Trans guidelines for schools in Scotland

[LemonJello]

New guidelines:

www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/files/documents/Supporting_Transgender_Young_People_-_Digital_version.pdf

Sorry I’m not sure how to do a clicky link.

I haven’t read through it properly yet but will do now. Just posting as I’m sure others will be interested.

Schools should:...Not refuse to let a trans young person use a facility. This could be viewed as unlawful conduct

I highly suspect that's absolute bollocks. Posted this on the Topshop thread but the Equality Act 2010 has explanatory notes on the exceptions which allow single sex spaces.

738.These exceptions would allow:
a cervical cancer screening service to be provided to women only, as only women need the service;
a fathers’ support group to be set up by a private nursery as there is insufficient attendance by men at the parents’ group;
a domestic violence support unit to be set up by a local authority for women only but there is no men-only unit because of insufficient demand;
separate male and female wards to be provided in a hospital;
separate male and female changing rooms to be provided in a department store;
a massage service to be provided to women only by a female massage therapist with her own business operating in her clients’ homes because she would feel uncomfortable massaging men in that environment.
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/16/20/7

Lots more excellent stuff here on the duties of public bodies: among them to:

Remove or minimise the disadvantages women suffer;
Take into account women’s needs that are different from men’s needs;
Encourage women to participate in public life and other activities in which their participation is low.
www.aroomofourown.org/a-uk-guide-for-non-lawyers-about-protecting-women-only-spaces-june-2016/

BTW I note that this Trans guidance document has been endorsed by all(?) Scottish local authorities as well as the Scottish govt and NHS Lothian, among others.

dj yes it does, from a Room of Our Own: The Equality Act 2010 is the main piece of law in England, Wales and Scotland to protect particular groups from disadvantage or unfair treatment

EA does not apply in NI

In all seriousness, I am on the war path now.

There are NO parties I can vote for now. I will never vote for a party that supports this shit.

Assigned
Im in Scotland too. Just today I was talking to a teacher about self identification implications for girls and women and she just didnt get it. Its horrifying.

I think schools will fear that they have to demonstrate (if challenged) that single sex provision is justified.

If guidance endorsed by local and Scottish government says you mustn't , and that you may face legal action, I imagine you might brick it.

I'm feeling benevolent though, so here are some more exceptions from the notes to the Equality Act 2010 which they could be inspired by. These might be more generally useful too.

Single-sex services: paragraph 27: Effect
...734. Single sex services are permitted where:...
they may be used by more than one person and a woman might object to the presence of a man (or vice versa);...

Gender reassignment: paragraph 28: Effect
739.This paragraph contains an exception to the general prohibition of gender reassignment discrimination in relation to the provision of separate- and single-sex services. Such treatment by a provider has to be objectively justified.

Communal accommodation: paragraph 3
Effect
997. This paragraph provides an exception to the general prohibition of sex and gender reassignment discrimination. It allows communal accommodation to be restricted to one sex only, as long as the accommodation is managed as fairly as possible for both men and women. It sets out factors which must be considered when restricting communal accommodation to one sex only, and provides that discriminatory treatment of transsexual people must be objectively justified.
998. Communal accommodation is defined as residential accommodation which includes shared sleeping accommodation which should only be used by members of one sex for privacy reasons.

Section 195: Sport
Effect
614. This section allows separate sporting competitions to continue to be organised for men and women where physical strength, stamina or physique are major factors in determining success or failure, and in which one sex is generally at a disadvantage in comparison with the other. It also makes it lawful to restrict participation of transsexual people in such competitions if this is necessary to uphold fair or safe competition, but not otherwise.

Schedule 9: Work: exceptions
Considerations of privacy or decency might require a public changing room or lavatory attendant to be of the same sex as those using the facilities.
A counsellor working with victims of rape might have to be a woman and not a transsexual person, even if she has a Gender Recognition Certificate, in order to avoid causing them further distress.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/pdfs/ukpgaen_20100015_en.pdf

"If a transgender young person is sharing a room with their peers, there is no reason for parents or carers of the other young people to be informed "

But this fits in very neatly with the SNP named person proposal - where parents are described as gardeners and the named person is thought of as the head gardener. Still they can bask in the glow of their progressiveness.

I note how hostile transgender pressure groups are to parents, generally taking a critical and suspicious approach. This document takes the same approach stating;
"A transgender young person may not have told their family about their gender identity. Inadvertent disclosure could cause needless stress for the young person or could put them at risk. Therefore, it is best to not disclose information to parents or carers without the young
person's permission"

Confidentiality is a tricky issue with teenagers. We teach adults NEVER to promise confidentiality to them. You may be able to keep something confidential but you may not. You need to discuss it in school and take advice according to your own school's safeguarding and pastoral procedures . You NEVER EVER tell teachers to keep a child's confidentiality no matter what. It always needs a discussion.

Such dangerous advice.

It's quite breathtaking how little care is paid to the needs of individual children in all the advice / training about transgender children. Whether it is the needs of the individual transgender child (the only model being the brave child challenging stereotypes who needs uncritical support no matter what!) or the needs of any other child in a school / community.
There is no evidence of knowledge about child development, adolescence, psychology, physical and sexual development etc anywhere. Just a determination to impose an adult model of transgender lifestyles onto children, no matter what the consequences.

There is no evidence of knowledge about child development, adolescence, psychology, physical and sexual development etc anywhere. Just a determination to impose an adult model of transgender lifestyles onto children, no matter what the consequences

Yes, exactly.

Ugh how appalling. I'm in Scotland and agree that it's just a pathetic scramble to be seen as 'progressive' without any critical (or even logical) thought.

I am genuinely starting to wonder how soon it will be before it becomes national policy to remove children from gender critical parents and to send anyone who questions the transgender ideology on ‘gender re-education’ courses.

A year ago I wouldn’t even have contemplated posting a statement like that on a public forum.

Amethyst I have to agree. It’s complete dystopia. What can we dooooooo???
I’m also in Scotland.

I was wondering the same thing. Its awful to think this guideline will be adhered to and that things are moving so rapidly. Even before any legislation changes

Similar in Northern Ireland:

www.eani.org.uk/_resources/assets/attachment/full/0/51716.pdf

FFS.
My first thoughts are organising a rally on masse to show in a very public way, our need for dialogue on this.

Can you imagine it though? No one would be safe.
When I joined other MN'ers a few years ago in London in support of addressing the refugee crisis, it was an event that drew people together in their thousands, yet there were equally thousands who no doubt disagreed, but there were no problems. Mothers and Fathers carried their children, pushed prams, every one bumbled along just fine.

Organising a march with this and I'm pretty certain there'd be fear and intimidation and perhaps even violence.

What a shit storm.

I agree, WelshMoth. The most frightening part of all this is that regulations which have massive implications for society are being quietly put into place without any kind of public debate, and then when anyone does try to oppose it, or even just discuss it, they fear for their safety.

I am also very, very weary of the word ‘transphobic’ being liberally splashed around. It should never be applied to people raising legitimate concerns.

What about some kind of anonymous protest? Something like postsecret (where people sent their secrets in on a postcard) and they are all displayed somewhere?
Everything is online really, which works to an extent but I think something physical and tangible is needed.

That's an excellent idea LemonJello. Post secret would be perfect but I'd have no idea how to organise such a thing. Do you think that one of the existing gender critical groups would be prepared to organise something anonymous and tangible?

If you haven't already, do take a look at the transgender trend website:
www.transgendertrend.com/

Stephanie Davies-Arai has a real understanding of children and these issues and is doing so much to try to ensure that the harmful proposals don't happen.

Sorry, my comment above was NOT in response to the Post secret idea!!

Yes one of the existing groups organising it would be ideal. Joining together into one voice is better than lots of fractured groups. I’m not on twitter or anything to ask. It would be good to have a singular focus/ question people are asked to respond to because the enormity of the topic is overwhelming. I think definitely focussed on kids.

Just don't mention this as a reason for choosing home education when you apply for consent from the LA (you cannot deregister in Scotland). It may be used a reason to turn down your application.

I'm in Scotland too. It's outrageous that schools are being told that a transgender child can chose whichever changing room and toilets they want and if the others don't like it they can just wait. And the bit about school trips is horrendous. How long till we end up with a pre-teen pregnancy? (it can happen)
And whatever you do, don't tell the parents. I noticed it also said you can self refer to the gender clinic in Glasgow - so theoretically someone could be seen in a specialist clinic before their parents even knew their child was transgender?? Complete madness but not a surprise. Scottish prisoners are already able to self identify as transgender - no GRC required. 😡