What would a non binary teacher be addressed as?

[GemGEmGemster]

dd’s school expects all teachers to be addressed as ‘sir’ or ‘miss’. She’s just asked me what a non binary teacher would be called. Any ideas?

When my eldest volunteered in a classroom for a few week recently, they were called Mx and no-one appears to have had any problem pronouncing it. It sounds more or less the same as Mix.

Thankfully no-one as rude enough to roll their eyes and exclaim "what a time to be alive".

Pronounced muz.

So we have three pronunciations on here.
Mix
Muz
Mux

Is the pronunciation fluid as well?

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

Kids wouldn't give a shiny shit about this.

Some kids might not. Others do. Obviously you can't speak for all kids right.

Children with problems accepting differences usually have learnt it from somewhere, i.e. someone close to them voicing their issues. Children are generally very accepting if they're given the information they need and answers to their questions. The current generation of teens who generally have been raised to accept others sexuality, gender, neurotype etc is proof of that. There are exceptions, but there always will be.

We were strictly forbidden from calling teachers Miss/Ms/Sir as that was seen as common.It was Ms/Miss/Mrs/Mr such and such, so I presume whatever title they are and then their surname.

Children are generally very accepting if they're given the information they need and answers to their questions

Of course. Which is why I ensure my children understand biological reality and are able to apply critical thought. The best gift anyone can give their child. ☺️ I find it reassuring to observe that many of the children in DC's schools appear to have been equipped with the same skills. Very important in the world they live in today.

@TheLovelinessOfDemons

I don't wish to be drawn into arguments about my gender identity. Right now I feel male. At other times I feel female. I'm quite certain of what my biological sex is, that doesn't stop me having a separate gender identity.

Thank you for responding @Thelovelinessofdemons

I'm not asking you to answer this but wondering if anyone else can. Isn't this how most of is feel? Sometimes I do or feel things that are stereotypically male things to do or feel, and sometimes I do or feel things that are stereotypically female things to do or feel. Does that make me genderfluid? Or is there something more to it?

If you know what sex you are and that that doesn't change, isn't genderfluid just sometimes being stereotypically male and sometimes stereotypically female? Genuinely don't understand how that is different to just being a sexed person with a personality that doesn't conform to traditional sex stereotypes? Or is that what genderfluid means?

Mx

I was going to suggest "attention seaker", but Teacher is quite nice actually. In every other profession its Doctor x, Professor x, Detective x, its only teachers and prison wardens that we seem to call Miss or Sir.

I worked in a special school where the pupils called everyone by their first names ( easier for those struggling with speech to remember and say). Found it so much more relaxed and natural than being called Miss as I had been for years in mainstream. This would solve the issue!

@Soontobe60

Pronouns - Miss, Mrs, Sir are based on a persons sex, and not gender.

This exactly. Every body has a sex observed at birth, this is the deciding factor for pronouns regardless of how they choose to identify

@GemGEmGemster

And yes, obviously one would ask the person in question how they wanted to be addressed. It was a hypothetical conversation. There is no teacher. Yet. We’re both just trying to understand about different gender identifications.

Even for a hypothetical question I'd say that the answer is to ask the person concerned about their preference. The thing with gender identification is to understand that some people don't fall into neatly defined boxes or into pre defined boxes. And some people don't want to be told (or Agent comfortable with being told) what they should define themselves as or what they should call themselves. So the answer is always: "whatever they prefer".

Good question, I guess it depends on what the teacher introduced themselves as, use that. Maybe they wouldn't be bothered either way, maybe Teacher? It's an interesting one!

Mz
Kids where I work don't seem to have an issue - they are accepting of trans kids too.

In form today we had to discuss trans issues as part of our inclusivity module - we have covered race, religion, sex, gender and a host of topics. The kids were engaged, respectful and curious. The slides were very factual about biological sex and gender choices. We discussed toilets - we have mixed, male, female and accessible so we cover all possibilities. Our trans kids are encouraged to use the accessible or mixed ones.

Sorry!
My point isn't that kids are more open and accepting

In all of the schools I've been to we called the teachers Title Lastname.

But that doesn't resolve the issue so possibly Mx Lastname or Firstname Lastname or something else depending what seemed suitable to the teacher and was agreed with SMT?

I don't agree that we should be teaching children that the female form of 'Sir' is 'Miss'. It's Madam or Ma'am.

A policeman recently called me 'Miss'. I wasn't impressed and wish I'd complained.

@Ionlydomassiveones

“TheLovelinessOfDemons I don't wish to be drawn into arguments about my gender identity. Right now I feel male. At other times I feel female. I'm quite certain of what my biological sex is, that doesn't stop me having a separate gender identity.”

What does ‘feeling’ a gender even mean?

It means talking bollocks and finding yourself endlessly fascinating.

My niece says she's NB, bless her, she's a lovely kid. She has lots of mental health issues, so latching onto the label of NB is doing some heavy lifting.

I have lots of patience with her, but I won't be hustled into using they/them, it's absurd and sounds unnatural, so I just use her name.
I won't be barked at by my s-i-l, like my b-i-l was on Boxing Day. Twas awkward in the extreme.

But recently she did tell my 10 y/o son that she was a boy, so i put her straight about that. I told her not to gaslight my son, he's to be left out of it.

But i digress!

@Yearofthetygerburningbright

In all of the schools I've been to we called the teachers Title Lastname.

But that doesn't resolve the issue so possibly Mx Lastname or Firstname Lastname or something else depending what seemed suitable to the teacher and was agreed with SMT?

I don't agree that we should be teaching children that the female form of 'Sir' is 'Miss'. It's Madam or Ma'am.

A policeman recently called me 'Miss'. I wasn't impressed and wish I'd complained.

What would have been achieved by your complaint to the police?

Jesus Christ, they don't apologise for actively degrading and abusing women.

Honestly I think people just need to remember about context.

You can either be so hung up on a gender identity that no one else cares about and has no obligation to use words to validate as they are not responsible for affirming your identity its yours and yours alone and spend your work day punishing kids fir it or you can just accept people will om a day to day basis usually in the form of just trying to be polite /respectful will in a school setting probably just call you sir/miss.

People pronounce my name wrong all the time. It bothered me when it was kids in school taking the piss out of it and using it as another way to bully me.

But that's hardly the same as just being called in by the dr or someone giving me a job interview. I mean its not going to make a good impression if I kick off about it is it.

I know its a difficult and unusual name in this country so I usually just use my first name to save people the hassle/embarrassment. Sometimes they ask me where the name is from and I tell them.

But you can tell the difference between the situations.

I've seen.teachers just ask to be called Mrs A/C etc because they know their name will be harder to pronounce for small children.

Anyway there really shouldn't be huge focus on this in the classroom. If there are kids taking the piss " is that mx as in mixing bowl can I have a cake sir " then fine deal with it.

" sir I dont understand how to work this question out please can you help me"

Then just help the kid. Dd often finds it hard to speak up in class. If the first part of the interaction was berating her fir not playing the gender game she'd never ask again.

@KitchenTowel "Even for a hypothetical question I'd say that the answer is to ask the person concerned about their preference. The thing with gender identification is to understand that some people don't fall into neatly defined boxes or into pre defined boxes. And some people don't want to be told (or Agent comfortable with being told) what they should define themselves as or what they should call themselves. So the answer is always: "whatever they prefer"."

But isn't it gender ideology that is seeking to put people into boxes and put labels on everyone? Most people just think they have a sex - male or female - and a personality that may or may not conform to sex stereotypes. Why can't everyone just live according to their personality without having to label themselves and others?

[quote MerryPoppings]@KitchenTowel "Even for a hypothetical question I'd say that the answer is to ask the person concerned about their preference. The thing with gender identification is to understand that some people don't fall into neatly defined boxes or into pre defined boxes. And some people don't want to be told (or Agent comfortable with being told) what they should define themselves as or what they should call themselves. So the answer is always: "whatever they prefer"."

But isn't it gender ideology that is seeking to put people into boxes and put labels on everyone? Most people just think they have a sex - male or female - and a personality that may or may not conform to sex stereotypes. Why can't everyone just live according to their personality without having to label themselves and others?[/quote]
But! But! But! They wouldn't be speshul if they did that.

It means talking bollocks and finding yourself endlessly fascinating

I have to agree. What does it mean to "feel male" or "feel female"? Surely if you reduce male and female to feelings they end up relying on outdated and sexist stereotypes?

It’s not up to the pupil to second guess - the teacher can decide what they want the class to call them by. I’d prefer the teacher to be teaching though, rather than getting themselves tied up in knots about their gender and what titles the the pupils give to a man and a woman.

At home we’d be having a conversation about biological reality and the importance of focusing on education at school.