LGBT children board title

[ArabellaScott]

Given that the Cass Review says social transitioning is not a neutral act, and refers to 'gender incongruent' or 'gender questioning' children, the use of 'trans children' looks startlingly out of date and incorrect on Mumsnet.

The board should be renamed 'LGB and gender questioning children' to better reflect best practice.

The new school guidelines likewise use 'gender incongruent' and 'gender questioning' and not ever 'trans' when referring to children.

This is a good suggestion thanks Arabella.

I agree.

Agree!!

From the government's guidance for gender questioning children:

'The language used in this area has evolved over recent years and people use different ways to describe themselves. In this guidance we have tried to use language and terms that provide clarity, avoid colloquialisms and capture the range of children’s experiences, from questioning their gender through to gender distress or dysphoria. We have not used the term transgender to describe children. Under UK law children cannot obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate and therefore cannot change their legal sex.'

https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf

Yes, I agree with this.

'The term ‘gender non-conforming’ is used to describe those individuals who do not choose to conform to traditional gender norms and ‘gender-questioning’ as a broader term that might describe children and young people who are in a process of understanding their gender identity.'

From the Cass Report, p19

https://cass.independent-review.uk/home/publications/final-report/

Absolutely. Or have two boards, one for (parents of) children questioning their sexual orientation and one for (parents of) children questioning their ‘gender’.

‘LGBT’ is a forced teaming and artificial construction anyway.

But I’d be happy with the change of vocabulary to align with Cass for starters.

That's a good point. Sexuality is not the same as 'gender' or 'identity'.

Totally, completely and absolutely agree @ArabellaScott
Well said

Yes, excellent point.

Hi there @ArabellaScott and others. Thanks for your thoughts on this. If anyone else has an opinion, please do add it here. We'll keep reading and will give it some consideration.

I'm not sure what more you want @KellyMumsnet - everyone on this thread has agreed with the suggestion!

(As do I)

I agree too, brilliant suggestion.

Excellent suggestion, I agree.

I agree with the two boards approach - sexuality and gender are different and have very different considerations and approaches for parents.

Sounds sensible

I agree too, gender-questioning is now the correct term as used in schools guidance.

Thanks, Kelly.

I can't think of any good reasons not to change it or to keep it as it is.

Doctors and educators are clear that 'social transitioning' is not neutral, and calling children 'trans' is also not neutral. No child can 'transition'. They can have the protected characteristic of 'gender reassignment' as they may be considering a 'gender change' in future, but this is very far from labelling them as 'trans'.

Lumping LGB children in with 'trans' seems clumsy at best. Changing it to 'gender incongruent' or 'gender questioning' would be more accurate and neutral.

Completely agree!

I also completely agree. Thanks, Arabella.

I think it's pretty unlikely that Mumsnet will change this since it will mess with the SEO. Nobody is going to Google for support with their "gender questioning" child. Rightly or wrongly, trans is still the term in popular use, whatever the report says.

Agree with Arabella, acthally had the same thought recently, especially since Cass.

I have no skin in the game, so to speak, but I do think a forum like Mumsnet should follow best practice guidance. Best practice is now based on Cass, so it really ought to be reflected here and everywhere else.

Brilliant suggestion. Separating into two boards is a good idea, supporting a child as they develop their sense of sexuality is very different to supporting a child as they question their gender- especially as the second is never as an isolated issue, there seems to always be other mental health/ND/trauma related baggage for the child. Totally different sets of needs.

👏👏👏

I agree.