Really, MNHQ?

Mumsnet already uses the term 'gender ' instead of 'sex' on the profile page that members can fill in.

Your average 12 year old kid who thinks they are transgender will google to see what they can do to be more female/ male/ whatever. Better to have that talk in a school environment where teachers have a responsibility to safeguard their pupils and ensure any discussions do not promote partisan views.

That's not the way it's going though. People seem to have lost their minds and forgotten about basic safeguarding for children. Where is the balance? Look at what happened on QT this week. There is no debate

Clearly I mistook your immaturity for youth Ragusa. I beg your pardon.

You might be older than me, you might not, I am not exactly a spring chicken. I hope when I'm as old and wise as you I've learned not to be overtly patronising, at least.

I'm just old, Ragusa. Very old, and been where you are. The beauty of internet advice is that you can simply ignore it if it hits too close to home.

What "pretty clear intent" would that be?

I don't think that promoting hormone blockers to young children is appropriate

You realise that's what they are doing?

@erishkigal, I think the intent was pretty clear, and it was not purely to make people laugh ;)

A pearl-clutcher?! 've never ever been described as one of those before. But there's a first time for everything I suppose.

@Terftastic, yes, I'm pretty sure.

I don't think that promoting hormone blockers to young children is appropriate, but I am reminded of nothing more than the whole debate around Section 28, and how allowing anyone into a school to talk about homosexuality was akin to promoting it.

Kids are literate these days. Your average 12 year old kid who thinks they are transgender will google to see what they can do to be more female/ male/ whatever. Better to have that talk in a school environment where teachers have a responsibility to safeguard their pupils and ensure any discussions do not promote partisan views.

“I can't even get excited about trans organisations going into schools.”

I disagree with you there Ragusa.

I’d be much happier if they started with the idea that a healthy body is the right body.

I think it’s a really bad thing that the Mermaids lady has such influence. I don’t judge her for her own (child’s) story but she is only human so her views will never be objective. She will tend to see kids who “are trans” wherever she looks.

If you look on a user’s profile it says “gender” too (if they have that information available).

Are you seriously comparing trans people, and people who do not identify as male or female/ man/ woman, to mushrooms?

I doubt it was seriously meant. That's some top class pearl clutching there Ragusa. Mind they don't break!

wow, @thebewilderness, thanks so much for explaining that for me. Have you ever considered transitioning to become a bloke, because you'd make a fantastic mansplainer?

I'm pretty sure intersex people choose a sex to live by, they don't announce themselves to all and sundry as "others". I thought we weren't allowed to other people nowadays anyway? Ffs...

“I understand what you want, but you will not get it until you realize that you are not the main character in the story of other people's lives.”

Ouch bloody hell woman! Cutting!

Are you seriously comparing trans people, and people who do not identify as male or female/ man/ woman, to mushrooms? Seriously??? Folks. Cop on to yourselves.

Omg, I would totally tick Don’t Know 😂

I do want to be able to participate in a discussion without feeling the way I did at school when I had views and a look that differed from my uber-fem barbie doll peers - e.g., snidely ridiculed and then closed down.
You need to learn to manage your own feelings just as most of the women here have learned to do. Srsly! Ask yourself the "is it me or is it them question" and then give it serious thought. Sometimes it is one and sometimes the other. You can learn to tell the difference.
I understand what you want, but you will not get it until you realize that you are not the main character in the story of other people's lives.

Ragusa,
Please stick around and keep disagreeing.

Well at least it didn't have 'Dont know'.

Jelly perhaps Other relates to life forms who don’t have a sex, like single cell organisms. Or fungi which have 36,000 sexes.

We have to be inclusive. Mushrooms shop in Lidl literally all the time.

Are you sure, Ragusa?

You don't think that telling gender non-conforming children that they could have been born the wrong sex - and can take pills to become the other sex - might have an influence? That's different from sexual orientation.