Pride Day

[Itsmyshadow]

DD8’s school have a Pride Day coming up. It’s being run by a local LGBTQ organisation who are coming in to hold workshops and assemblies with the kids.

All great on the face of it. I completely support the fact that people are attracted to others of the same sex and that children should be told same sex relationships are as normal and valid as heterosexual relationships.

DD8 has always been interested in things that are more stereotypically associated with boys (football, gaming, Pokémon etc), her closest friends are boys, she plays for a boy’s sports team. She’s had periods over the last few years where she has insisted she is a boy. These periods tend to coincide with an incident e.g. a boy at school telling her girls can’t play football and go away completely when she sees girls like her e.g. watching the England in the Women’s Euros.

She last year joined a girls football academy and all talk of being a boy has gone away. She’s made friendships with girls and seems happy in who she is.

Now on to Pride Day, so the company has sent out some slides in advance to allay any fears. It seems the KS2 programme will be delivered by a guy who identifies as non binary and there are slides on things such as “assigned sex” and lots of pictures of this guy in a dress.

I’m worried the kids will all be told they can just change their gender and it’s as simple as that (apparently everything will be explained at a very high level and in simple terms). I’m worried this will sow the seed in DD’s head that she can be a boy if she wishes, without telling her all the difficulties that would be involved.

WIBU to not let her go to school that day? And would you tell the school why? I think we should email and explain. DH thinks we should just put in a holiday request and cite we are going away for the weekend (we would actually go to his parents so it wouldn’t be a lie, but it would be pretty obvious why we’d chosen the date, and I’d rather explain to the school rather than them think we’re homophobic - which we are definitely not!). DH thinks whatever way we try to explain it to the school they’ll interpret it badly.

I'd keep her off!

My DD would not be attending school that day.

I'd be questioning the 'assigned sex' part with the school right now, to be honest.

I’d explain your reasons and say you don’t want her taking part what do they suggest you do

I’d keep her off but tell the school why. If you need help writing something that makes it clear that it’s not same sex attraction that you have an issue with, go over to the FWR boards and ask for some advice.

My child would not be attending school that day

Also would keep her home but make sure you explain why you don’t want her to attend.

Me too!

I wish we could legislate that the term they must use is biological sex, because that's what it is. Couldn't care less if men want to wear dresses, afterall women wear men's clothes, doesn't change their chromosomes.

Pride in primary is totally inappropriate. It's about sex and In my opinion a safeguarding matter.

Ugh. I would share your fears OP. I couldn't care less if people are gay or bi. I couldn't care less if a man wants to wear a dress.

But I hate the conflation of sex and gender and the promotion to kids that anyone can be any "gender".

There are 2 kids in my DD's class like your DD (also 8/9 years old) - love sport, not keen on anything girly. Both great kids. I do worry that they may be sucked into gender ideology in the future.

I think I would also keep my DD off that day. I would also tell the school why (politely - pretty much what you said in your OP).

The “Assigned Sex” slide has a picture of a row on newborn babies on it and says something like “a doctor assigns your sex at birth”, making it out like it’s an opinion or something.

I’m worried the school has no control at all over what will be said.

I would 100% keep her off school that day

It is indoctrination to an ideology - and is totally inappropriate for 8 year olds

Why are you concerned? If you know your daughter can’t change sex then what does it matter what others believe? Even if she thinks she can change sex you can tell her she can’t.

Why are you concerned?

Because kids don't always believe or listen to their parents over their peer group, schools and (when older) the internet

Yes keep her off school. You can say about the family event. I would also add it’s because of the content of the lessons. The feminism board can point you in the direction of some good sample letters on websites.

I'd be looking into changing schools!
I've got two kids in year 5 and year 3 and they aren't having a pride day or learning these topics, there is no need.

I'd keep her off and encourage as many others as I could do to the same.

Because it could start her believing that she can be a boy, and perhaps wants to be a boy, then when she gets older she might research that idea and start wanting to take puberty blockers, which would cause irreversible changes to her body. Yes I could say no of course, but that won’t make for the best mother daughter relationship at a time she is conflicted.

I don’t think young kids should have these ideas put into their heads at an age they are too young to understand the implications.

If at 16 or 18 she wants to live as a man with the full knowledge of all that involves I will of course support her and love her for who she is. But there’s no doubt in my mind her life will be infinitely easier and happier as a women, and so I want to do anything possible to stop ideas that could do damage being put into her head.

Keep her off.

I dont think you'll get anywhere with the school.

You really dont want your kid becoming confused after being given false information.

@Itsmyshadow “a doctor assigns your sex at birth”, making it out like it’s an opinion or something.

Sex is NOT assigned at birth it is observed and in 99.99% of cases, bloody well obvious!!

Same. I’d definitely be speaking to the school about this. Though it’s good they’ve shared the materials, hopefully loads of parents will complain and they’ll think twice!