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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

"Assigned at birth" - challenging it at school

228 replies

FacebookPhotos · 24/06/2022 08:53

Has anyone successfully challenged the use of this terminology in a school? I teach science in a secondary school and I've just overheard a non-science teacher explaining to children in PSHE that biological sex is assigned at birth. I need to challenge it, but wondered if anyone has managed to get that particular terminology changed.

OP posts:
KittenKong · 24/06/2022 09:02

I’d ask how exactly this magical coin toss happens.

BootsAndRoots · 24/06/2022 09:01

Sex is assigned at conception, with the X or Y chromosome of the sperm deciding the sex of the person.

Sex is then recorded/observed at birth.

achillestoes · 24/06/2022 09:00

I haven’t. To be honest, I don’t think this terminology is the main obstacle to educating children in accurate scientific terms. Sex kind of is assigned - you or a doctor observe the physical characteristics of the newborn, and you say “girl” or “boy”. What is important is that young people understand that sex is binary and immutable, and that gender identity is a belief, not an objective fact.

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