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BBC Bitsize - Pronouns

837 replies

OhHolyJesus · 22/10/2020 09:27

I mean I'm not surprised but Bitesize is used by schools through the country as a supposed reliable, unbiased source of education material.

mobile.twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1319025713475952641?fbclid=IwAR0rTBD2j5PKOeTKvYSSX90c4RUDmJDo7Zg613qnDBXNaAncv3J8epYWLSQ

You can complain here:

www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint

Or email your MP and cc MPs Safe Schools Alliance on info@safeschoolsallianceuk.

In the tweet thread there are some people already complaining. I'm not a defund the BBC kind of person but I can see why license fee layers are questioning what the BBC are doing with their money (there is a website 'BBC complaints' that's all about biased Brexit coverage).

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Aesopfable · 22/10/2020 20:08

@Kitfish

As mother to a gender fluid child I am delighted the BBC have done this. To avoid bias, can you also post the url to congratulate them? - or does that go against your - frankly one sided - views?
What is a gender fluid child and how do they differ from any other child who likes to do/wear both typically masculine and feminine things?
Freshcoatofpaint · 22/10/2020 20:06

What a load of made up twaddle. Disappointed in the BBC. How is this in their remit? I won't be allowing my DC unsupervised access to bitesize now which is a shame.

Kitfish · 22/10/2020 20:05

As mother to a gender fluid child I am delighted the BBC have done this. To avoid bias, can you also post the url to congratulate them? - or does that go against your - frankly one sided - views?

Pluckedpencil · 22/10/2020 20:04

Did my bit and wrote my letter of complaint. Not much more to do right now. Feels useless.

Blindingly0bvious · 22/10/2020 20:00

If you think the BBC shouldn't be peddling this nonsense write and tell them

Done.

Whatwouldscullydo · 22/10/2020 20:00

Doesn't that just prove that it always ends up being followed through to its logical conclusion and how no good can come of it?

Risking someones life by withholding vital information is not kind at all is it?

How far do you go?

Blindingly0bvious · 22/10/2020 19:59

@jj1968

you will BECOME the biological parent of that child. In fact, history will be rewritten and the birth parents will no longer exist and you will always have been the child's biological parents and that, in medical situations where it matters, you will not disclose that you are not the biological parent.

Actually that's pretty much what happens from a legal perspective and adoptive parents would not be required to disclose it even in medical situations although hopefully most would.

Not answering Still waiting.
BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 22/10/2020 19:58

Oh Hai jj1968

about that 'what's a female gender identity thing'....?

jj1968 · 22/10/2020 19:57

you will BECOME the biological parent of that child. In fact, history will be rewritten and the birth parents will no longer exist and you will always have been the child's biological parents and that, in medical situations where it matters, you will not disclose that you are not the biological parent.

Actually that's pretty much what happens from a legal perspective and adoptive parents would not be required to disclose it even in medical situations although hopefully most would.

testing987654321 · 22/10/2020 19:55

Nobody knows!

Just another reminder. If you think the BBC shouldn't be peddling this nonsense write and tell them. And let your MP know as well.

HecatesCats · 22/10/2020 19:54

It's a trap. Endless pronouns, endless opportunities to cause offence and be chastised for doing so.

FTFOTFVille · 22/10/2020 19:52
Whatwouldscullydo · 22/10/2020 19:51

We haven't eveb had a definition of trans yet from the experts.

How do we explain to our children, when we don't have any definitions to work with...

Blindingly0bvious · 22/10/2020 19:50
BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 22/10/2020 19:41

What is gender?

yeah, I mean jj is completely cool with coming here and calling people rude for not prioritising the gender of others over their sex

I'm sure jj wouldn't make poorly founded arguments. so they must be totally able to give that water tight none sexist definition of gender i was talking about earlier

howlsmovingcastle84 · 22/10/2020 19:41

So you can have a birth mother or an adoptive mother, despite biology. Bit like you can have a trans woman and a non trans woman. Either these words and concepts are set in stone or they aren't.

No, not despite biology. Because of biology.

Go to your first meeting with your caseworker to become an adoptive parent and tell them that, upon adopting a child, you will BECOME the biological parent of that child. In fact, history will be rewritten and the birth parents will no longer exist and you will always have been the child's biological parents and that, in medical situations where it matters, you will not disclose that you are not the biological parent.

You wouldn't make it past the first meeting.

testing987654321 · 22/10/2020 19:40

Wow, it's that complicated that you can't explain to me how I know what my gender is? Yet the BBC are teaching 100 genders to children?

I think I'll stick to using sex-based pronouns. And thanks for reminding me that I need to complain to the BBC.

jj1968 · 22/10/2020 19:37

@Malahaha

Should we refuse to use someone's married name, should we insist on referring to someone as your adopted parent rather than your mother, should we refuse to use the term gay and only use male homosexual when referring to someone etc. We modify our language for the comfort and dignity of others all the time, it's called being polite.

We do these things, and correct ourselves when we're wrong, not only to be polite. We do so because it's the truth, and we are correcting ourselves if we make a mistake.

Whereas in the trans demands it's the other way around. We are using the correct vocabulary and being told to lie instead. That's actually quite rude.

The correct vocabulary is in a constant state of flux. Times change, so does language.
Whatwouldscullydo · 22/10/2020 19:36

Thankfully situations like this are incredibly rare and it's far more likely they ran away, possibly because everyone kept misgendering them

Perhaps that indicates that a course of action dependant on others playing along over learning to come to terms with reality is perhaps not the best thing?

The only people obliged to care for, love, or have responsibility for a child is the family. Eveeyone else has their own shit to deal with and their own responsibilities.

StealthPolarBear · 22/10/2020 19:36

What is gender?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 22/10/2020 19:35

But I presume you'd probably guess

But guess based on what? You've said it isn't sex.

jj1968 · 22/10/2020 19:34

@testing987654321

I have asked myself and I don't know how to answer!

Help me out jj, how do I know what my gender is?

Well I could give you details of someone you could talk to about it. There's a three year waiting list though I'm afraid.
jj1968 · 22/10/2020 19:33

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

How would you guess? Could you give some characteristics which would help identify whether they prefer he / she / xir / far?

I'm still hopeful for some guidance on this?

Ask someone who does know them.

I meant if they were complete stranger. If you are in the city centre and see an adult human female wearing an amazing hoody and want to describe them to a friend eg "I saw this [person?] in town [pronoun] was wearing...."

Is their gender even relevant in that situation. But I presume you'd probably guess, that's okay, no harm done, if you ever meet them and you got it wrong then they can correct you.
testing987654321 · 22/10/2020 19:32

I have asked myself and I don't know how to answer!

Help me out jj, how do I know what my gender is?

jj1968 · 22/10/2020 19:31

@Whatwouldscullydo

You are assuming they ran away. What if they were taken. Shoved into some joggers and a t shirt . Hair shaved or put up under a hat...
Well if their abucter chose to alter or mask their gender or physical sex then that renders the problem pretty meaningless anyway, lots of young children could easily be mistaken for the other sex if gender signifiers were changed.

Thankfully situations like this are incredibly rare and it's far more likely they ran away, possibly because everyone kept misgendering them.

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