If a child asks in KS3 science class "is it possible to change sex?"...

[musicalfrog]

What answer would they be given by the teacher?

I would put the house on if that you wouldn’t know.

@Bedheadready It's not about how someone looks or dresses. What determines our sex is the chromosomes and our organ systems. You claimed that your friend was a 'fully functioning' male. That is simply not possible She is and always will be a biological woman.

It’s none of your business. I’ve literally said how happy he is. Once he transitioned he stopped self harming, has a relationship with a lovely woman etc. why on earth would you want to belittle someone being happy just because they’ve reassigned their gender? I can’t think of anything more vile

he’s had surgery, he’s taking male hormones, is in a relationship with a woman and overall is happy and comfortable in his body as a man. Therefore, I will see him as nothing other than what he identifies as - a man

How is that the same? You tell this to 2-9 year olds, then you tell them the truth or find out for themselves.

Christ, I'm just imagining a naive young adult finding out the truth for themselves, that would be awkward 😂

It's great that your friend is happy living as a man. I am happy for friend.

I am not joining in pretending that he is now a biological woman who is able to menstruate and carry a baby in her womb.

And I don't think children should be under any false illusion that this would be possible.

You know there’s more to being a woman than having a bloody uterus. Fucking hell.

Because the next question might be but I know someone who has, I read you can and the topic expands. They may ask why does someone want to change sex.

Plus sex and gender often horribly mixed words e.g. sex change, gender reveal parties.

I don’t think you are going to get very far with this. For the record, I agree with you but arguing with someone like this poster just leads to frustration!

Teachers should say its a question of belief. Some folk think you can others think you can't. Not worth sticking your neck out in this day and age. Worse than the Spanish Inquisition.

You increasingly come across as someone who has not read any of the arguments against your position. Which is astonishing given what has gone on in the last 18 months or so. The 'be kind' and "bigot' defence does not really cut the mustard anymore.

Who has changed biological sex?

In what way is lying to children about basic biological fact intolerant and disrespectful?

Presuming you mean we should teach children to be tolerant.

We should teach children that humans can’t change sex, and that women and girls have the right to safely and privacy in single-sex spaces. That’s more important than pandering to people’s delusions.

But I recognise that under the present regime, it is dangerous for teachers to speak the truth.

there were all the same arguments with being gay. Society…the bigots of society….just had to catch up with it and thankfully became more tolerable. Hopefully this goes the same way

A woman who is sexually attracted to other women is a lesbian. I hope your friend will become a happy and self-accepting lesbian, before the hormones take their inevitable toll on her health.

Sadly, the damage done by removal of healthy organs cannot be undone, but medical help may alleviate it if she stops taking wrong-sex hormones.

Ah only took til page 2 for your agenda to become clear.

I’m pleased your friend is now happy but she is not a fully functioning man. Being respectful of her wish to present and identify with a masculine gender identity does not mean she’s become a man.

I too have no problem with children being educated on such issues. I’m more than confident in telling my children that it is impossible to change sex, that gender is a set of stereotypes that are harmful, that opposite sex hormones are very damaging, and that the number of detransitioners who massively regret the changes to their bodies is increasing daily. Oh, and I’d also happily tell them that the statements about suicide amongst ‘trans’ children is also untrue.

IIt is not a question of belief that you can not change sex. It is a fact.

Very good points, Crochet.

I blame the prevalence of misogynistic and violent pornography for a lot of this. No wonder men get obsessed with sex fantasies and girls are terrified of growing up female.

And now gender ideologues have decided being gay is bigotry because it involves same sex attraction. Transideology is inherently homophobic.

But demanding everybody deny reality and subscribe to your fantasy is in no way the same as being gay.

Your friend isn’t a ‘fully functioning man’ your friend does not have male sex organs so will never be able to father a child. If your friend has also had a hysterectomy (as many TMs seem to do) and taken opposite sex hormones for many years they’ll also never be able to get pregnant and give birth.
What you actually mean is, your friend has had their body surgically altered, takes testosterone to develop facial hair and lower their voice, dresses in clothes that people generally categorise as ‘menswear’. They are still, and always will be, female. Maybe look up Buck Angel on X. The most butch looking person you’ll find - still says she’s female.

Then it becomes a distinction between sex and gender, and every school in the UK is bound by the equality act 2010 which gives both sex and gender reassignment as protected characteristics.

I hope you point out the protected characteristic of gender reassignment means a boy (male) with this protected characteristic (identifies as a girl) must by law not be discriminated against compared to other BOYS and does NOT require him to be treated as the ‘gender’ he identifies with. Eg. That he cannot be excluded from the boys changing room because he identifies as a girl or because he wears a skirt, but absolutely must be excluded from the girls changing rooms.

I'm sure you're aware that teachers cannot give political opinions to children
We can describe the law and must promote british values and the equality act, but we cant give interpretations of the implementation of them like this. Your interpretation of this part of the act isn't consensus, and thats what makes this such a contentious issue

That's exactly what I'd do!

Presumably you are just trying to shoehorn this unpleasant bit of information in, rather than suggesting the teacher actually teaches this?