Major children's charity, Stonewall, Mermaids and gender

[DoriF]

Delurking on this board to air some concerns I have about Action for Children [formerly known as National Children's Homes]. Here's what they're about, from their website //www.actionforchildren.org.uk

From before they are born until they are into their twenties, we help disadvantaged children across the UK.

We help them through fostering or adoption – and by intervening early to stop neglect and abuse. We make life better for children with disabilities. We influence policy and advocate for change. Our 7,000 staff and volunteers operate over 522 services, improving the lives of 301,000 children, teenagers, parents and carers every year. We succeed by doing what’s right, doing what’s needed, and doing what works for children.'

www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/equality-and-diversity/

Their Diversity Policy states that protected characteristics under the 2010 Act are:

Age
Disability
Gender
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Race
Religion or belief
Sexual orientation
Pregnancy and maternity

Of course they have rewritten this - I'm sure everyone here knows that 'gender' is not a protected characteristic under the Act. So here we have yet another influential organisation [I'm also looking at you, BBC] subtly and sneakily influencing in favour of the trans agenda.

Scroll down the same page to see information about the charity's association with Mermaids on a creative project.

And just a few days ago @actnforchildren tweeted thus:


Action for Children
‏Verified account @actnforchildren
Oct 19

Action for Children Retweeted Stonewall

We're incredibly proud to be among the 100 organisations showing their support for #TransEquality through @stonewalluk's #ComeOutForTransEquality campaign! #StandForProgress

But it's the rewriting of the Act that really grinds my gears. Unless organisations that are doing this are held to account this insidious practice will continue to grow.

[FemaleAndLearning]

Worth checking your school bullying policy too. Ours says gender not sex, but equality policy is correct.

[eBooksAreBooks]

[Pepvixen]

Julie Bentley is stepping down due to personal reasons twitter.com/ThirdSector/status/1228300837778345985

[NeurotrashWarrior]

This is what has happened since the government devolved everything ffs. Anyone can advise; I bet there are different charities advising faith schools.

All The more reason to get the sre consultation right.

[arranfan]

Transgender Trend has provided some of the explainers to the consultation questions that I was looking for and it's linked from this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/a3405884-RSE-Government-Consultation?msgid=82099717#82099717

[SuburbanRhonda]

neuro

They’re a charity who advise schools about how to deliver SRE. Stonewall is a member .

www.sexeducationforum.org.uk

[qumquat]

The Rotifer Project has the backing of the Agenda Wales SRE pack (which I think is a government agency) and is also being rolled out and recommended by the NEU in England.

twitter.com/emmarenold/status/820206725047394304

And is also recommended by the NSPCC:

learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2016/agenda-young-people-s-guide-making-positive-relationships-matter/

[qumquat]

This organisation looks great but I am trepidatious of the gender and intersectionality and gender and sexuality workshops.

www.tigerbristol.co.uk/workshops.html

[qumquat]

See here for an example:

sexplain.org.uk/

"LGBTQ+ and contraception - talks will cover identity and why it is important to cover all types of contraception available" This rang alarm bells for me on the potential confusion and guilt (for being trans-exculsionary) it could cause a young lesbian or gay teenager.

[qumquat]

There are a LOT of organisations led by woke young things offering SRE guidance and also to come into schools to offer SRE teaching who are completely taken with the TG ideology.

A lot of schools struggle with offering good PSHE. Our school does off timetable days once a half term and they are a bit off a farce. The kids can see the teachers are struggling with off the peg lesson plans they were given at 8 that morning. This means there is a massive demand for these off the peg lessons though, and for visiting speakers, because there's no-one in the school who has the time or remit to actually plan the lessons themselves. So these organisations have identified a need and are filling it with their ideology.

I keep meaning to do an analysis of all the crap I've come across. But being a busy teacher I never have the time. QED. (not sure if that's the right use of that term but I hope yo get the point!).

[R0wantrees]

James Kirkup (Spectator)
"Some facts about the events that preceded the Government statement here that the coming consultation on the Gender Recognition Act will be narrowly drawn and not affect the Equality Act’s single sex exemptions.

I offer these facts because some are claiming “there was never any question of removing/amending EA exceptions.” Those claims are either mistaken or dishonest.
August 2015
Stonewall submission to the Women & Equalities Select Committee says MPs should amend the EA to
“remove exemptions, such as access to single-sex spaces” (continues with further examples)

concludes: June 2018
Govt says:

“We are clear that we have no intention of amending the Equality Act 2010, the legislation that allows for single sex spaces.”

In sum: MPs and others told govt to amend/remove Equality Act single-sex exemptions. Govt considered doing so. Then govt ruled it out. / ends"

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1004635839480164352.html

As well as lobbying to remove single-sex exemptions, it seems clear that some TRAs have influenced the misrepresentation of The Equality Act 2010 by the removal of 'sex' as a named protected characteristic.

The Equality Act is still legislation.
The Government has asserted that sex-based exemptions will remain.
Its really important now that the actual legislation is correctly recorded in policies.
It has to be written in first so that it might be applied.

[HandsOffMyRights]

Great work.
I managed to get my LA to change its listings.

I need to work on my employers now. I work in the same office as the HR team so it will be tricky.

My son's school is still adament that Stonewall is a reputable org.

What terrifies me is the same CEOs holding positions of power in a number of organisations that impact children and society. Their damaging influence stretches and the hold they have is terrifying.

Not just the charities, but C4, BBC. But the more we unpick, the more we can expose.

There are so many influencers who seem hell bent on getting to children or making others believe in a cult. Jeez, why so many?

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Who exactly are the sex education forum?

[SuburbanRhonda]

My understanding of gender reassignment is that’s it’s when you intend to undergo, are in the process of undergoing, or have undergone steps to change your gender. As any physical transition is not possible for under-18s, I thought this would therefore only apply to adults.

But I’ve now been told by the Sex Education Forum and the ECHR that it does apply to children. SEF said was because even social transition such as changing your name or clothes counts. ECHR wouldn’t give me a reason.

[ThePrincipal]

What is the definition of gender reassignment in the EA 2010.

The rest are pretty clear and have a common understanding.

[ChinkChink]

I'm so pleased to read of these successes - at the very least we should expect our public organisations to observe the law and cite it correctly. Thank you to all who took action, particularly @SuburbanRhonda . A very significant achievement there when we're talking about an organisation that has direct influence on vulnerable children.

This is something we can all do. Let's look at our own workplaces and if they are not quoting the 2010 Act correctly get them to change it. They really have no argument. This applies to internal staff policies as well don't forget.

Let's tweet the hell out of any organisation that misquotes the protected characteristics of the 2010 Act. Any suggestions for a hashtag if it comes to a campaign?

[loveyouradvice]

The issue is widespread, easily corrected and significant.

so so agree... fabulous that we can change this SO EASILY and so fast... More worrying that it is there in the first place....

[R0wantrees]

Schools can and may well start to change the information they collect as they become aware of this.

It may be that this starts with forms sent home etc.

There was a thread before the start of this academic year where a number of parents contacted schools.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3357449-am-i-right-to-cross-out-gender-on-my-child-s-school-form-and-change-it-to-sex

The diversity and equality policies should be corrected as a priority though. This protects the school.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Unfortunately SIMS is used all over the country so it wouldn't be a simple change to add the field “gender reassignment” and change gender to sex.

I agree it would make sense though.

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Schools write their own policies. They may use a range of what are believed to be trusted sources, some accurate, some which have this inaccuracy.

Oh yes absolutely, and an individual teacher may have borrowed from a neighbouring school.

[MsBeaujangles]

Brighton and Hove and other LAs that have produced advice for schools have confirmed that their trans inclusion/ advisory documents simply offer advice for schools to consider and they have stated that schools are expected to undertake impact assessments and consider their own school contexts before amending or implementing their own policies. Of course none of them actually state this in their guidance - they just use terms like 'should' throughout the documents.

[R0wantrees]

You'll find variations in schools within an LEA.

It will most likely have happened in good faith.

Many people will still read gender as euphemism for sex.

(I have a vague memory that an Ofsted Document had issues with the protected characteristics but please don't quote me!)

[RiverTam]

even if it's an LEA school? I didn't know that.

I'm actually very surprised as this is a school which would stand no truck with gender stereotyping or homophobia. But equally they whang on about inclusivity all the time, though that's usually culturally speaking - so the Halloween disco is a Monsters' Ball and the Christmas Fair and Concert are the Winter Fair and Concert.

[R0wantrees]

Schools write their own policies. They may use a range of what are believed to be trusted sources, some accurate, some which have this inaccuracy.

[RiverTam]

well, the LEA has sex listed, so that's good (I checked our borough way back when everyone was and they always use sex not gender. Which is why I'm surprised at the school).