To argue that this should is not a suitable topic for the Girl Guides

[MovedByFanciesThatAreCurled]

Girlguiding is for girls, aged 10-14. So why then do they feel the need to promote this on their social media?

This week is #AceWeek - a time to raise awareness and understanding of the asexual community. So here’s a shout-out to all of our asexual volunteers and members – thank you for everything you do in Girlguiding.

The reference to ‘members’ is quite clear. What on earth were they thinking in making reference to young girls’ sex lives (or lack of them according to the focus of the Tweet). How, as an organisation, have they strayed so far? I have two boys in the Scouts/Beavers and if this came up on either of their social media pages I would pull them out. Why is it seen to be an acceptable for Girlguiding?!!

[quote MolkosTeenageAngst]@BloodinGutters

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to offend you or suggest that you don’t know your own identity or to misconstrue what you were saying. Apologies if I misunderstood your excitement at the words of writers as a crush, I wasn’t meaning a crush in a sexual sense at all but I suppose as something more than platonic. My friends first started talking about having crushes in primary school so my assumption is a crush isn’t always sexual, but equally is something more than platonic, but it sounds like that wasn’t what you meant or I’ve misunderstood/ over analysed it.

I think if you identify as straight then you are straight and that, like all sexualities, there is probably a spectrum. You’re right that I don’t think there is a legal definition of asexual (and I’m not aware of what the legal definitions of straight/ gay etc are) and so it’s open to interpretation and I imagine like with all sexualities the exact definition of what it means to fall within it may vary a bit between others. I was only expressing my definition of what I take being asexual to mean but accept other people who also identify in the same way may feel differently or that there will be people who fit my definition or the definition of others who don’t identify as asexual.

Obviously there is no test for sexuality and it isn’t black and white so it’s not possible to categorise everybody, and nor should we try to. I find asexuality had been a helpful label in understanding why I have never had crushes, why I didn’t have relationships growing up and why I’ve never enjoyed sex and in beginning to frame myself as something other than abnormal but that doesn’t mean I think anybody else has to label themselves as such or that I would profess to be an expert. Sorry if it came across like that.[/quote]
Sexualities are most definitely not a spectrum.

Heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual are defined in the equality act. These are very clear cut, people who are opposite sex attracted, same sex attracted or both.

Zero spectrum.

I have no idea what others crushes feel like, I don’t feel their feelings. I have friendships and I have fallen in love, both of which other posters claim is still part of asexuality. I don’t ever feel silly excited about who anyone is, I am very mistrustful and it takes a lot to let my guard down. So excitement about people isn’t anything I have any idea about. I get super excited about writing or music, but it’s the art that I’m excited over. I get excited or enthusiastic about puppies-surely that’s not what you mean by a crush?

If the definition of asexuality is so bloody wishy washy then it has zero place being discussed with kids as safeguarding kids relies on naming material reality, naming biological reality. These 50 different versions of asexuality on this thread alone make as much sense as 100 odd genders do. Humans are sexually dimorphic, sexual attraction means which sex a person can feel attracted to, not whether that attraction is sexual or emotional or romantic or varying combo of those, or exactly what each persons variation on attraction is. Because there’s really no way to compare that when we can’t feel what attraction is to others. So people can be attracted to opposite sex same sex or both or neither, but absence of attraction isn’t a sexuality it’s just the absence of one. Like pp said it’s the same as atheism being the absence of religion. Which is totally fine because that’s true for some people, but that doesn’t mean it needs celebrated in gg. I’ve never once found life hard because it can’t say ooh I have a crush on so and so or oooh I think some actor is fit as fuck or because I don’t really get what that means to other people. I get love and I get sex, the rest is just fluff waffle imho.

I understand that homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality are defined by the equality act but just because the definitions are black and white does not mean that where people identify within them always is. Not all bisexual people will have an equal attraction to men and women, some people may identify as gay/ straight but still sometimes feel attraction to people of the other sex, some people might find who they are physically attracted to changes over time. I don’t think it’s always as black and white as fancying men, fancying women or fancying both.

I am happy to say I don’t have a sexuality if that makes it easier, I don’t particularly feel any need to be ‘asexual’ as such, but I did find that throughout my teens and twenties there was pressure on me to fit within a defined sexuality (gay, straight, bisexual etc) and so it was difficult when I didn’t and when I heard the term ‘asexual’ it helped me to understand that it was okay not to have ever felt sexual attraction towards anyone else.

For me I suppose the reason life is hard isn’t really about sexual attraction as such but it is that I don’t get love and don’t get sex, I have never felt love for somebody that was different to the platonic life I feel for family and friends and have never found sex anything other than painful, uncomfortable and unpleasant. I don’t particularly disagree that the other stuff is unimportant, I don’t care about whether I find people on TV attractive but I find it hard that the implicit assumption others put on me is that I must be looking for a partner, I must be looking to have an active sex life and that I must be missing out on an integral part of being human not to want or have those things. Being able to call myself ‘asexual’ has just helped me in being able to justify the way I feel, I’m not saying that needs to be ‘celebrated’ as such but that it isn’t a shameful thing which can’t be discussed. I think the way MasterBeth described it as, ‘some fancy men, some fancy women, some fancy both and some fancy neither’ is adequate if you don’t want to put a label on it or delve into what it means to ‘fancy’ someone (sexually, emotionally or romantically). The idea that you might fancy nobody and that this is okay was never expressed to me until a few years ago and up to that point I generally thought I was the only person who felt like that and I guess all I am advocating for is that it’s not a bad thing to express that to teens as part of discussions around sex and relationships. (I won’t comment on whether that is appropriate within girl guides as it’s something I’ve never been involved in so I couldn’t say, I’m just saying that it should be a small part of the discussion in situations where sex and relationships are taught to teens).

*This...whenever anyone brings up 'sex' or 'sexual feelings' 'sexuality' etc they seem to assume the discussion is straight into bukkake and reverse cowgirl. Obviously 10-11 year olds shouldn't be having sex. That doesn't need saying
. But 12 year olds and younger will be having crushes, first boyfriends and girlfriends, kissing behind the bikesshed etcand have been for at least the last 70 years.

If you're saying no-one outside of parents or teachers (e.g. qualified figures) should ever talk about any sexuality etc then fine. But if you're saying it's OK for a guide leader to chat about her boyfriend or wedding or being pregnant then it's equally OK for her to reply, if asked "No I don't have a boyfriend, i have a girlfriend" or "no I don't have either because I'm asexual." Othereise you're being discriminatory.*

Again, the equivalent would be to say you were single.
Guide leaders and teachers are not generally encouraged to talk about their sexuality but their relationships.
So a heterosexual or not, that exact phrasing wouldn't be used. My partner, my husband, my baby.
Myself I would be very wary of an adult who overshared about their sex life with children. It's something I am actually trained to look for and is part of a whistle blowing policy.

An adult discussing their partner is not the same. And in primary, that's all we stick to. It's in the curriculum. The carefully planned non stonewall curriculum.

And no, I'm not happy for untrained volunteers wading in when we teachers have to be so very careful as we know how important age appropriate conversation is.

Fyi we don't generally encourage children of box sexes to sleep in the same rooms on residential, unlike guides schools still do adequate safeguarding.

This is for adults as it's on social media, and is a good and timely reminder for all involved to celebrate and accept diversity so it permeates downwards. Confused about what the issue is TBH

@MolkosTeenageAngst

I understand that homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality are defined by the equality act but just because the definitions are black and white does not mean that where people identify within them always is. Not all bisexual people will have an equal attraction to men and women, some people may identify as gay/ straight but still sometimes feel attraction to people of the other sex, some people might find who they are physically attracted to changes over time. I don’t think it’s always as black and white as fancying men, fancying women or fancying both.

I am happy to say I don’t have a sexuality if that makes it easier, I don’t particularly feel any need to be ‘asexual’ as such, but I did find that throughout my teens and twenties there was pressure on me to fit within a defined sexuality (gay, straight, bisexual etc) and so it was difficult when I didn’t and when I heard the term ‘asexual’ it helped me to understand that it was okay not to have ever felt sexual attraction towards anyone else.

For me I suppose the reason life is hard isn’t really about sexual attraction as such but it is that I don’t get love and don’t get sex, I have never felt love for somebody that was different to the platonic life I feel for family and friends and have never found sex anything other than painful, uncomfortable and unpleasant. I don’t particularly disagree that the other stuff is unimportant, I don’t care about whether I find people on TV attractive but I find it hard that the implicit assumption others put on me is that I must be looking for a partner, I must be looking to have an active sex life and that I must be missing out on an integral part of being human not to want or have those things. Being able to call myself ‘asexual’ has just helped me in being able to justify the way I feel, I’m not saying that needs to be ‘celebrated’ as such but that it isn’t a shameful thing which can’t be discussed. I think the way MasterBeth described it as, ‘some fancy men, some fancy women, some fancy both and some fancy neither’ is adequate if you don’t want to put a label on it or delve into what it means to ‘fancy’ someone (sexually, emotionally or romantically). The idea that you might fancy nobody and that this is okay was never expressed to me until a few years ago and up to that point I generally thought I was the only person who felt like that and I guess all I am advocating for is that it’s not a bad thing to express that to teens as part of discussions around sex and relationships. (I won’t comment on whether that is appropriate within girl guides as it’s something I’ve never been involved in so I couldn’t say, I’m just saying that it should be a small part of the discussion in situations where sex and relationships are taught to teens).

Bisexuality isn’t defined by having an equal attraction to both sexes. And gay or straight isn’t an identity. Sexual orientation isn’t an identity. If someone is attracted to both sexes they are bisexual. Sexuality isn’t something people identify their way into, it’s innate. It would be highly homophobic to suggest otherwise. That’s why we have clear definitions in the equality act, because of a long standing history conflating innate orientation to identity or preference or the pressure to ‘just try it’ (always on lesbians of course).

I think the d of e are the people who know best about what is taught to teens. Outside of their own parents- as it’s in the education act that schools should educate children in accordance with their parents wishes. Your views on that really doesn’t matter, no ones does, the d of e are the people the education act says decide these things. What you feel about your life experience has zero bearing on anyone else. I still wish I was allowed to run off and be a roady age 13. The fuckwit boyfriend (man friend really) I was very rightfully protected from, but I still long for the list of live performances he promised me, and kill that I never got to see my most loved acts play live. That doesn’t mean I get to wish that for other kids, that would be reckless. Almost all of us parent to some extent the way we wish we were parented, yet we all fall flat on our faces on that one most of the time, because kids are not just reflections of who we were and what we wanted matters not a fuck to what they want. There are generally agreed on standards about what’s held up as good practice for kids, these things are decided by groups of professional experts and are codified into our laws, safeguarding guidance, d of e guidance and so on. What you once felt isn’t noted in these. There are times these are altered, but not for individuals. When groups of people with shared characteristic or experience come together and raise that there’s an issue that needs codified into these laws that happens. But that requires clear definitions of what that shared characteristics are so those people can first find each other, not vague and varying explanations that might be very meaningful to you personally, but are misguided at best when applied outside of you. So nope, gg or any teen group, is not the place this should be brought up outside our very structured and clear pshe guidance for those trained to deliver said guidance. Your view on that doesn’t change the fact that only the d of e get a say in this.

@BelleOfTheProvince

*This...whenever anyone brings up 'sex' or 'sexual feelings' 'sexuality' etc they seem to assume the discussion is straight into bukkake and reverse cowgirl. Obviously 10-11 year olds shouldn't be having sex. That doesn't need saying . But 12 year olds and younger will be having crushes, first boyfriends and girlfriends, kissing behind the bikesshed etcand have been for at least the last 70 years.

If you're saying no-one outside of parents or teachers (e.g. qualified figures) should ever talk about any sexuality etc then fine. But if you're saying it's OK for a guide leader to chat about her boyfriend or wedding or being pregnant then it's equally OK for her to reply, if asked "No I don't have a boyfriend, i have a girlfriend" or "no I don't have either because I'm asexual." Othereise you're being discriminatory.*

Again, the equivalent would be to say you were single.
Guide leaders and teachers are not generally encouraged to talk about their sexuality but their relationships.
So a heterosexual or not, that exact phrasing wouldn't be used. My partner, my husband, my baby.
Myself I would be very wary of an adult who overshared about their sex life with children. It's something I am actually trained to look for and is part of a whistle blowing policy.

An adult discussing their partner is not the same. And in primary, that's all we stick to. It's in the curriculum. The carefully planned non stonewall curriculum.

And no, I'm not happy for untrained volunteers wading in when we teachers have to be so very careful as we know how important age appropriate conversation is.

Fyi we don't generally encourage children of box sexes to sleep in the same rooms on residential, unlike guides schools still do adequate safeguarding.

This ^^

No one introduces their dh with the disclaimer but I’m bi or but I’m asexual but enjoy sex even though I’m only in love and not attracted to him.

It’s completely fine for someone to say I’m single and I’m staying that way. Doesn’t need a rainbow banner saying I’m asexual.

If the definition of asexuality is so bloody wishy washy then it has zero place being discussed with kids as safeguarding kids relies on naming material reality, naming biological reality

This is the crux of it, really.

Those on the thread who work with children will be aware that some children in their mid primary years have started naming their sexuality and gender before they’ve ever even had a kiss behind the bike shed.

Telling children they may be attracted to boys, girls, both or neither is sufficient. Telling them that these sexualities may take time to become clear is fine.

But this thread has really opened my eyes about how problematic it may be for a young girl to label herself as ACE and therefore normalise having sex without desire.

I don't tell colleagues or clients/students about my personal life full stop. Nothing beyond what is absolutely unavoidable. If I'm facilitating a youth group, I'm being paid to do a job and I focus on the content of the workshop. If subjects come up that are outside my remit, I follow my training and company policy and direct the individual to an appropriate source of information.

The fact that I don't experience sexual attraction towards males or females is decidedly not relevant. It doesn't affect my work. Nobody cares, any more than they care if Janet round the corner shags the postman.

I sure as fuck don't need the bloody Girl Guides patronising expression of "support" that it's ok to be the way I am, ta.

Normalise staying in your lane and minding your fucking business.

@nolongersurprised

If the definition of asexuality is so bloody wishy washy then it has zero place being discussed with kids as safeguarding kids relies on naming material reality, naming biological reality

This is the crux of it, really.

Those on the thread who work with children will be aware that some children in their mid primary years have started naming their sexuality and gender before they’ve ever even had a kiss behind the bike shed.

Telling children they may be attracted to boys, girls, both or neither is sufficient. Telling them that these sexualities may take time to become clear is fine.

But this thread has really opened my eyes about how problematic it may be for a young girl to label herself as ACE and therefore normalise having sex without desire.

One of my kids asked me ‘what’s my pride mummy’ the other day. We closely monitor and control YouTube, she has no social media, we monitor texts etc. She hasn’t yet had pshe at school, and I swear I’m there every bloody week yelling at them about this currently so it can only come from her small group of peers (special school). She thought ‘her pride’ was something others should identify for her. I explained she’s a kid and she doesn’t have a ‘pride’ and that by the time she grew up she’d figure out who she was attracted to and that she’s the only person who can know this about herself.

But fuck kids are just so so vulnerable to this. So outside of the leader saying oh I’m off to see my boyfriend/girlfriend tonight it should be left well enough alone. Read them books by lesbian authors, read books with gay couple in it, read books where the main character has no relationship, lbgt+ people should be visible absolutely, but you don’t need to highlight to kids they are lgbt+ people. That doesn’t serve kids needs.

i'm actually quite attracted to trees;
let's hear it for the spruces.

Sorry. I wasn’t suggesting that people can change their sexuality or that through using the term ‘identify’ I meant that you can choose who you are attracted to. Maybe my understanding/ use of the term identify was incorrect, I won’t purport to have a deep understanding of the terms of sexuality and this isn’t the usual kind of thread I would engage with, it is only because I have recently become more comfortable with using the term ‘asexual’ to describe myself that I clicked on it but outside of my own experience I can’t really comment on what sexuality means either legally or to others so it would be stupid of me to try and get into a debate about it!

I will say I don’t necessarily agree that the DofE are the best people to say what should and should not be taught to teens, the DofE are run by the current political party and the Secretary of State for education often has no extensive background in education or outside of politics, but that may just be my own politics clouding my view. I do appreciate my view on the DofE and their ability to do the best for children and young people is irrelevant as they have written the current RSE curriculum which schools must follow. As a teacher myself I will have to teach it (although in a highly adapted, individualised and differentiated way as I’m at a special school) but as the statutory guidance has only recently been made compulsory I’m not yet very familiar with it.

I’m not saying that any professional groups should be talking to teens about topics outside of the RSE curriculum, I would expect that many parents will do as I don’t think what is covered in all school will be adequate/ comprehensive and I think some teens will feel (whether you feel that is rightly or wrongly) that they don’t identify as gay, straight or bisexual and that as such it is only going to be helpful if the fact not everybody will always feel that they fit into one of these terms is expressed to them by others (even if not as part of the curriculum).

I expect you will disagree and that is of course your right. I think I have articulated my own feelings on the matter as well as I can and I think the debate is moving away from what I feel I can comment on, as I said all I can really share are my own feelings as a person who thinks they are asexual and if that’s been helpful for anyone in their understand then great and if not then it has at least been helpful for me to be able to express some of my feelings out loud for one of the first time.

YABVVU

Some people don't experience attraction and aren't interested in relationships. What is so wrong with acknowleding that?

If those kids are exposed to the idea of heterosexuality (aka 90+% of mass media, probably how they came into existence, etc) why would awareness of other sexualities be treated any differently?

I find it interesting that Girlguiding on Facebook and Twitter have limited who can comment on their posts about this. Dissenting voices are blocked it seems

If the definition of asexuality is so bloody wishy washy then it has zero place being discussed with kids

absolutely, whereas heteorsexuals all feel exactly the same thing 100% of the time, have the same sex drive, have sex in exactly the same was as every other heteorsexual.

Some people don't experience attraction and aren't interested in relationships. What is so wrong with acknowleding that?

Have you read the thread? Posters have kindly educated us that actually sexual people can be in relationships and enjoy sex even though they don’t feel desire for their partners.

Telling children they might be attracted to girls, boys, both or neither is fine.

Telling girls who may still have no clear idea about their sexuality yet about asexuality, when asexuality for some asexuals means having sex without desire, is problematic.

It’s too vague for children and within that vagueness slips the potential for grooming and sexual coercion

I think I started fancying people at age 10 or so. That was a time when gay was a common playground insult and all the girls talked about who fancied what boy. Fancying both boys and girls? A huge no no. So I pushed that part of me down deep.

Now, if I compare that to a child today who may be fancying no one (and thinking "what's wrong with me", like I did when wondering why I liked Jessica and James from school), I can empathise with their situation very much. If Irish Girl Guides had had a Bi (or Pan) Awareness Week back in my day, I think that would have helped me a lot. IGG was a safer space for me than school was.

Now, if I compare that to a child today who may be fancying no one (and thinking "what's wrong with me"

So you’d tell a 10 year old who didn’t fancy anyone that they might be asexual?

@MolkosTeenageAngst

Sorry. I wasn’t suggesting that people can change their sexuality or that through using the term ‘identify’ I meant that you can choose who you are attracted to. Maybe my understanding/ use of the term identify was incorrect, I won’t purport to have a deep understanding of the terms of sexuality and this isn’t the usual kind of thread I would engage with, it is only because I have recently become more comfortable with using the term ‘asexual’ to describe myself that I clicked on it but outside of my own experience I can’t really comment on what sexuality means either legally or to others so it would be stupid of me to try and get into a debate about it!

I will say I don’t necessarily agree that the DofE are the best people to say what should and should not be taught to teens, the DofE are run by the current political party and the Secretary of State for education often has no extensive background in education or outside of politics, but that may just be my own politics clouding my view. I do appreciate my view on the DofE and their ability to do the best for children and young people is irrelevant as they have written the current RSE curriculum which schools must follow. As a teacher myself I will have to teach it (although in a highly adapted, individualised and differentiated way as I’m at a special school) but as the statutory guidance has only recently been made compulsory I’m not yet very familiar with it.

I’m not saying that any professional groups should be talking to teens about topics outside of the RSE curriculum, I would expect that many parents will do as I don’t think what is covered in all school will be adequate/ comprehensive and I think some teens will feel (whether you feel that is rightly or wrongly) that they don’t identify as gay, straight or bisexual and that as such it is only going to be helpful if the fact not everybody will always feel that they fit into one of these terms is expressed to them by others (even if not as part of the curriculum).

I expect you will disagree and that is of course your right. I think I have articulated my own feelings on the matter as well as I can and I think the debate is moving away from what I feel I can comment on, as I said all I can really share are my own feelings as a person who thinks they are asexual and if that’s been helpful for anyone in their understand then great and if not then it has at least been helpful for me to be able to express some of my feelings out loud for one of the first time.

How can you not be familiar with the guidance if you are a teacher? It’s compulsory it be taught from sept of this year. And it’s a required to be a whole school plan, so all staff need to be 100% clear on it, the same way you are required to be 100% clear on kcse guidance. Ofsted have updated their criteria on assessing schools about this so you should get familiar with it incase they are in.

I'd tell them that it's perfectly normal to not fancy anyone at their age and that they might fancy people when they're older. And that they may not fancy anyone which is perfectly ok too.

But I knew from 10y/o that I was bi (don't think I knew the term). A reassurance that that's ok and normal would have done me a lot of good. We were having sex ed at that age anyway but it all focused on hetero sex. Maybe it's similar for asexual people re: knowing from a young age - couldn't tell you as I'm not one. And as Irish Girl Guides go up to about age 30, I'm sure they have members who've realised they are asexual.

Btw, I mention IGG because not being British, I've no idea what age groups the British version has. I presume it's similar.

@nolongersurprised

Some people don't experience attraction and aren't interested in relationships. What is so wrong with acknowleding that?

Have you read the thread? Posters have kindly educated us that actually sexual people can be in relationships and enjoy sex even though they don’t feel desire for their partners.

Telling children they might be attracted to girls, boys, both or neither is fine.

Telling girls who may still have no clear idea about their sexuality yet about asexuality, when asexuality for some asexuals means having sex without desire, is problematic.

It’s too vague for children and within that vagueness slips the potential for grooming and sexual coercion

But you don’t have to tell people about the intricacies of asexuality and the sex lives they may or may not have.

I have a female friend who had a threesome with her make partner and another woman. She is not gay or bisexual and so presumably she didn’t feel sexual attraction to the woman but within the context of her relationship she engaged in and enjoyed sexual activity with a woman and alongside her partner. I don’t think that makes her gay/ bisexual and neither does she. I understand the attraction for her was in the act of having a threesome rather than in being with a woman. I also don’t think that issues such as threesomes etc and what it means for your sexuality if you’re a straight person engaging in a threesome with people from both sexes need to be discussed with teens but that doesn’t mean it’s inappropriate to talk about heterosexuality at all.

Talking about all of the complex reasons all people, regardless of sexuality, choose to have sex is never going to be appropriate with teenagers. Sometimes gay/ straight people do have sex with people from the gender they aren’t attracted to for reasons other than pure sexual attraction (Eg: due to a kink or fetish) but that doesn’t mean you can’t talk about gay/ straight relationships without needing to go into those things.

The discussion on here has been between adults, it doesn’t mean that anybody thinks everything raised should be repeated as is written here to teens. It’s also okay to talk to your teen about some parts of asexuality that you feel are age-appropriate and not others, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing, just as if you are discussing gay relationships you’re unlikely to jump straight into what gay people would do in bed in the absence of a penis and vagina. The fact that the choices some asexuals make regarding their sex lives might be confusing or inappropriate to talk about teens, just as the choices some gay, straight or bisexual people make might about their sex lives might be confusing or inappropriate to talk about, doesn’t mean you have to avoid the discussion entirely.

@ThinWomansBrain

If the definition of asexuality is so bloody wishy washy then it has zero place being discussed with kids

absolutely, whereas heteorsexuals all feel exactly the same thing 100% of the time, have the same sex drive, have sex in exactly the same was as every other heteorsexual.

I have no idea what other people feel.

I know heterosexual people, by definition that’s codified into the equality act, are exclusively opposite sex attracted.

You can’t manipulate that.

As it is it’s equally not appropriate for Lucy the leader to introduce herself as heterosexual. But if a gg asks a question like ‘who gave you that awesome woman =adult human female tshirt’ it’s entirely appropriate for her to say ‘me boyfriend’. Equally it’s entirely fine for asexual Lesley when asked if she’s got a love to reply ‘nah, not for me’.

Kids don’t need to know any more personal details about adults (including young adults) sex love, or lack there of, no matter the reasons why.

@alexdgr8

i'm actually quite attracted to trees; let's hear it for the spruces.

Think of all the residual dog pee on your clit. You sure you’re into trees?

@BloodinGutters
How can you not be familiar with the guidance if you are a teacher? It’s compulsory it be taught from sept of this year. And it’s a required to be a whole school plan, so all staff need to be 100% clear on it, the same way you are required to be 100% clear on kcse guidance. Ofsted have updated their criteria on assessing schools about this so you should get familiar with it incase they are in.

I teach in an independent special school for children with very complex and severe learning difficulties. Most of the students I teach are non-verbal and all have complex disabilities so our curriculum is highly differentiated. Obviously the statutory RSE curriculum is not really suitable for my students who are functioning at very early stages of development so our school has had to significantly adapt it. I am aware Ofsted will ask about it and am familiar with our whole school RSE plan and as such aware of which broad areas the RSE curriculum covers but the content within each area has been so thoroughly differentiated/ adapted from what would be taught in mainstream that I doubt it has that much resemblance to the original guidance. (I also admit I have no idea what kcse guidance and have never even heard of it but as an independent special school we largely follow our own curriculum so I’ll assuming it’s not relevant to my area of teaching rather than that I’m a complete failure of a teacher!)

*"RhymesWithOrange
No social discrimination against people who don't have sex for whatever reason? There have been whole films made to laugh at those who haven't had sex. Being a virgin is often seen as a bad thing after a certain age, and something to mock.

Being mocked is not discrimination."
Legally, no. Socially, definitely, which is what you said.*

hurty feelz is not discrimination.