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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Primary school scraps boys and girls-only races from its sports day because they exclude transgender children

125 replies

caperberries · 01/06/2018 09:28

Is there a thread about this yet?

Link from the Daily Mail:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5794361/Primary-school-Inverness-scraps-boys-girls-races.html

OP posts:
WrongOnTheInternet · 01/06/2018 09:36

While the link to trans stuff is annoying, don't most primary schools have mixed races anyway, certainly in early age groups? Sex differentials don't really kick in until late primary or even teenage. On the point that it would lead to gender-related bullying, well, deal with it as bullying.

CaitlynsCat · 01/06/2018 09:37

Nowt wrong with mixed-sex primary school sports days tbh.

But it doesn't really have to be a 'trans' issue.

WhoGetsHeard · 01/06/2018 09:42

The problem with this, according to one of the parents quoted, is that it opens boys up to bullying if they are beaten by a lowly girl Hmm.

And the solution, according to the same parent, is to let trans kids race according to their feelings rather than their sex.

Thinkingofausername1 · 01/06/2018 09:46

I've heard it all now Confused

nauticant · 01/06/2018 09:53

race according to their feelings rather than their sex

What happens when 2nd and 4th both actually feel they came 1st? (With 3rd viewing themselves as cis-placed.)

Thehogfather · 01/06/2018 09:55

Sexist parents who don't want their son beaten by an inferior girl aside, why would you need separate races before puberty? And even in early puberty in general they are still evenly matched.

Although there was a mother at dds primary who thought the teams for what she deemed boy sports should be limited to boys. She seemed to think if dd and another girl weren't on them her pfb would. And if only boys played them in school the teachers wouldn't be able to choose from the girls. Went from faux concern about the girls feeling more comfortable doing girl sports to outright bitching.

OhCheersForThat · 01/06/2018 10:00

I think they should separate the sexes for sport earlier than most primary schools do, to be honest.

My daughter loved football from aged 4, but has really suffered from playing in mixed teams. A combination of extracurricular ‘mixed’ teams being in realityprediminantly make and school football being dominated by boys who are socialised to see it as a male sport that boys are better at.

It’s only now that she is 10 and playing in an all female team that she has really started to shine and is playing competitively for a local club.

Women and girls need their own sports.

OhCheersForThat · 01/06/2018 10:01

Excuse typos. That should say predominantly male

Imnobody4 · 01/06/2018 10:03

I really despair. The only reason for them not being mixed is sexism - telling girls and boys from age of 5 that boys are better, stronger etc. See tv doc 'No more boys and girls'
Lovely quote from childrens book 'Bridge from Terabritha' boy gets beaten by 'mere' girl -responds 'girls aren't as mere as they used to be'

PoulaFisch · 01/06/2018 10:03

My two children's primary had mixed sex sports days and sports teams. Afaik it was never an issue. We certainly didn't give it a second thought.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/06/2018 10:07

I think mixed sex sports in primary is fine - not much difference between the sexes pre puberty.

RatRolyPoly · 01/06/2018 10:08

I really despair. The only reason for them not being mixed is sexism - telling girls and boys from age of 5 that boys are better, stronger etc.

YY to this!

NotMeOhNo · 01/06/2018 10:09

In ten years someone's going to do a study on how many boys win these mixed sex races in schools...

BeyondSceptical · 01/06/2018 10:12

Primary goes right up to 11 though - by the later years some of the kids will be in puberty

Mixed sex in infants and split in juniors works best IMO

KathyBeale · 01/06/2018 10:15

My son is a swimmer and as soon as they start competing in galas they are separated by sex. He hasn’t gone through puberty yet but is bigger and stronger than the girls his age. Qualifying times for races are very slightly slower for girls and the difference gets wider as they get older. There are mixed relays with two boys and two girls.

His primary school has separate races on sports day and then they do games and field stuff like throwing bean bags in mixed teams. Seems a good compromise.

I agree that separating makes the sports more accessible. One of the mixed secondary schools we looked round offers rugby to everyone but no girls play. And no boys do dancing even though it is offered. At the boys’ school, lots of them do dance.

KennDodd · 01/06/2018 10:18

I have no problem with mixed races until the upper years of primary school. It's only when boys start being bigger and stronger than girls that they need separate sports.

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/06/2018 10:20

I agree with you oh

The last few months have been awful for dd. She loves sport but the boys refuse to listen to her (when she was team captain)

They tell her she's doing everything and shout at her when they moss the ball or don't score or whatever .

And then when playing completeky ignore her and don't pass to her or the the other girls

They need separating from.juniors imo

Gileswithachainsaw · 01/06/2018 10:25

Everything wrong

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 01/06/2018 10:25

Our school had mixed in the infants and then boy and girl races in junior

However, the majority of the sports day for the juniors was team sports no seperating on sex basis. The actual races only involved some children and they had to 'qualify' for the race

So i would have preferred the junior school not to do races at all rather than mixed

And i speak as a mother of 'slow' sons and a daughter that usually slaughtered the opposition no matter what kit they were wearing (at junior school at least)

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 01/06/2018 10:26

Oh and when it comes to football

Oh dont get me started

The system is horrendously unfair...and includes summer boys

reallybadidea · 01/06/2018 10:30

I don't think it's true to say that there are no physical differences between boys and girls until puberty. If you look at the height and weight charts for children of different sexes there is a difference in average height and weight right from birth. It's starts off small and becomes more pronounced as they get older, but it's there right from the beginning.

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 01/06/2018 10:30

It IS a difficult one for young kids. There was a girl in my son's class who played on the school football team league all though primary. She was a great player and the boys treated her simply as a team mate because she could cetainly hold her own. Now in High School, she plays for the Girls' team and is still a great player. There is a line where the teams need to be sex segregated but it's not clear when.

I don't really see what it has to do with transgender though, and quite frankly, it seems that some schools are pushing this trans agenda hard

SarahCarer · 01/06/2018 10:31

Gileswithachainsaw they need a serious talking to and consequences for their behaviour

Idgie · 01/06/2018 10:31

They should be separated out past reception.

PoulaFisch · 01/06/2018 10:44

Gileswithachainsaw

The last few months have been awful for dd. She loves sport but the boys refuse to listen to her (when she was team captain)

They tell her she's doing everything and shout at her when they moss the ball or don't score or whatever .

Excellent life skills training. Or maybe she was just a bad team captain? This happens in single sex teams also and may your god help you if you're a footie goalie!