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Original poster

Scottish schoolkids to be taught to ‘choose their own gender’ in class

115 replies

Tinycitrus · 05/08/2018 15:58

According to The Sun: It says that children need to “learn about what we mean by gender, that this is different from the sex we are assigned at birth”, and that “gender is about how we see and present ourselves in the world”.

Here

I’ haven’t seen the new guidance but it will
Become part of the Curriculum for Excellence and is aimed at children between five and nine.

It doesn’t make sense to me. Apparently it starts off explaining to children that girls and boys can all play football and cry etc (hurrah!)

But later will talk
About how we aren’t necessarily the gender we are assigned at birth.

But that doesn’t make sense. If we start out saying that gender stereotypes don’t matter because girls and boys can play football then what is the point of telling children they can choose a gender?

Surely the point is that there IS NO SUCH THING AS GENDER rather than reiterating the stereotypes but tell little kids that they can choose?

OP posts:
CantankerousCamel · 05/08/2018 16:20

WTF

Wanderabout · 05/08/2018 16:19

I told my 5 year old nephew a dragon lived in my cupboard last week. He was completely on board.

Who has written these guidelines and WHY?

Original poster
Tinycitrus · 05/08/2018 16:19

My DD is nine and is after a pair of Spider-Man sketchers which are - I have to admit- pretty damn cool.

But is that the boy gender option? Confused

OP posts:
YeTalkShiteHen · 05/08/2018 16:18

Bingpot that’s exactly it!

Bingpot · 05/08/2018 16:18

This is actively encouraging children to be confused about their identity and creating problems where there aren't any. A boy who likes dressing up or playing with dolls isn't necessarily confused about his sex or gender - that's just what he likes doing. The race to turn this into an identity issue, and then potentially to medicalise it is astounding. Let kids be kids with whatever interests they have.

YeTalkShiteHen · 05/08/2018 16:17

Stonewall are involved in the schools in my LA, much to my disgust, and because their more extreme views aren’t widely shouted about they’re getting in by stealth beginning with the perfectly reasonable and necessary LGB rights to be respected. Only afterwards does the rest of it come in.

Original poster
Tinycitrus · 05/08/2018 16:15

Why should schools get involved in this at all?
I don’t understand.

OP posts:
YeTalkShiteHen · 05/08/2018 16:14

If a girl likes football and doc martens what will be her gender options?

My DD would want to know! She’s a season ticket holder at Celtic Park, loves doc martens and is quite happy to be a girl! Or rather she hasn’t said she isn’t, and is quite the feminist even at 5.

YeTalkShiteHen · 05/08/2018 16:13

not to derail but surely Mhairi Black hasn't drunk the kool-aid?

God I hope not because I love her! If she agreed with this ridiculousness I would not be happy at all.

I love the idea of smashing stereotypes, I absolutely hate the idea of planting ideas that aren’t already there into children’s heads when they’re barely old enough to have worked out who they are yet! (Who they are personality wise I mean)

Datun · 05/08/2018 16:10

I have a question. If a girl likes football and doc martens what will be her gender options?

Wanderabout · 05/08/2018 16:10

Errr no this is ridiculous:

"It then goes on to explain that teachers should tell children: “Your gender is what you decide. You might be a boy or a girl, or maybe you don’t like to decide that.""

This is utter bollocks. Why would they teach this in schools? It isn't true and it's the utter opposite of challenging gender stereotypes

silentcrow · 05/08/2018 16:08

I'm really struggling to picture the teachers I know going through with this.

yetalkshitehen love the username Grin not to derail but surely Mhairi Black hasn't drunk the kool-aid?

Original poster
Tinycitrus · 05/08/2018 16:05

It is The Sun so I hope the guidance is more nuanced than is suggested in that news article.

I really welcome the discussion on gender stereotypes and lifestyle choices. But the differences between sex and gender? I’m not sure.

I have a daughter who loves football, jeans and t shirts and I wonder what she would make if choosing a gender. She would choose boy at the moment - but she is just a little kid who likes football, climbing, cool
Trainers and jeans.

I find the whole gender agendef very troubling.

OP posts:
Turph · 05/08/2018 16:04

I also will not have DD or DS2 in class that day.
Some sympathetic lawyers would be useful. This nonsense needs to be challenged in law, most of it would fall apart.

YeTalkShiteHen · 05/08/2018 16:00

If it does come into force, I will object as firmly and as bloody loudly as I can.

I also will not have DD or DS2 in class that day.