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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Help needed to unpick this

52 replies

tantastica · 17/01/2022 20:42

First time posting on this board, hoping others who have thought about this issue can help me unpick my own thoughts please.

Long post to avoid drip feeding, please bear with me.

My DD is in Reception and frequently talks about wanting to be a boy. She insists we call her by boy names, use "he" instead of "she".

She refuses things she associates as being "girls" clothes and will only wear clothes she thinks are "boys". We give her whichever clothes she wants, ditto short haircut, we have never tried to force dresses/pink/glitter on her.

Recently DD's teacher asked to meet us, the teacher says DD has said "some people have penises and some don't" and that the teacher felt the conversation was going in the direction that some people have one body but feel like they're something else.

Teacher wants to check what we're discussing with DD about gender (I think before she continues the conversation with DD).

I am glad the teacher is asking us but am feeling upset and stressed about the idea that someone could teach my DD that you can feel like you're different from your body. I would much prefer to keep explaining to my DD that she is a girl, has girls genitals, and that being a girl is a brilliant thing to be. I also want to keep teaching her that she can like whatever clothes, toys, activities she likes but she doesn't have to be a boy to do so.

I'm not sure what to say to the teacher. Are there any articles etc to help parents think through these issues?

OP posts:
tantastica · 17/01/2022 21:05

Thanks I will look at Safe Schools.

Apparently DD has mentioned several times she wants to be a boy. And then this conversation with the teacher was a 1:1 conversation, not a class discussion.

OP posts:
UltraVividLament · 17/01/2022 21:00

I'm sure others with more knowledge will be along but I think this is the sort of thing that the Safe Schools Alliance covers.

I find it remarkable that a teacher would respond in the way you describe to a simple and correct statement of fact by your DD. Surely all that's needed from a teacher is to agree that, yes, boys and girls have different bodies, and then move on to whatever the next learning activity is.