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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU that I'm annoyed the college makes my dd wear rainbow lanyard?

217 replies

thehusbandswife · 07/03/2018 13:04

My dd started at sixth form last September and despite there being no uniform as such,the students have to wear their id badges on a rainbow lanyard.I am all for inclusion and diversity but feel angry that the college enforce such political opinions on their students and wondered what had happened to freedom of choice.Then last month during tutorial they devoted a whole hour teaching the students what it meant to be lbgqt as well as what pan sexual,asexual gender neutral is. AIBU to feel that there are far more pressing things to teach the students rather than these issues.On top of this certain teachers feel obliged to air their own political opinions,deeming anyone who disagreed with them re Brexit,general election as "uneducated"
It has been 20 years or so since I was at college when the focus was on education and political opinion/persuasions were not mentioned.Is this the norm these days in Sixth form education?

OP posts:
EmpressOfJurisfiction · 08/03/2018 18:10

blastomama Flowers

Hissy · 09/03/2018 07:58

I agree with blastomama, no decent person objects to those who are gay, but I’m not happy to be told that my right to privacy when changing etc isn’t guaranteed and my feelings and comfort are placed lower than a man’s.

This trans stuff is absolute lunacy.

As women we’ve fought for equality for decades, we’re making progress and are getting our voices heard. It’s a fight we can’t ever give up fighting because society will ensure our rights are trumped by Male rights if ever we let up. Now this.

HouseworkIsASin10 · 09/03/2018 14:20

If the school is using the rainbow lanyard as 'LGBT' promotion then I think it's out of order.

If I was gay/bi then I'd be sick to the back teeth of society making a big thing out of it!

Why the distinction? Let every body just get the fuck on with their lives.

Being gay/bi/straight doesn't make you special, so no need for the 'special treatment'.

Backingvocals · 09/03/2018 14:31

If I associate the LGBT rainbow with anything nowadays, it's misogyny & lesbophobia

Sadly this is true. I wouldn't be happy with this symbol being used in schools as a default and you can lay the blame for that at the feet of the TRAs who have coopted a movement for equality and turned it into a movement for men.

Even without that though, I'm not sure the rainbow flag should be used as a default in schools and if it's the only thing they have to wear then it is effectively a default symbol of affiliation to a particular movement.

Why that and not Black Lives Matter? The lack of critical thinking around this means that LGBT and the rainbow flag has become shorthand for all sorts of diversity and if you don't support parts of it, or you think you'd rather centre women's rights or ethnic minority rights, you are a bigot Hmm.

EmpressOfJurisfiction · 09/03/2018 14:41

Why that and not Black Lives Matter?

Or solidarity with disabled people?

Thisnamechanger · 09/03/2018 14:50

Inclusion of people of all sexualities is not "a political opinion" it's common decency.

You sound a bit like my mother, who I never had the guts to come out as Bi to. "It's fine just keep it away from me and mine" that's sort of thing.

Those lanyards will be a friendly little wave to sexually confused teens who are probably going through agonies in private.

Anything that makes teens coming to terms with their own sexual orientation easier is a good thing.

Onlyoldontheoutside · 09/03/2018 14:54

How does your DD feel about it all, it's her education not hers.

seventh · 09/03/2018 15:05

It has been 20 years or so since I was at college when the focus was on education and political opinion/persuasions were not mentioned.Is this the norm these days in Sixth form

I was at 6th Form in 1980 and it was the norm then. Not sure where your 6th form college was HmmConfused

BackforGood · 09/03/2018 15:25

Hang on, my 6-year old goes to Rainbows.

I've been so blind for so long.

Grin

My dd's school give all the student red lanyards..... does this meant they are all Communists? Shock

I just thought it was to help me tell the difference between those beardy 6th formers and the young, fresh faced staff Confused

blastomama · 09/03/2018 15:30

Inclusion of people of all sexualities is not "a political opinion" it's common decency

Yes. Forcing people to virtue signal about it though is not.

Backingvocals · 09/03/2018 15:34

I’d guess these are LGBT lanyards prob distributed by Stonewall who are owning this space atm. The disingenuous comments about kids going to Rainbows group and rainbows in the sky are missing the point.

If I’m wrong and these are literally multicoloured but not LGBT rainbow lanyards then I agree that it’s nothing to be concerned about. But if it is not that then stop and think before you let the trans activists anywhere near your school. Sadly the losers here are the LG kids who are being trampled on. Oh and the girls.

blastomama · 09/03/2018 15:36

Exactly. People think they are being funny and cutting, when they haven't actually understood the point.

greenbeansqueen · 09/03/2018 15:37

YABU - Rainbow lanyards go with everything, even black and white! It's just practical. What else don't you like OP? Unicorns? Music? The sound of childrens laughter??
IF you're worried about the lanyard ( or the inclusivity stuff) turning your DD into a G.A.Y. don't be worrying she either already is, or is not.

greenbeansqueen · 09/03/2018 15:40

Has your DD thought about using a different coloured lanyard, swapping out the offensive rainbow? Maybe a nice UKIP purple?

Lunde · 09/03/2018 15:44

OP not been back to the thread?

blastomama · 09/03/2018 15:45

yawn. just more of the same and no-one actually engaging with the issue. Whta's the point?

Northernparent68 · 09/03/2018 17:14

The posters have concentrated on the rainbow lanyard, which i have to say is nt that big a deal, however the political bias is serious. Indoctrination is n’t education and it breaches s406 of the education act. I’d complain about the bias to the principal

yawning801 · 09/03/2018 17:30

I saw something earlier that said "I'll respect your opinion as long as it doesn't disrespect anybody's existence." What do you all think about that?

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:33

I saw something earlier that said "I'll respect your opinion as long as it doesn't disrespect anybody's existence." What do you all think about that?

I think what is that supposed to mean exactly?

NotACleverName · 09/03/2018 17:37

Yes. Forcing people to virtue signal about it though is not.

Since there's no proof that the rainbow lanyards are anything to do with LGBT inclusion I'm not sure how this can be labelled as "virtue signalling". (Which is a lazy way of shutting down debate, too.)

My work lanyard is blue. Must be promoting the Tories or something.

yawning801 · 09/03/2018 17:40

blastomania Exactly, that's why I posted! It could be aimed at the "transphobes" I suppose?

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:41

Since there's no proof that the rainbow lanyards are anything to do with LGBT inclusion I'm not sure how this can be labelled as "virtue signalling". (Which is a lazy way of shutting down debate, too.)

No, but there is no proof it isn't. OP clearly thinks it is, perhaps because they actuall said it was?

NotACleverName · 09/03/2018 17:43

No, but there is no proof it isn't. OP clearly thinks it is, perhaps because they actuall said it was?

The OP has put 2 + 2 together and come up with gay.

MyBoysAndI · 09/03/2018 17:50

AIBU to think that the OP is totally overinvested in her nearly adult child's life, needs to cut the plain coloured apron strings and get a life of her own

blastomama · 09/03/2018 17:51

The OP has put 2 + 2 together and come up with gay

You don't know that. You and others just assumed it.