LGBT Talks in School

[GerbilHeaven]

I've posted this here because I'm aware that many MN'ers are fed-up of the Trans threads popping up everywhere, and frankly, I need someone to put some sense into the way I feel. I've NC - I've been on MN a few years. I am not goading nor trolling.

DD(11) returned from school earlier and announced that they'd had a group of people into an hour long assembly to discuss anti-bullying. She then announced that the biggest thing they spoke about was "Trans- something" (DD's words - please remember she's 11) and that they'd told her that men can have vaginas. One of the speakers said that they were now a man despite being born as a woman and that she encouraged the children to encourage trans and not discourage trans. I asked DD what she'd learnt and she said that she'd found the whole event to be less on anti-bullying and more on "Trans". The speaker also told them that they (the children) should now educate their parents and teachers and challenge anything that they said.

I have to admit I'm a bit baffled and pissed off about the whole thing. I don't consider Year 7 to be ready for anything like this and considering that they send home sex-ed permission slips, I'm wondering where the hell they didn't warn parents about this in advance. I would have like the chance to discuss this issue with my daughter before she's met with a large powerpoint proclaiming that Men also have vaginas.

I'm not expressing myself correctly here, and there's no doubt I'd cause an almighty shit storm if I posted this elsewhere, but I truly, truly don't feel comfortable with this aspect of education.

Yet that would be a really good idea.

I also agree about the fact the trans stuff is nearly used by some teenagers as a way to 'rebel'. Or maybe after knowing they would need to sort out of they are gay or not, they now have to decide if they are transgender or not and thats a hell of a lot to 'decide' in the middle of the teenage years, that are conflicting in themselves.

Having a clear definition of what being trans is, and not just the fluffy 'I feel like a boy/girl in the wrong body', but talking about what it really is, the hatred of genitals, wanting to cut your penis/uterus off type of stuff, woud be a good idea. And if possible BEFORE they are really reach puberty so they arent in the middle of a vey conflicting time.
Lessons on gender, what it is, how it is constructed with BOTH sides presented (people who say there is such a thing as a boy/girl mind, influence of hormones etc etc but also people who say it's a societal construct, its ok for boys to be caring and for girls to like engineering, talking about the way your dress etc etc). Hopefully this would also shopow them that they are plenty of different ways to be a man or a woman and we never all fit the gender stereotype that society is imposing on us (plus it varies from one culture to the next and so on)

OP I came across this the other day, it's an open letter to Rainbow Youth and Inside out.

It might help you to clarify your thoughts if you intend to put pen to paper. There is a lot of information there, and information that you may not want to even cover, but it is very a comprehensive and articulate piece that seems to crystallise most of my concerns.

I think if you're going to see someone at the school, it's a good idea to send a note before hand, clearly articulating your concerns. That way you can focus the discussion more, and not get sidetracked during the actual face to face.

"Even people I know who describe themselves as feminists argue that men and women are wired differently."

They're socialised differently. There is a difference.

I've just seen this tweet from a mtf trans: "Anyone who watches this prog and can't see that trans is biological is blind. Such conviction from the kids #kidsontheedge"

They were also the 1st mtf trans on a supposedly all women show.

Unfortunately, I can see that in 20yrs time, if it carries on in this vein, feminism won't be allowed unless it includes mtf trans. Women will have to shove over and move down the ladder to make way for mtf trans. Instead of 'just' coming 2nd to men, we'll also come 2nd to mtf trans and so will be 3rd on the list when it comes to our rights.
I hope to God that I'm wrong and that people 'wake up and smell the roses', so to speak.

This is normal. Anti bullying week is run by LGBT groups. So it's not anti bullying per se it's trying to teach kids not to exclude kids with differences related to LGBT. Now I don't mind that in itself any exclusion of kids by their peers is unacceptable. But the huge LGBT agenda is over the top and it should be stopped. However the govt rolls it out across their schools to try and make this the norm in the UK. I do disagree with it and I know that's controversial in itself but I'm allowed a point of view too.

Oh and it's Stonewall UK who run anti bullying weeks now.

Hummus, I have not (yet) had to teach this stuff, so all my answers are in the hypothetical situation where I was asked these questions. So I am not (currently) saying anything to the children about boy / girl minds. It simply hasn't come up in my classroom.

The point I have been trying to make is that if I were asked to teach it, I would have to toe the line because I am simply not allowed to teach my own opinion. I have to teach whatever the government / ofsted / slt see as "prevailing wisdom". In this one instance I would not be happy about it, but I can see why these rules exist.

Mind you the overall govt agenda to "teach" issues in UK schools is so sad. My child also was made to watch a real life situation of someone who choose to end their life. The kids had to watch someone die. Just to educate them of course. Seriously, what the heck?

cisoff, I agree and understand the difference. Many of the highly intelligent women I am talking about also understand the difference, but they don't think the evidence is convincing enough. I am in no position to judge them for that because, frankly, I'm not an expert in the field.

butterflies, I would complain about that! How old were the children? Something that traumatic sounds very inappropriate for children. Failure to protect a child's mental health is a safeguarding issue.

But the huge LGBT agenda is over the top and it should be stopped.

Only "LGBT" is a misnomer. It's the TRANS agenda & lesbians were left behind a long time ago.

Yes I agree with that Amelia however year 9 students are considered to be adults these days. (I still think it's unreasonable to show it in schools even for the oldest students tho.) But the govt decides not the parents. You get no warning, so its not up to the parents to choose anymore.

Ok Empress. I hear you.

Year 9 students are not considered to be adults in my school. Before showing a video (of any kind) I check the age rating AND watch it myself to make sure it is appropriate. While the government may say that students have to learn some things or cover some topics, the resources to do this (such as videos) are up to the individual school to decide.

Cisoff

That Rainbows letter was very good.

From the description it is not in any way an anti bullying presentation. They are, in fact, bullying children into conforming with boy/girl stereotypes or transitioning to comply with them.

The issue I have with the Trans agenda, and before I say so I suppose I'll give you my stance on Trans issues.

I'm in the camp of live and let live, I frankly don't care who does what as long as it's not ilegal, or hurts anyone (Or if it does hurt someone as long as that person gives consent), I'd go as far as respecting peoples pronouns, and joint toilets etc, so I suppose I am all for Tran rights.

Back to my issue, this is a form of morality policing, exposing children to a miniscule number of the population, which if we're being brutally honest has severe depression and suicide rates pre and post ops etc. So promoting trans to children is irresponsible on a state level, if parents want to expose their children to it, thats great.

Which annoys me about the current feminist movement, in an attempt to empower the movement we seem to have aligned with every minority, including Trans and Muslims, which I find extremely ironic!

So school have sent home a programme for anti-bulllying day, the theme this year "It's good to be me" with a focus on celebrating people from the LGBT community. This is a special school for children with ASD. A rep from The Junction will give a talk on LGBTIQ, and a reminder of the plan for the day.

Would IBU to withdraw ds???

I would withdraw, NoRun.

You have no idea what is going to be said. I'd be perfectly happy if it was LGB without the T.

OP, don't let this rest, I'd be incandescent.

Interesting contributions from teachers on this thread. I wonder if one thing they could safely do is go back to basics with a lesson about sex stereotypes early in secondary. So - e.g. what did people think in the past about girls' minds and personalities (that their brains would melt if given too much education); how were these gender myths debunked, from female scientists to Bowie and gay rights campaigners; what stereotypes are still around and how can they be damaging.
There's obviously a limit as to what one lesson can do but it might possibly head off some of the 'you've got short hair, you must be trans' stuff.

Also the Science Museum's recent pink & blue brains debacle.

I agree that lessons discussing gender in terms of stereotyping and sex class analysis would be very worthwhile. Most of us grow up with unconscious prejudices, "all men are bastards" "girls are bitchy" and the rest. Exploring the whole pink and blue brain issue would be helpful, as well as the difference between sex and gender.

Then, when or if, they are exposed to trans propaganda they will have the critical thinking skills to recognize the concepts as forming an quasi religious belief system rather than anything based in material reality, and equipped to ask relevant questions.

Because asking relevant questions is all you need to expose the bankruptcy of trans ideology. That's why TRAs place so much emphasis on silencing, rather than debating, those who question their agenda. That's why so few TRAs stick around on MN to fight their corner.

Somebody mentioned pandering to 1% of the UK population, can I ask what % is required before pandering is just?

No group of people however large or small should be pandered to, especially if it causes offence to another group. You can respect people without pandering.

Well the problem with that is that offence is in the eye of the beholder.

See the UK Black Lives Matter movement, they are offended by white people and the royal family, would this level of offence cause respect from the UK?