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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Child in my class is trans

298 replies

theresheis · 04/10/2018 20:39

Looking for some advice. I'm a long time lurker and whilst I have read lots of the posts surrounding the issues of trans rights and consider myself firmly in the gender critical camp I am not fully up to speed with the current legal situation surrounding the trans debate.

I am a primary school teacher and I teach eight-year-olds. I have a boy in my class who at home is going by a girl's name, using female pronouns and wearing girl's clothes. This has not happened at all in school and he has not spoken to his peers about this. His mum spoke to me recently and said she had taken him to the GP. She is supporting him but seems to be not overly pushing it. She is a single mum and she is somebody who I would describe as vulnerable.

His mum now has another GP appointment next week without the boy. I am wondering whether the GP is likely to signpost a charity which will advocate a transition?

I would like to know where I stand as his class teacher if it comes to it am I required to call him she/her etc?

I would say that none of the staff in the school would be aware that all of these issues and broadly would support his transition.

I have told the head that I am not prepared to tell the rest of the class that he has become a girl or ever was a girl. He looked pretty shocked and said he would go away and research this issue. Where could I suggest he looks?

Sorry quite a long post! Hope I've posted in relevant section.

OP posts:
LangCleg · 07/10/2018 10:06

Ah, you have returned, spannablue. Welcome back! I note that you have yet to engage on the specific safeguarding loopholes created by the Allsorts pack. Any chance of that, please?

Also: please provide a direct quote from EHRC detailing their refusing to endorse the Transgender Trend resource pack. I don't take a Facebook post by Mermaids saying that happened as proof it actually happened.

Thanks.

OldCrone · 07/10/2018 09:57

On the rare occasion that supporting kids to develop a sense of comfort in themselves as non-gender conforming with their birth-assigned gender doesn't resolve extreme distress or vociferous, clear and rational insistence, this may become a transgender issue.

How many children do you think this applies to? What proportion of children presenting as trans do you think this applies to?

What do you mean by 'rational insistence'? Do you think it is rational for a child to think there is something wrong with their healthy body? Under what other circumstances would you allow a child's insistence to govern the way they are treated socially and medically?

Do you think that telling children that they can change sex, or telling them that they could be 'born in the wrong body' will help them to develop a sense of comfort in themselves as non-gender conforming with their birth-assigned gender?

spannablue · 07/10/2018 09:17

That's not how it works OldCrone. What work have you done which qualifies you to make this analysis?

We are often on the same side- esp re gender stereotypes. This isn't about coercing or pushing. This is about listening and supporting. On the rare occasion that supporting kids to develop a sense of comfort in themselves as non-gender conforming with their birth-assigned gender doesn't resolve extreme distress or vociferous, clear and rational insistence, this may become a transgender issue.

LangCleg · 07/10/2018 09:13

In the meantime there is a confused little person in OP's class. This is just a theoretical problem ffs!

In the meantime, there is a vulnerable child in the OP's class and that vulnerable child should be afforded the best safeguarding we have. Which, in case it has escaped your notice, is why I am asking questions about guidance by trans lobby groups purporting to be in support of this vulnerable group but which, in actual fact, drive a coach and horses through the safeguarding frameworks such kids desperately need.

OldCrone · 07/10/2018 09:08

I agree, Billy, we should be concentrating on helping this child, but genderist ideology and organisations are standing in our way. While we want to say to children that their personalities should not be restricted due to their sex, the genderists are busy telling them that if they don't conform to stereotypes that they are in the wrong body, or that they are 'really' the opposite sex. They even have 'educational' materials which they are allowed to take into schools telling children that they can change sex.

BillywilliamV · 07/10/2018 09:00

isn't just a theoretical problem,

typing on ancient Kindle!

BillywilliamV · 07/10/2018 08:58

In the meantime there is a confused little person in OP's class. This is just a theoretical problem ffs!

OldCrone · 07/10/2018 08:58

Another quick question for you, Bespin.

Do you think it's possible to have a female brain in a male body, or vice versa?

OldCrone · 07/10/2018 08:55

Bespin
Do you think people can change sex?

LangCleg · 07/10/2018 08:18

Hi Bespin - what is your view on:

a) allowing confidential disclosures
b) undermining PR by not informing parents
c) not involving other agencies in the care of a vulnerable child

Just, y'know, thought I might as well ask you, again.

SophoclesTheFox · 07/10/2018 08:06

Someone one day will highlight exactly what is wrong with the terribly transphobic Transgender Trend pack

I don't think today is that day.

What "made up stuff" is in there, please?

Bespin · 07/10/2018 07:28

hi read all the TT and yes some of the advise is simular to the tavi thst in general takes that view tough it is not there blanket approach as they are lead by the young person and adapt it as needed to them, though not as far as some would want. they don't beleive in some of the made up stuff that is also in the TT pack though and they don't come to the same conclusions as the TT pack. if at the point a young trans person is socially transitioned then the tavi would support people using there correct name and pronouns as to not do so would cause an inconsitsncy and distress if the rest of that young persons world were doing so and the young person also had a clear view on who they are in the world.

spannablue · 07/10/2018 07:27

OldCrone, just to say that you're wrong in assuming I raised the topic of suicide with young people. I work according to a strict code of professional ethics and as you rightly point out that would be unethical. However, when someone volunteers info/a personal concern about the issue as part of a discussion about access to healthcare then I'd have to acknowledge it

Bolloxio · 07/10/2018 01:27

So which should a teacher follow? the two that advocate transition or the one that advocates counselling and sits inline with safe guarding policies?

To add to this, the Transgender Trend pack advocates the same approach to children saying they are trans as the Tavistock Clinic. Yet the TT guidance is horrifically transphobic Hmm Most people who criticize the TT pack have not even read it as they have been massively misled about it.

The recommendations for Mermaids are ridiculous too. Given past...concerns noted by judges about their approach.

HerFemaleWoman · 07/10/2018 00:12

@Quam

Here’s a welcome potato 🥔

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 06/10/2018 23:50

misandry is the norm

'tis the hour...

...when they all start to creep from the wood work

pombear · 06/10/2018 23:40

Quam?

Quam?

Ah, oh well, probably a plopper and runner. Never mind. Someone one day will highlight exactly what is wrong with the terribly transphobic Transgender Trend pack.

RedToothBrush · 06/10/2018 23:30

where misandry is the norm

Huh wat?

Do they do tourists trips to this place

pombear · 06/10/2018 23:23

Sighs. When, if ever, will our late night visitors realise that they're talking to grown up, adult, (mainly) female posters.

Who have functioning, rational brains.

Many of whom have investigated, read, and assessed all the materials from the many different providers.

Welcome Quam to the discussion. Pray, do tell us, why in your view teachers will 'get sacked' by following Transgender Trend's advice that is in line with current safeguarding procedures.

I'm interested in the specifics where you identify the elements of Transgender Trend's pack that would result in a 'sacking'.

Or are you here to try to scare everyone into capitulation, without any specifics, just a 'wooo, you'll get sacked'?' Cos that just makes you sound like you're in one of the classes, rather than one of the adults.

Avenellroad · 06/10/2018 23:23

It's a cry for help from that poor boy. Like many such boys devoid of a male role model, he's confused and in a world where misandry is the norm, no wonder he thinks it might be better to be a girl

OldCrone · 06/10/2018 23:17

Why, QuamderGollom?

I know you won't answer that because
a. You haven't read it
and
b. It's a lie.

QuamderGollom · 06/10/2018 23:14

Better avoid transgendertrend as you will end up getting sacked following their advice

OldCrone · 06/10/2018 22:41

Here you are, spannablue. I've done your research for you again. This is from a page about discussing suicide with young people.

At Samaritans, we collate the national suicide statistics for the UK and ROI to understand which groups of people may be more at risk. While this information is publicly available (through our website and the statistical agencies that produce the data) we urge educators to give careful consideration regarding the use of suicide death data especially when presenting it to young people.

By presenting statistics and information about suicide to young people, there is the potential to normalise or present suicide as a reasonable solution to their problems. For example, telling young people that suicide is the 1st or 2nd leading cause of death next to road traffic accidents, might allow them to assume this is a common and acceptable way of dealing with their problems.

www.samaritans.org/your-community/samaritans-education/responding-students-discussing-13-reasons-why-second-season

Lots more on that page.

deepwatersolo · 06/10/2018 21:42

You mean the episode when Dr. Horrors tweeted at the Pope? Well, that Highlight almost had redeeming qualities, I have to say. But one probably has to grow up a Catholic to fully appreciate the absurd Quality of said Tweet.

R0wantrees · 06/10/2018 21:42

Spectator Podcast:

"Madeleine Kearns adds – teachers are now at the frontline of the transgender politics, being given new guidance on primary school children’s gender identity, telling them to avoid ‘outing’ a trans pupil to their parents.
Madeleine joins the podcast with India Willoughby, a transgender activist, newsreader and television personality. The bottom line, for Madeleine, is that children often don’t know their minds:

‘I’ve worked as a nanny, I’ve worked with special needs kids. I think children are confused about what they want for breakfast, never mind what gender they are. And I think it’s important that we do recognise that children are children and playing around with boundaries is a normal part of childhood.’

But India makes the point that gender dysphoria – the phenomenon of being severely uncomfortable with the sex of your biological body – is often hard to understand for people who don’t experience it:

‘All the people who complain, or try and insinuate that transgender people are a threat or confused in some way, are not transgender… The charities involved – Mermaids being the most well known for services to children – you have people in there who have families, who are ordinary people, they lead normal lives, they have an unhappy child who, through being helped and supported by the parents, become happy. And what business is it of other people on the outside?"

blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/10/the-spectator-podcast-should-we-educate-children-on-transgender-issues/

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