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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask school why DS was told there are 72 genders?

184 replies

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 16:14

DS - 13 - came home from school & said he had a ‘weird’ Philosophy & Ethics lesson led by a new-ish ( non-binary/trans) teacher where they discussed sexuality and gender and 72 genders were mentioned. They covered some of the ‘main’ ones like pansexual, bisexual, trans etc

I told DS that there’s not 72 bloody genders. But am curious as to what materials were used, where they came from and whether or not this was a genuine discussion as DS said it was stated as fact. So for example
When they discuss Judaism or other religions the teachers don’t state ‘god exists’ they talk about belief systems and how they are similar, how they’re different etc

it sounded like this lesson was more - this is fact.

or so I just leave it, knowing that DS is sensible, and knows that gay, trans, bi etc people exist in the world and that’s fine ask the school what the lesson was exactly?

I’m gay, BTW, so this isn’t some anti LGBTQ thing

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Tandora · 17/04/2023 19:32

Theunamedcat · 17/04/2023 19:10

Are people not allowed to ask questions without being anti t or q?

Of course people are allowed to ask questions

NoEntry · 17/04/2023 19:33

I'm Misshapen House Brick Gender. Heavy, lumpy, could be useful, but never quite fits in.

I'm getting the hang of this thing 😁

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 17/04/2023 19:33

This is familiar to me - DS did the first year of an A level in sociology and came back from college saying they had been told this - assume it was part of the course syllabus - DS dropped out (not because of this).

lifeturnsonadime · 17/04/2023 19:36

Tandora I'd also like to know what Queer actually means?

AnneWhittle · 17/04/2023 19:37

TheKeatingFive · 17/04/2023 19:04

Here is the link to one of the lists, but there is no cakegender or catgender

https://72gender.com/72-genders-list

Christ, what insufferable bollocks

what a swiz, I did the test and they didn't tell me what my gender is

Vitriolinsanity · 17/04/2023 19:38

Don't you just want to invite 73, 74, 75 just because you can?

LakieLady · 17/04/2023 19:39

potniatheron · 17/04/2023 17:14

Please tell me cakegender is a joke. I mean, it's a joke. Right?

Don't get me wrong, I'm very committed to cake. But....

I think I might be cakesexual. I really, really fancy cake...

determinedtomakethiswork · 17/04/2023 19:41

Did anyone see a documentary about a man who liked to rub up against his own car? Is that a gender now?

determinedtomakethiswork · 17/04/2023 19:43

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 17:04

Ash is trans I believe. so not transphobic. Or possibly non-binary, I don't actually now nor does DS. Ash has long hair but a beard, wears make up and 'feminine' clothing, and answers just to Ash, no surname, and doesn't answer to the usual Miss or Sir, obvs.
And no, not a Science teacher.

Oh for crying out loud. How did someone like this get through the scrutiny of teacher training? Some people really do struggle with the idea of being ordinary.

FourBoysAndAFeline · 17/04/2023 19:52

gonnaketchamall · 17/04/2023 17:10

Of course Ash is trans. Ash is a very common name chosen by the trans community. Not Ash Ketchum by any chance? I know several, because Pokemon is very trans friendly. Also popular with young autistic people. There's a clear connection.

You should ask to see the teaching materials and follow up as needed. School should not be teaching this to our children.

Same as Kai.

So many trans men called Kai.

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 19:54

'Tandora · Today 19:05

I’m gay, BTW, so this isn’t some anti LGBTQ thing

yeh we get it - it’s just an anti “T” (and possibly the “Q”) thing 🙄'

Oh, do piss off. It's so tedious when someone starts with that because something is questioned. I could give a shiny sh&t about the sexuality, presentation, gender of the teacher in question - I'd just like to know that these theories are up for discussion and not presented as fact.
That DS has come home telling me bisexuality and pansexuality are genders has made me wonder how successful the lesson was...

I'm an atheist. I don't believe in any god or religion and think that on balance they do far more harm than good in the world. I still think DS should learn about god, relgions and beliefs but I wouldn't object to him being told that there absolutely is a God and that's fact

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Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 19:55

'Oh for crying out loud. How did someone like this get through the scrutiny of teacher training? Some people really do struggle with the idea of being ordinary.'

Being LGBTQ+ doesn't prevent you from being a good teacher, that's why.

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Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 19:56

Would object to him being told god exists that should be, because I think that is as likely as there being 72 genders

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LumpyPumpkin · 17/04/2023 19:56

This didn't happen.

LangClegsInSpace · 17/04/2023 19:59

Tandora · 17/04/2023 19:32

Of course people are allowed to ask questions

Cool.

What is the Q thing please? I know it stands for Queer but can you explain what that means?

Whatkindofuckeryisthis · 17/04/2023 19:59

wow this would piss me off.. so unnecessary!

WickedSerious · 17/04/2023 20:01

dementedpixie · 17/04/2023 16:18

I think the idea that there are 72 genders is quite ridiculous. Was cake gender mentioned? Wink

I'd be more interested in gin gender.

LangClegsInSpace · 17/04/2023 20:02

Carouselfish · 17/04/2023 19:30

Also, it sounds like stuff made up by 13 year old girls. Those multiple choice quizzes you filled out in teen magazines, added up your score and got the satisfaction of defining yourself as some kind of something.

Swap teen magazines for Tumblr and you are spot on.

The insane thing is how it has become mainstream and promoted by adults who should know better.

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 20:02

@LumpyPumpkin It absolutely did. Just to be clear, I don't think this teacher has gone rogue or anything, I think they were probably enlisted for this particular lesson in Phil & Ethics because of their personal experience.
They have taught at the school before on a more casual basis, because there was a hoo ha over 'misgendering' before with the whole 'sir' 'miss' thing but are now permanent.

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IDontWantToBeAPie · 17/04/2023 20:06

TheBugWife · 17/04/2023 16:18

The things you have mentioned, Bisexual and Pansexual aren't even genders, they are sexualities so even just from the start the information they have been given is incorrect.

My DD told me once there are 64 genders - it seems some people spend all day deciding what gender they are!

I wouldn't even bother with the school, I would just make sure your DS knows there are 2 sexes and gender is something that people with too much time on their hands spend far too much effort worrying about.

This. I'm bisexual.

My sex/gender is female/woman not bisexual...

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 20:10

I'm going to fire off an email now, at the very least I can see what they were trying to get to and speak to DS who seems somewhat bemused by the whole thing

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Snoozems · 17/04/2023 20:12

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 20:10

I'm going to fire off an email now, at the very least I can see what they were trying to get to and speak to DS who seems somewhat bemused by the whole thing

Hi OP, have you been on to safe schools alliance, they have advice about complaining to schools here:
safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/?amp&__twitter_impression=true

HermioneWeasley · 17/04/2023 20:15

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 16:38

Given the teacher, Ash, told them that anyone who identifies with the gender that matches their biology makes them ‘ privileged’ I feel there’s a bit of an agenda, but the teacher isn’t the Phil/ethics teacher normally. They do another subject usually.

This is very transphobic - don’t you know that women have penises?

Snoozems · 17/04/2023 20:15

The incredible Transgender Trend have resources too: www.transgendertrend.com/schools-resources/

See Sex Matters school pages too: https: //sex-matters.org/posts/updates/schools-guidance/

Ersorrywhatnow · 17/04/2023 20:15

I'm not looking to complain as such, so long as the lesson was around ' some people think' blah blah blah... though I am pissed off at the 'cis-privilege' thing I suppose that's an opinion and in Phil & Ethics it's all supposed to be up for debate.

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