Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Red nose day- dress as the opposite gender

54 replies

Disneydatknee88 · 31/01/2024 23:12

My DD (8) told me today that for red nose day they have to dress as the opposite gender. It was voted for by student council, unsure if it was their suggestion or that they just voted on it. AIBU to think this is totally out of order and tone deaf? Dressing as the opposite gender is not funny or to be made fun of.

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 01/02/2024 15:23

Interesting to see different takes on this.

Clearly, some posters are seeing this as pushing a transgender agenda.

I didn't get that at all. I read it as a case of stereotyping male/female clothing and the children just going into school in the stereotypical clothing of the opposite sex; whatever that's supposed to mean, which isn't 'fun' but old fashioned and boring.

So many children live in what amounts to unisex clothing anyway now, surely most of them would just be able to wear their everyday clothes.

Is the school expecting the boys to dress up in cutesy, frilly dresses? Do they not know that girls don't dress that way any more?

The whole thing seems rather stupid, pointless and frankly distasteful in this day and age tbh.

cerisepanther73 · 01/02/2024 01:26

It's really boring 😴 tiresome hearing the same thing rhetoric lectured constantly about,
like general public are hard of hearing dementia Geriatric population...

matthewy · 01/02/2024 01:21

pigsDOfly · 31/01/2024 23:25

Given that there are now so many genders - a quick google tells me there are 72 - what on earth do they mean by the 'opposite gender'?

If they mean the children should dress up as the opposite sex, this either didn't happen or there are some wires crossed somewhere. as I really can't imagine any school in this day and age coming up with something like this.

3149 gender.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Gender_Identities

All the kids could just wear jeans and a top.

User373433 · 01/02/2024 01:18

10 years ago, parents would be up in arms about this about gender stereotypes (and quite rightly so)

Sadly, we have now regressed so far that we are hoping this just enforces stereotypes and doesn't indoctrinate them into wanting to change gender.

Terrifying times. I would not be happy about this at all.

cerisepanther73 · 01/02/2024 01:16

@PaulCostinRIP

Good idea have a day off school

Do something nice together.

PaulCostinRIP · 01/02/2024 01:12

All part of the insidious agenda to normalise transgender.

I would let her have the day off and go somewhere nice together.

EdinGirl · 01/02/2024 01:11

Also, no one has mentioned the cost of this.

What if the child has no siblings of the opposite gender to borrow clothes from.. The parents have to go out and buy a dress???

Absolutely bizarre.

TooBigForMyBoots · 01/02/2024 00:51

Does the school have a uniform?

cerisepanther73 · 01/02/2024 00:40

Typo mistake Throats *

cerisepanther73 · 01/02/2024 00:39

Here we go another opportunity for Indoctrination bandwagon !!!!

Jesus, !
they have half force 😳 pressure Gender LGBT narrative down children and young people's,

OzziePopPop · 01/02/2024 00:34

So… dress as a stereotype basically?

yuk. imagine if you replaced ‘gender’ with another stereotype…

Disneydatknee88 · 01/02/2024 00:21

Arbor · 01/02/2024 00:02

Out of all the things they could choose, they choose this? Okay. (And it's sex, not gender.)

I am just using the language my DD used to describe this to me. An 8 yo doesn't understand the difference between sex and gender, apologies.

OP posts:
Fizzadora · 01/02/2024 00:17

So if you've got a boy who identifies as a girl, he'd have to dress as a boy on red nose day.... wouldn't that be a bit triggering????

JanglingJack · 01/02/2024 00:15

And those making it a deal, please tell us how your child is coping thinking that they are the wrong sex and how they would cope with the god awful day of fun and laughs at primary.

JanglingJack · 01/02/2024 00:12

It's not that big of a deal.

JanglingJack · 01/02/2024 00:10

I'm guessing it's kids that run the Student council?

My daughter came out nearly 10 years ago as wanting to be a boy. She was year 5 at primary.

I can't imagine that she would have been offended, or indeed any of the other children.

Does anyone remember fun without politics? Or is it just my child that is so rounded and chilled that they would have thought it funny.

Arbor · 01/02/2024 00:02

Disneydatknee88 · 31/01/2024 23:12

My DD (8) told me today that for red nose day they have to dress as the opposite gender. It was voted for by student council, unsure if it was their suggestion or that they just voted on it. AIBU to think this is totally out of order and tone deaf? Dressing as the opposite gender is not funny or to be made fun of.

Out of all the things they could choose, they choose this? Okay. (And it's sex, not gender.)

Disneydatknee88 · 01/02/2024 00:02

strawberryjeans · 31/01/2024 23:16

Sure this happened.

I can assure you it did. Im not trying to start a trans debate. I just think that given that it is a sensitive topic in today's world, its not something that should be thrown about so blasé in school. Red nose day is meant to be fun. This isn't a fun topic for anyone.

OP posts:
Disneydatknee88 · 31/01/2024 23:30

pigsDOfly · 31/01/2024 23:25

Given that there are now so many genders - a quick google tells me there are 72 - what on earth do they mean by the 'opposite gender'?

If they mean the children should dress up as the opposite sex, this either didn't happen or there are some wires crossed somewhere. as I really can't imagine any school in this day and age coming up with something like this.

Boys dressed as girls, girls dressed as boys. That is the premise. I'm confused why this was even suggested. I'm just relaying what DD told me on the school run this afternoon!

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 31/01/2024 23:25

Given that there are now so many genders - a quick google tells me there are 72 - what on earth do they mean by the 'opposite gender'?

If they mean the children should dress up as the opposite sex, this either didn't happen or there are some wires crossed somewhere. as I really can't imagine any school in this day and age coming up with something like this.

yetanotherusernameAgain · 31/01/2024 23:19

Opposite gender? That's so binary and terribly out of date. Are they still living in the 1990s?

LuluBlakey1 · 31/01/2024 23:19

At the primary school our 3 go to they are just wearing something red. So they can go as small or large about it as they like. DS1 would like me to make him a 'red ant' costume - not sure how I'll manage that, DD wants to go as a red moth with blue spots. DS2 wants to go as a red M and M. MIL has offered to help with costumes.

Klcak · 31/01/2024 23:18

That's odd. I'd probably send her in jeans and a tshirt that isn't obviously girly.

jeaux90 · 31/01/2024 23:18

Way to go enforcing stereotypes. Idiots.

Topofthemountain · 31/01/2024 23:17

Dressing as the opposite gender is not funny or to be made fun of.

Nah, it's just plain weird, however in the minds of children it could mean boys to wear a dress and girls to wear a collar and tie, which I think is actually quite sweet. (Just not pitched in the way it was)