point and in a clear, sensitive and respectful manner.

Boils my piss it's bunged in with sexual orientation. This is a much more important topic for young children as a significant number of children have single sex parents these days.

If it's taught alongside it, it severely confuses matters.

Not looked at the whole doc yet. Looking forward to it.

Ordering transgender trend pack today. Should have done ages ago.