School celebrated a Muslim LGBT activist on International Women’s day!

[Threemangoes]

AIBU to be annoyed at the school? I’m baffled as why have the school missed an opportunity here. They already celebrate lgbt history month and then pride in June at school.

Why is this issue that affects a very tiny minority is so heavily influenced in children’s curriculum?

I get you OP.

Could have been a Muslim woman in STEM talking about groundbreaking work she's doing to cure cancer.

Could have a Muslim woman working in construction talking about the sexism she observes.

Could have been a Muslim woman working with charities to eradicate FGM.

Could have been a Muslim mum of a child in school just talking about what is different for her that others might not realise.

But they chose a Muslim woman who is a lesbian activist - presumably the focus on the Lesbian part? Maybe they'll get her in for Pride as well.

Nononono OP, the LGBTQ2SP community are the only marginalised people in the universe ever and ever amen, how very dare you suggest IWD highlights women who have achieved anything other than smashing dirty heteronormativity? Other issues? What women are facing in Iran, Afghanistan? Celebrating women scientists, leaders, artists? Pfft. Booooooring.

OP, your posts don't make me feel any kind of a way about myself. You don't have that power.

You're muddying the waters of your complaint with each post that attempts to clarify. You keep contextualising it as not just 'too much LGBT content' but too much for primary school children.

What do you actually want?

We don't even know who the speaker is as the OP hasn't said
So how do you know that none of those were spoken about?
Was the OP there actually? As you don't usually go into school lessons as a parent

Primary school children should not be constantly bombarded with stuff about sexuality (they are not ready)

In that case, you couldn't ask a heterosexual woman to speak, either. Imagine if she discussed the gender pay gap and exposed poor innocent children to the idea that some women have sex and get pregnant, meaning they take time out of paid work? Imagine if she mentioned forced marriage??! You might even find some heterosexual women flaunt their sexuality with disgusting habits like calling themselves 'Mrs' in public, or referring to their husbands. Can't be having children exposed to that.

I think it’s really cool that they found a Muslim lesbian to speak because as a lesbian I’ve never actually met a Muslim lesbian or bisexual woman in my entire life, despite having many Muslim friends and associates. I’ve met two Muslim gay men, but never any lesbian or bi Muslim women, they obviously exist, but for religious/cultural reasons probably find it very difficult to be open about their sexuality.

I think you’re looking at it from the wrong angle tbh, her being a Muslim and an open lesbian is helping to break down patriarchy as well as homophobia in her religion and community. I think she’s very brave and an inspiration as she has probably faced an inconceivable amount of hostility for being true to herself and going against expectations, which is a great lesson to all young girls.

I'd have been delighted that a female muslim lesbian was picked at school. So refreshing compared with the organisations who couldn't actually see fit to pick a female to celebrate.

OP I think you are wrong here. Really wrong.

Surely you understand that intersectionality is about recognising that different factors make it harder for some women to be seen and heard compared to others. So they've chosen someone who has had a range of barriers that they have overcome and who has faced more discrimination and challenges than a straight white woman or a straight Muslim woman. They're not celebrating the fact she is lgbt, they're celebrating the fact she is a woman who overcame. Lgbt discrimination is just one of the factors and you are the one choosing to focus in on that and are dismissing her just because of her sexuality and the focus of her activism instead of accepting the overall picture. I find it really odd that you begrudge this to the extent you do to the point where I suspected this was a troll post initially. I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. Most intersectional feminists will promote the rights and wellbeing of lesbian, bisexual, asexual etc etc women because what hurts one of us hurts us all. So it seems you're only interested in intersectionality when you get to pick and choose the sections. It doesn't work like that.

When choosing who to celebrate this year (slightly different because I Home Ed but still primary age and early secondary so simiply offering my thought process iyswim), I deliberately tried to move away from the usual women offered such as Greta Thunberg, Malala and Queen Elizabeth I and II. No disrespect to them but simply there are many others who are never mentioned, we chose several women from as far back as ancient Roman times right through to now and then I set them a task to choose their own inspirational woman and one did choose someone from the LGBTQ+ community but that was only one of many only reasons why she inspired her.

Which woman?

I'm pretty sure part of IWD is to celebrate the achievements of women. This is a woman who presumably has achievements.

Presumably this woman also faces these difficulties? And others that straight Muslim women won't?

I agree with this. Surely all girls and women could learn from someone taking on a patriarchal culture, even if they don't share her sexuality?

All this is true. For an older age group.

Why an older age group?

Not sure why for an older age group?

Cross posted

Is it because you think that if someone is gay, that means they must automatically be going to be talking about sex and that's why it's inappropriate for kids?

You’re annoyed that they celebrated a woman on IWD?

Sorry us gays are ruining everything for you, OP, by merely existing.
Should I get back in my ‘lesbian’ box or am I allowed to celebrate being a woman too?

You wanted a ‘normal’
woman, was that it? Preferably not Muslim, this is after all still a majority ‘Christian’ country culturally if not in actual church attendance, and preferably heterosexual as the gays are ruining everything?

Read all the OP's posts before responding. She said that they focused on the woman's sexuality. Not on her achievements. Surely as a lesbian, you would find that insulting?

@ScrollingLeaves ’All this is true. For an older age group.’

Out of interest, how old do you think children should be before they know lesbians exist?

only asking because both my wife and I used to do the nursery run, so our children’s friends and playmates were aware from quite a young age that Little ChunkaMunka had 2 mums rather than a mum and dad.

of course they were also aware that some of the kids didn’t have a dad at all, and at least one boy was being raised by grandparents.
Was that knowledge also inappropriate somehow?

If her sexuality defines her experiences growing up as a woman, (being a Muslim lesbian) why is it not OK to mention or discuss that?
Mentioning her sexuality doesn't automatically mean they must be talking about shagging or something 😕

Celebrating a woman on IWD?
Outrageous. Alert the media immediately!!

This made me grin. The contortions some straight people tie themselves into about small children and same-sex parents are just bizarre. There's a woman at my DD's school who ticked her child off for saying the word 'lesbian' - she also twitches if I use it in front of children (in the context of 'sorry, can't do that date, we're out with the lesbian mums' group' not 'WE ARE SCARY LESBIANS HAVING LESBIAN SEX IN A LESBIAN WAY,' obviously).

If the overwhelming focus is on her sexuality, then that is an extremely misogynist thing on IWD, of all days. The focus should be on her achievements as a woman. Not her lesbianism.