To Feel Really Saddened That DD's School can't say Daughter or Girl

[Memeapple]

I went to a my DD's high performing Central London Girls school last night for an introduction to year 8 where they mainly talked about attendance.

We then had a talk by the form tutor in the classroom. I noticed that during the entire form tutor chat she was referring to the girls as children. This wasn't an accident because at one point she nearly said daughters but stopped herself. I've noticed my daughter talking about the girls in her class as "people". I've also seen her gender PHSE work from year 7 which says if you misgender someone it is an act of violence. Hmm what about obliteration of gender?

I am profoundly dismayed by this and feel that the school is complicit in the stripping of girls/women's identities. How can "inclusivity" mean that the females have no identity whatsoever?

Am finding this whole situation really really disconcerting. Something nefarious has penetrated the school system. How can fundamental biological/physiological fact be washed away by "lived experience".

[Zerogravity]

How can "inclusivity" mean that the females have no identity whatsoever?
It can't. This is about the erasure of women, not about inclusivity. It is very, very sinister. I hope enough people wake up to this before it's too late.

[bonbonours]

I bet it's because some of their girls now identify as boys/non binary. It is quite ridiculous though. Wonder what their policy is on allowing boys who identify as girls to enrol in their"girls" school?

[Spindrifting]

Don't get sad, get angry. Object to the erasure of girls and women as a sex in the context of your school. You won't be alone.

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

I would have a real problem with this and would be complaining to the head. My Dd goes to an all girls school and they call them girls (occasionally 'wards' in letters) almost all the time.

If the TRAs are so convinced TWAW (not my train of thought tbh) then what's wrong with calling them daughters?!

[LateDecemberBackInLowB12]

Is your daughter not a person?

[Zerogravity]

Your child is not being harmed by being referred to as a person
And why would anyone be harmed by being referred to as a girl or a daughter? Policing people's language is extremely sinister and is damaging trans people too. You give it a rest.

[GeorgiaMcGraw]

Might be worth asking the head teacher why the school can't acknowledge that girls exist? Do they want the girls at their school to feel ashamed of being girls? This is really sad. I went to a Girls Grammar and we were encouraged to be proud that we were girls, growing up to be women. We knew that sexism still existed and we were taught to strive to achieve, regardless of any barriers. Now girls seem to be taught that their very existence is taboo.

[DillonPanthersTexas]

I went to a my DD's high performing Central London Girls school last night

Quality stealth brag there OP.

[Zerogravity]

Women are people too. Not just men
Strange then that it's only the words referring to women and girls that are being erased, don't you think?

[CorrBlimeyGG]

Congratulations, you get the prize for things that didn't happen last night.

[Memeapple]

Ok. I didn't expect everyone to agree with me but the anti trans stuff is interesting. It's all about identity isn't? So how how come the identity of girls is now not important? It's the most measurable and historically true of all identities yet now seems the least important to conserve. I feel like our children are being brainwashed.

[OneTC]

If the TRAs are so convinced TWAW

Because it's girls identifying as boys?

[YouMeandtheSpew]

Women are people. They are a group of people who face systemic oppression to varying degrees around the world. If you can’t identify an oppressed group, you can’t tackle their oppression.

Same sort of principle as ‘All Lives Matter’.

[CorrBlimeyGG]

Strange then that it's only the words referring to women and girls that are being erased, don't you think?

Apparently men and boys were not mentioned either.

Honestly, you're being ridiculous. No one is being erased. More people are being included, and that can only be a good thing. Right? You wouldn't want to see people excluded, would you?

[hapagirl]

I get you OP. My DD goes to a girls’ school too and I like they (still) acknowledge they are girls and daughters.

[SigourneyHoward]

At least they have quite reached Lancet front page levels of description

" welcome men and adult bodies with vaginas to this introduction meeting for year 8 for your young bodies with vaginas. We are tremendously excited for what you young bodies with vaginas are going to achieve this year"

[KaptainKaveman]

But why can't they be called "girls"? Can someone please explain. Aren't they "girls"?

By refusing to use the vocab you're encouraging them to be ashamed of being girls/ daughters/ women.

[Memeapple]

@LateDecemberBackInLowB12

Is your daughter not a person?

Yes of course she is but I am concerned that her femaleness is being erased. Ironically, whilst we seem to be on a mission to get pronouns right for a minority of people, a majority are having their identity stripped.

[OneTC]

. I didn't expect everyone to agree with me

Oh come on this is Mumsnet. You could have proposed lining them and MILs all up against a wall and everyone would agree with you

[girlmom21]

Strange then that it's only the words referring to women and girls that are being erased, don't you think?

Not really, considering it's a girls school so the students will all be... girls...

[EdgeOfACoin]

If you can't see sex, you can't see sexism.

YANBU, OP.