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Original poster

Secondary school (girls only) included a transwoman in their assembly on inspirational women

55 replies

Flippettyflip · 17/01/2023 12:43

Le sigh. My daughter is 13 and her assembly this week had a game where they had to guess what woman the teacher was referring to from inspiring women from history or similar. She can't remember who the TW was, but sounds like maybe Caitlyn Jenner. Who "transitioned" age 65 and says Bruce still lives inside them www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/08/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-transitioning-kardashians-reality-tv-star

Regardless of who the TW was, and fortunately my kid is aware that woman is not a costume, I'd like to complain on 2 grounds:

  1. Impartiality - it's not a fact that TW are women, it's the teachers opinion. They should not present it as fact and they need to be careful about balance on such a politically sensitive subject.
  1. If the point was to provide inspiration to the girls, how does featuring a TW help? None of the girls can legitimately aspire to be a TW. Why try to teach them that "womanhood" is apparently about what you wear/look like or how you describe yourself?

Can you please help me word a response? I'll ask for a copy of the slides for a start.

OP posts:
IveForgottenAgainFFS · 17/01/2023 13:04

FFS no idea what you should say but you have my deepest sympathy trying to deal with it!

OnlyYourSharpestMinds · 17/01/2023 13:01

Good luck - on international women's day my daughter's all girls school used Marsha P Johnson as an example of an inspirational woman...a self described gay man who did drag. I sent a very calm (for me!) Email questioning this and never received any reply . It's so frustrating how there are apparently never enough amazing women in history to use as examples for our girls - a man must always be included.

Original poster
Flippettyflip · 17/01/2023 12:56

@midgetastic well, at least they'd be female. I'm not sure promoting a transman who by definition has decided to try to reject being female would help either. How about some good old fashioned GNC women to demonstrate there's no "right" way to be a woman, you just need to be female? FFS.

OP posts:
3timeslucky · 17/01/2023 12:54

You've clearly identified two good grounds for approaching the school. I'd say you'll be fine composing a short to the point email based on exactly what you've said already in your post. Don't overthink it.

midgetastic · 17/01/2023 12:52

A transman would have been more appropriate surely ?

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