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Major children's charity, Stonewall, Mermaids and gender

80 replies

DoriF · 24/10/2018 21:00

Delurking on this board to air some concerns I have about Action for Children [formerly known as National Children's Homes]. Here's what they're about, from their website www.actionforchildren.org.uk

From before they are born until they are into their twenties, we help disadvantaged children across the UK.

We help them through fostering or adoption – and by intervening early to stop neglect and abuse. We make life better for children with disabilities. We influence policy and advocate for change. Our 7,000 staff and volunteers operate over 522 services, improving the lives of 301,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers every year. We succeed by doing what’s right, doing what’s needed, and doing what works for children.'

www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/equality-and-diversity/

Their Diversity Policy states that protected characteristics under the 2010 Act are:

Age
Disability
Gender
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Race
Religion or belief
Sexual orientation
Pregnancy and maternity

Of course they have rewritten this - I'm sure everyone here knows that 'gender' is not a protected characteristic under the Act. So here we have yet another influential organisation [I'm also looking at you, BBC] subtly and sneakily influencing in favour of the trans agenda.

Scroll down the same page to see information about the charity's association with Mermaids on a creative project.

And just a few days ago @actnforchildren tweeted thus:

Action for Children
‏Verified account @actnforchildren
Oct 19

Action for Children Retweeted Stonewall

We're incredibly proud to be among the 100 organisations showing their support for #TransEquality through @stonewalluk's #ComeOutForTransEquality campaign! #StandForProgress

But it's the rewriting of the Act that really grinds my gears. Unless organisations that are doing this are held to account this insidious practice will continue to grow.

OP posts:
R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 14:10

You should find that once the actual D&E policy is corrected, it then becomes more apparent to the school why they need to record sex and additionally have a measure for gender reassignement (as per the other protected characteristics)

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 14:05

Unfortunately schools using SIMS for pupil data have the category gender, not sex.

I think that’s a throwback when the word gender was used to protect people’s delicate sensibilities about using the word sex. And before the word gender became toxic.

RiverTam · 25/10/2018 14:03

bugger, DD's school has gender, not sex. Grrrrrr.

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 13:56

Omg I’ve just checked my school’s policy and it doesn’t include sex or gender reassignment but does include gender Blush

That’s a conversation to be had with the head teacher on our first day back next week ...

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/10/2018 12:56

Can't find any of it actually listed at the local authority yet, just lots of rambling.

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/10/2018 12:55

Just checked my local primary and the secondary schools.

Primary lists sex and says they've recently had stonewall champion training.

Secondary lists gender, not sex.

Beamur · 25/10/2018 12:54

This reminds me, I emailed the local authority where I work and pointed out that their website wrongly said gender, notcsex and I've had no response and I haven't checked to see if it was changed. I also queried why the Unison equality survey I received referred to my gender not sex. Radio silence there too.
Any chance of a more co-ordinated campaign on this from a body with a national profile?

R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 12:54

apologies, I didn't proof my post above.

R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 12:53

The basis for the statement is the Equality Act so the 9 protected characteristics have to be clearly stated.

This expanded statement of intent is not unusual.

If you go back to the actual Diversity and Equality Policy itself, it must include the legislation of the Equality Act 2010 and accurately quote it. There are 9 protected characteristics.

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 12:35

But R0wan, what happens when a council has this on their Equality and Diversity Policy page - Leeds City Council’s list is a mixture of EA protected characteristics and a few of their own additions?

Major children's charity, Stonewall, Mermaids and gender
R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 11:58

Over the summer a number of my friends and family looked at schools' policies relevent to them (either parents or staff).

Of those who looked over 50% Diversity and Equality policies had incorrectly referenced 'gender /gender identity' instead of sex as one of the 9 protected characteristics.

'gender reassignment' is specifically another of the 9. It is separate to sex and cannot be conflated with it under the general term, 'gender'

School heads / Governors were grateful for the signposting to the error and corrected.

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 11:51

Just contacted my borough council - they had a complete hotchpotch on their list but they’ve said they’ll change it and I’ve said I’ll look again in a week Smile

R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 11:46

It really is worth looking at other charities, businesses and public services that you have connections with.

The issue is widespread, easily corrected and significant.

R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 11:44

Action For Children

First screenshot 09:15 today
Second screenshot 11:37 today

www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/equality-and-diversity/

Major children's charity, Stonewall, Mermaids and gender
Major children's charity, Stonewall, Mermaids and gender
Beamur · 25/10/2018 11:25

Well done. Someone might just want to screenshot that and check back later I need case it gets altered again...

RiverTam · 25/10/2018 11:21

damn, didn't see the update. Ah well, never mind. Great work!

RiverTam · 25/10/2018 11:20

email sent!

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 11:14

Fantastic - thanks for that, shiney.

Every little helps.

ShineyNewName5032 · 25/10/2018 11:12

They have updated the website to correctly show the nine protected characteristics: www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/equality-and-diversity/

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 11:03

There really are congenital conditions where children are born without parts of their reproductive systems.

But they don’t have the genitals of the opposite sex instead, so that’s not what we’re talking about here.

R0wantrees · 25/10/2018 10:30

analysis of the legal & policy implications of the Allsorts and Transgender Trend's school toolkits by Claire Graham at the first 'Correcting a Blindspot' meeting in Leeds, organised by Lisa Muggeridge:

MsBeaujangles · 25/10/2018 10:05

The DfE haven't commented on Brighton and Hove's guidance. They have commended Cornwall's, which mentions risk assessments etc before deciding about sleeping arrangements etc.
Honestly, there are people with agendas railroading their interpretations through so frequently others think they are purveyors of truth. Time is running out for them and there are increasing numbers of us shining light on the facts - with balance and compassion. They will not win, if that I am sure. Overwhelmingly, People in schools want to do the right thing. They can see that many marginalised groups have challenges and they are used to trying to manage competing demands (eg including the disruptive child who has been abused with the needs for others to have undisrupted learning). Once non agenda'd experts get heard, this nonsense in schools will stop. It already has in the schools I work in. Kids with identity issues are supported appropriately and sensitively and this doesn't encroach on anyone else. It's not hard!

concretesieve · 25/10/2018 10:03

I don't want to be a wet blanket and I'm sure it's not why they've done it, but it is true. There really are congenital conditions where children are born without parts of their reproductive systems. For those children, it might well be a confidence boost to have schools include this.

It's a tricky one.

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 09:57

Great stuff, neuro. Someone pm’d me about this and I didn’t even know it was happening Blush

SuburbanRhonda · 25/10/2018 09:56

However, a child can't legally physically transition til they're an adult so this is a lie.

The person I spoke to at the SEF pre-empted this by talking about social transition rather than physical transition and a school’s responsibility around name changes, pronouns, etc.

And as I posted above, even the ECHR are saying gender reassignment applies to children, but they wouldn’t be drawn on how.