OU using transgender story to sell their courses

[PerverseConverse]

I've just seen an advert for the Open University where a male voice with pictures of a man describes how he suffered mental health issues as a result of being transgender but the OU accepted him, supported him and gave him time off for surgeries. No focus that I could gather on the actual course or career prospects, just a focus on the transgender aspect. That strikes me as wrong. Totally the wrong thing to be focusing on. I'm not saying the OU or any university shouldn't be supportive of students but surely the main focus of their advertising should be on the actual education?

I tried to join OU as a single parent, and there were 2 barriers; the cost of the course, and the fact it involved a 2 week residential. I had no support and no childcare. They were completely unsympathetic.

Interesting. Does the OU think TG folks needing surgery is a particularly large market for them?

Maybe there just aren't many single parents in the UK who fancy getting degrees, Upstart.

AC is at or about to start at OU. AC already has involvement in OU's LBTQ+, I gather...

I saw that advert too and was as to its purpose.

The OU has had a lot of financial problems recently, because of the rise in fees for part-time students as well as competition from other unis offering distance learning. So they have to have something that differentiates them from other providers, and I imagine better mental health support is one of those things.

Isn't A. Challenor advising the OU these days? I'm sure they are a student there. It's no wonder that the OU is wasting it's money on such guffle.

Iirc Dr Meg-John Barker is also involved with the OU.

So they have to have something that differentiates them from other providers, and I imagine better mental health support is one of those things.

Wasn't there a recent remark that Bristol has a distressing suicide rate amongst its students and a poor record for counselling service availability. Nonetheless, they spent £3.5million (?) on the gender neutral loos and £1 million overall on student services...

Rose of Dawn videos on NUS:

AnchorMum
That's right. Meg-John Barker is senior lecturer in Psychology at the OU. They are also partner of Edward Lord of Hampstead Pond fame.

PerverseConverse: can you justify your use of the word "pervert" in your post? Or should I report the post for derogatory and defamatory comment?

I was referring to the perverse act of dressing up as a furry for sexual pleasure. I was not meaning that being trans is perverted.