New Team Member wants us all to do a training course on trans awareness

OK, happy to admit that perhaps I'm in need of this course but a non binary person is not trans, are they? So why would a course on trans issues be relevant? A non binary person is not transitioning from one gender to another, are they? Or are they? I guess there are overlaps with trans issues if the non binary person sometimes feels more aligned with a gender that doesn't correspond with their sex but to my mind they are different concepts. Is this right?

Non binary is part of the "trans umbrella" and many issues are exactly the same. What do you think trans means exactly?

a non binary person is not trans, are they? So why would a course on trans issues be relevant?

It's not particularly consistent but NB comes under the trans umbrella (tbh, very little doesn't). This would be better described as wanting you all to accept a course in a niche part of gender ideology.

Bear in mind that there may be similar issues involved around the status of any single sex spaces that you have and, depending upon whether this is a social or medical gender affirmation, there may be an enhanced need for medical leave(e.g., for nullification tx/surgery for neutrois).

You may have plural pronouns (quite straightforward) or neo pronouns.

No wonder this ideology has ripped through everywhere when everyone just lies down and takes the training.

Stand up for yourselves for fucks sake. If there isn't a training need don't do the training.

I think it's best to do the training without fuss, so it can't be held against you later if anything happens, especially as you'll be working closely together.

If you did get accused of discrimination or anything, It's far better to be able to point to your training attendance, etc to show that you've made an effort to be accommodating in the event that any accusations do arise later.

I've been in a similar situation and the thing that really annoyed me was the presumption that the incoming NB person was some sort of special rare unicorn and that without them there to enlighten us all on trans issues, we'd all be stumbling around in the dark ages. Like we should somehow be grateful for their very presence in our workplace. It's a bizarre attitude, especially when the new person has zero idea who we are or what experience we may already have of such issues.

The manager is probably scared of saying no, so it's easier for them to say yes, especially since it's a low-cost online course which is easy to administer.

Anything in the course that doesn't align with the law or your beliefs can be raised afterwards, but if you complain before you've done the course, it looks like it's the principle of inclusion you have an issue with, whereas if you complain afterwards, it's clearly about the inappropriateness/inaccuracy of the actual content.

The employer definitely needs to provide a course on ageism and sexism to open new person's eyes to the fact that there are older women in employment whose beliefs are just as valid as theirs (and probably better protected)

Not to mention disability...

How is their being non-binary relevant in the workplace??

They sound like they're going to be a pile of self-obsessed trouble.

How long is the course and how many employees have to do it I wonder?

I'm guessing many hours of work lost just so that non-binary bob can flex their non-binary muscles.

Workplaces cannot afford this stuff. And the public sector have bigger priorities. Or should have.

Out of interest does any organisation offer a course in GC beliefs? LGB Alliance? anyone?

OK, happy to admit that perhaps I'm in need of this course but a non binary person is not trans, are they? So why would a course on trans issues be relevant? A non binary person is not transitioning from one gender to another, are they? Or are they? I guess there are overlaps with trans issues if the non binary person sometimes feels more aligned with a gender that doesn't correspond with their sex but to my mind they are different concepts. Is this right?

How does this person know who needs what when they are new? For all they know you could be trans yourself or married to Philip Bunce.

Busting to know what their sex is.

My gut response is ‘I want doesn’t get!’

Have you been told it’s compulsory? Can you just quietly ignore? If pushed, I’d be questioning mandatory participation in the other modules you mention.

I would point out GCC were found guilty of discrimination based on legally wrong information provided by Stonewall and ask what due diligence had been carried out to prevent such an event happening based on wrong advice by the trainer.

Could a Christian member of staff request you all go on an Alpha course in order for the rest of the team to understand her beliefs?

I do think you need to be involved re the legal side of the training. I believe last week a company was found guilty of discrimination after a diversity manager called an employee ‘oppressed’ based on her race. Sounded very CRT to me and I can imagine some of the Trans training could be very ideological.

I'd probably ask what the business case is for selection of this training over myriad other social awareness training options.

why do we think NB needs an awareness course? Are there courses to understand bisexuality I wonder? Will this impact their ability to work? Will Occupational Health need to step in to make adjustments? Is it purely pronouns? You must do it and report back.

Remind your manager that while you personally have no issue with what people do in their own time there are legal precedents (hoorah) stating that a persons genuinely held belief that gender woo is a load of woke crap ( I think it is worded slightly differently in the judgements) is perfectly acceptable and legally enforceable, and that it appears to be the employers responsibility to ensure that all training offered is accurate and conforms to legal expectations so advise them to choose their training provider carefully.

I actually think this too. And then it’s been communicated as colleague wants it.

Non-binary is just so silly isn't it.

You don't feel 100% masculine or feminine and want to dress in a gender neutral fashion. Great - you're like 99% of the populace, now why do you want all this attention?

"The arrogance is gobsmacking - shall I ask everyone to do a training course on gender critical beliefs?"

'I'll do yours if you do mine', you could offer that lol.

And yes, the sense of entitlement is exactly gobsmacking.

Wow, is it time we all demanded our colleagues attend a training based on recently established range of gender critical beliefs?

As in, we are legally allowed to not agree with the belief that there are 100 genders, and our society should be based on that, or that as our new colleague doesn't appear to know their sex we should all agree we don't either.

It does rather depend on the content of these courses they demand you all attend, to ensure the new stuff member 'feel safe' presumably, and everyone complies with Equality Act.

I'd be interested in analysing the courses' contents in view of Forstater and Bailey decisions, personally.