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Original poster

What can teachers and other professionals do to create a more gender free environment in our schools?

287 replies

SarahCarer · 11/07/2018 23:11

As my dd is autistic and, as a result, Gender non Conforming (GNC) I thought I would share some thoughts about how to de-gender our schools.

Firstly, teachers need to find a way to address groups of children without saying "girls" or "boys" . This is commonplace in some schools and puts an unnatural focus onto a person's sex which is of no relevance at all in the context.

Secondly every school should have at least one unisex toilet which any pupil can use without special permission.

Thirdly school staff should avoid using the terms "good girl" or "good boy" Again the sex is of no relevance and the statement risks implying that they are being good because they are behaving in a way consistent with femininity or masculinity.

Fourthly ALL sexism and homophobia should be robustly challenged

Fifthly sex ed should not have gendered content

Sixthly there should be no organising of classes with reference to sex except in PE or for sex ed.

Any thoughts on these suggestions or suggestions for others?

These are some of the ways we can protect our autistic children from gender dysphoria (GD)

OP posts:
Mistressiggi · 14/07/2018 22:17

Meant to say one problem with guys it is clearly an originally male term, so girls are sort of "joining" it.

Mistressiggi · 14/07/2018 22:16

"Pupils" and "students" are very formal. No one calls me "teacher". I would say "class" sometimes (the class names are not anything they would relate to, not like primary) and guys as well. Obviously using their names is best. Though it can be effective to say "could the girl looking at her phone stop it now!" as about five girls all out their phones away.
I don't tell them I've written the seating plan boy/girl when I do, though I suppose they notice.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 22:14

From what you have said, your child doesn't follow stereotypes, this is great, she's a girl, she's awesome she should be proud of herself.

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 22:12

@seasure I have explicitly stated the opposite of all those things in this thread.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 14/07/2018 22:12

You say you want gendered stuff taken out of schools however alot if what you have suggested isn't about he set but about ignoring biological sex which is harmful as it ignores why people have the struggles they do.

"Come on boys get to class" - fine

"Oh god boys are always late to class" not fine.

And gender neutral toilets are just indulging the nonsense and putting girls at risk as it's ignoring why we have sex segregation in the first place.

You say your dd is ok being a girl then as long as she's not being treated unfavourably as a result then what's the problem acknowledging she's a girl.

What needs changing is the attitudes towards girls and boys the expectations that are different for girls and boys and the assigning of roles into kids based on stereo types and using socialization to your advantage.

Daring to mention boys are boys and girls are girls is not the problem

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 22:11

Boy and girls are not social constructs, boys are male, girls are female children.
Saying "good boy" isn't categorizing a boy.

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 22:10

And to answer noble's question; noble you gave me a non arbitrary reason to sit students boy girl. I still think it would be preferable if teachers didn't do this.

OP posts:
seasure · 14/07/2018 22:10

You do want to abolish sex.

you don't want boys to be called boys and you don't want girls to be called girls .
You think penises and vaginas need to piss in the same toilet. You want no differentiation for sex education . This is all about sex. Don't pretend it isn't . If your dd suffers from gender dysphoria, as many with autism do , you should be helping her not making it worse by encouraging her to think there's something wrong with being a woman .

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 22:10

I'm really trying to understand you, I honestly am, but you say "gender is societal construct", in one breath, which I get and can go with, I understand this.
But then you say things where you mix sex into it and it gets confusing.

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 22:05

I know exactly what I mean and will happily explain again to anyone in good faith. A few posters have ignored answers I have already given and repeatedly asked me the same questions and twisted my words. I have told you exactly what I mean by sex and gender. Captain said "masculinity is not gender" so I could really do with understanding what captain thinks gender is in order to establish a shared understanding and explain myself in a way she can understand.

OP posts:
CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 22:04

Maybe we should wipe the slate clean now and try from the start, Giles is right I think all of us are tied in Knott's.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 21:59

You either need to accept your radical idea about stereotyping has been about since the 60's, or really explain how this isn't just the same as stopping sterotypes?

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/07/2018 21:59

She's not been goading you. You just have no idea what you even mean.you have confused yourself between sex and gender and it's impossible to work out what you mean now

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:58

Fairy - Captain has been deliberately goading me for her own entertainment for the last few pages and I've been falling for it. This really has nothing to do with the original thread.

OP posts:
CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 21:58

Do you know what you think gender means captain?

Are you a broken record.

This is your "radical" idea you are selling, yet this is your response to genuine questions.

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:56

Do you know what you think gender means captain?

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FairyLightBlanket45 · 14/07/2018 21:55

We are going to have some really messed up children in the future the way this whole spectrum of arguement is going these days......

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 21:54

I use gender to mean the socmetal construct, not biological sex.

But then you don't want boys and girls to be called boys and girls, which isn't this!

You are unclear.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 21:53

I'm waiting for your response to my question captain

I don't know what you think gender means, as at some points in this thread you've interchanged it with "sex".

Likewise it's made me confused, as you seem to class stereotypes as gender markers.
Until it's clear I can't explain what I think gender is, over the last few years what gender is has become batshit insane.

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:50

Societal! No idea where autocorrect got socmetal from

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Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:49

HermioneWeasley I have explained upthread what might be an example of gendered content and why I agree with separate classes for sex ed. I use gender to mean the socmetal construct, not biological sex.

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Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:47

I'm waiting for your response to my question captain and then I'll be happy to come back to yours.

OP posts:
HermioneWeasley · 14/07/2018 21:46

Of course sex education should have “gendered content”. Boys and girls will develop differently and should have the chance to learn and ask their questions in a same sex environment. That doesn’t mean boys shouldn’t learn that girls have periods, but that being a pubescent girl is awkward as fuck and you shouldn’t have to learn about it with sniggering boys.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 14/07/2018 21:43

Do I have it right that you class calling a girl "good girl* as categorizing?

Original poster
SarahCarer · 14/07/2018 21:43

Then I'm happy to come back to your questions if you are really interested.

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