Thread: A selection of images of a book distributed to all Grade 7 classroomsTransphobia: deal with it and become a gender transcender

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

It appears there is some pretty horrific propaganda going into Canadian schools - wonder how long it will be before anything this blatant makes it over here...

twitter.com/turnthetide2018/status/1109089766082052097?s=19

"Educational" books being used in Canadian schools;:

Opening page introduces the concept of transphobia and the following scenario is used as an example of transphobia.

In large, bold, coloured print, a student tells the coach a boy shouldn’t be on the girls’ track team because he is “bigger, stronger, and faster”.

Students quickly learn it is highly undesirable to be known as a lesbian.

In a quiz to find out if you’re a transphobe, students in Grade 7 learn what thoughts and opinions are acceptable for them to think....

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Bloody hell that's just shocking.

Young girls you must never notice that boys are bigger, faster and stronger than you. If you do notice never point this out otherwise you are a transphobic bigot.

Canada is even more fucked than the UK and we are quite hard to beat at the moment on that score.

I had to stop reading that thread. It's ridiculous!

Utterly depressing and so full of distaste for women and girls.

The one about "If you like that boy who used to be a girl, people will think you're a lesbian." is absolutely enraging.

Shocking.

For those who don't like to click through to twitter this is,.IMO, the worst section:

"Are you a transphobic?

Take the quiz to find out if you measure up!

Are the following statements true or false?

1. I think there are only two genders,.and you are born into one or the the other.

1. To be respected girls should look and act like girls, and boys should look and act like boys.

1. If I can't tell if someone is a man or a woman it really bothers me.

1. I don't think it's possible for people to be a gender other than male or female.

1. I think that toys and clothing can be categorised as "girls" and "boys".

1. I've seen kids being picked on for being a "sissy" or a "tomboy" and said nothing.

1. I try to conform to gender stereotypes.

1. I think it's ok to make fun of people who don't conform to gender stereotypes.

1. I won't use an all-gender washroom.

10. I wouldn't have a trans friend

11. Theres nothing I can do about transphobia.

12. I have been accused of transphobia.

13. I think a man in a dress is funny.

14. I have laughed at jokes about trans people

15. I have told jokes about trans people.

16. I won't use "they" or "them" as a pronoun for one person.

17. I challenge anyone I think might be in the wrong washroom for their sex.

18. If someone asks for directions to the washroom, I only tell them how to get to the one I think is right for them (men's or women's).

19. Trans people shouldn't be teachers or work with children.

20. I have the right to judge other people.

21. I don't think that transwomen and transgirls should be able to use a washroom with other women and girls

22. I don't think transwomen should be allowed to compete in women's sports.

23. I don't think the term "women" includes transwomen.

24. I think that people who are transitioning should always take hormones.

25. I think that people who are transitioning should always have surgery.

26. I think if you were born with a certain body it is wrong to change it.

27. I think gender affirmation surgery (used to be called a sex change or sex reassignment surgery) should be paid for by the person not society.

28. If I see or hear people being transphobic I don't say or do anything.

29. I don't think we should be learning about sex and gender in school.

30. I think there are more trans people because kids are learning about sex and gender too young.

How many true answers did you get? If there were a lot you might have more to learn about sex, gender, gender stereotypes, trans people and transphobia. Your beliefs and opinions could be making it harder for people around you. Learning more may help!

Don't stop reading it NoseringGirl if you can bear it.

I'd advise everyone to read it.

And think, who is behind this?

Why is it so important to them to get these types of messages out?

How many organisations and institutions in the UK are sleep-walking towards a similar book being launched here (looking at Allsorts and Mermaids training, we're halfway there already)?

And for the upcoming 'you're transphobic, erasing trans people' posts, it's entirely possible to introduce educational resources which recognise diversity in schools:

www.transgendertrend.com/schools-resources/
We have developed comprehensive guidance for schools, in consultation with teachers, child protection and welfare professionals and lawyers. Our aim is to arm schools with all the relevant facts so that teachers feel more informed and confident in creating a safe school for all pupils, including non-conforming children and those who identify as ‘transgender.’

Our resource pack covers advice for school leaders, tips on how to create a school culture of acceptance of gender non-conformity without denying biological sex, communication, primary schools and secondary schools, existing safeguarding policies and guidance, the legal situation for schools, and a glossary of terms.

It's the insidious was they mix "I think it's ok to make fun of people who don't conform to gender stereotypes" which is obviously wrong, with "I won't use an all-gender washroom".

It's gaslighting kids, trying to make them doubt themselves and their instincts, trying make them think there is something wrong and harmful about common sense opinions and facts.

Shocking. Gaslighting.

I won't link to it, but there was a recent article about a Canadian transboy in the papers. Anyway, the timeline:

• girl becomes transboy, posts it on Instagram. Comment from other child 'That means you're gay'. Reply: 'No it doesn't'
• about a month later, transboy (aged about 13?) starts posting photos with 'love of my life', who is a conventionally female girl (prior to transition, they weren't going out). Appearance of transboy is still almost identical to pre-transition female self.
• a couple of years later transboy is on testosterone, has a beard, and is planning or just had double mastectomy. Now 15 years old.

Cf. the image here

twitter.com/turnthetide2018/status/1109091720891940865

The correct answer to which is surely 'There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian'.

It seems there's some sort of top trumps whereby it's transphobic to call someone a lesbian. Which is understandable if you are talking about someone who has been on testosterone for 20 years and has had double mastectomy and 'bottom surgery', but when it's someone who literally transitioned last week, and where that transition thus far consists of only 'I've cut my hair and am wearing trousers', it's hard to countenance.

It seems to me that it is a very homophobic ideology.

OK, I had a go at that quiz. Sorry for length of post but it's 30 flipping questions. If I was a young teen, I'd have switched off and gone back on Tumblr before getting to the end.

But I have stamina, so here we go:

Spoiler TL/DR - I got 6 Trues and some 'boths' there. Got some 'learning' to do, eh?!

1. I think there are only two genders,.and you are born into one or the the other. FALSE - there are only two sexes, you are born one or the other.

1. To be respected girls should look and act like girls, and boys should look and act like boys. FALSE - we need to change society so girls and boys can act however they want.

1. If I can't tell if someone is a man or a woman it really bothers me. - FALSE - though I know that my instincts as a woman are trained to try to read what sex a person is, as learned behaviour tells me I may be less safe if that person is a male.

1. I don't think it's possible for people to be a gender other than male or female. - FALSE, because I don't believe in gender other than a set of social stereotypes.

1. I think that toys and clothing can be categorised as "girls" and "boys". FALSE - only marketing, and social pressure does this

1. I've seen kids being picked on for being a "sissy" or a "tomboy" and said nothing. FALSE - I've spoken up throughout my life

1. I try to conform to gender stereotypes. FALSE

1. I think it's ok to make fun of people who don't conform to gender stereotypes. FALSE

1. I won't use an all-gender washroom. FALSE - though i don't feel as comfortable in an all -SEX toilet, I'm old and knarly enough to do so. That doesn't mean all other women and men should be OK with it, just because I am.

10. I wouldn't have a trans friend FALSE - I have some!

11. Theres nothing I can do about transphobia. - FALSE, I'd call out true transphobia wherever I see it. 'Transphobia' as a word seems to have lost its meaning recently, though, given that 'females don't have penises' equates to transphobia by some people's definition nowadays!

12. I have been accused of transphobia. TRUE - if I say a woman = adult human female, and women should have the right to single-sex spaces, I'm transphobic.

13. I think a man in a dress is funny. FALSE - Dame Edna came close, but generally I get the sense they're taking the piss out of women.

14. I have laughed at jokes about trans people FALSE

15. I have told jokes about trans people. FALSE

16. I won't use "they" or "them" as a pronoun for one person. FALSE - I'll do it, if requested, though they can't police my thoughts on that matter!

17. I challenge anyone I think might be in the wrong washroom for their sex. TRUE - Why the fuck should I not be able to? Where are my boundaries allowed to be set? Stop trampling over them.

18. If someone asks for directions to the washroom, I only tell them how to get to the one I think is right for them (men's or women's). TRUE - because I'm a normal human being. Trying to think this one through in a real life situation. Realising I have met the definition of 'transphobic' in many real life situations over the years. Sorry all of you who ended up in the wrong place - from now on, I'll be pointing out all destinations.

19. Trans people shouldn't be teachers or work with children. FALSE - though if DBS required for your work, your whole history should be available for checks.

20. I have the right to judge other people. TRUE - I'm non-judgemental in my approach to life in general, but at some point, when people show me who they are, sometimes I need to judge. (Savile, people, Savile!)

21. I don't think that transwomen and transgirls should be able to use a washroom with other women and girls TRUE - because they are of a different sex, and single-sex spaces matter (ask UNESCO)

22. I don't think transwomen should be allowed to compete in women's sports. TRUE - go ask Sharron et al!

23. I don't think the term "women" includes transwomen. TRUE - transwomen includes transwomen.

24. I think that people who are transitioning should always take hormones. FALSE - pretty much because 'transitioning' as a word is meaningless. Transitioning means going somewhere. You can never change biological sex, so you've not actually got a destination. To me it's a metaphor for 'I'm not comfortable with either my body or the stereotypes people link to my body-type so I'm making some changes, and they might be changing my name, telling you I'm the different sex, having some surgery, etc'. Whatever action you're taking, none of it will make you the other sex.

25. I think that people who are transitioning should always have surgery. FALSE - see above answer to no 24

26. I think if you were born with a certain body it is wrong to change it. FALSE - though, this question, presented to children, is leading. People have plastic surgery for lots of reasons, many of which sadden me and I disagree with, including changes to appear more like the other bioloigical sex. Adults can do what they wish with their bodies (though the latest conviction of 'Dr Evil' would suggest not!).

27. I think gender affirmation surgery (used to be called a sex change or sex reassignment surgery) should be paid for by the person not society. TRUE

28. If I see or hear people being transphobic I don't say or do anything. FALSE - I would always challenge, though my definition of transphobic doesn't seem to align with 'someone-disagreed-with-me'/female penis exists/lesbians are transphobic' current definition of transphobia

29. I don't think we should be learning about sex and gender in school. TRUE AND FALSE - I think we should teach about sex and gender stereotypes in school. Your definition of gender I think is probably different from my definition of gender.

30. I think there are more trans people because kids are learning about sex and gender too young. TRUE AND FALSE - leading question. Kids are learning damaging messages conflating biological sex and society's gender stereotypes and expectations, and, in particular girls are seeing 'trans identities' as a way of trying to escape the suffocating and pervading stereotypes and expectations of being 'a woman' in some of our Western societies right now.

That truly is awful.

If I was a young teen, I'd have switched off and gone back on Tumblr before getting to the end.

I guess if they were doing it in a classroom they wouldn't have access to Tumblr

Imagine though, as a child, sitting there in the classroom, thinking through the questions, realising that every one you thought was true means you are a little bit more of a horrible transphobe every time you think a wrong thought.

the book is awful, not your message pombear*.

Hah PaleBlue - though truly, a 30 question quiz and answers is pretty awful!

The bizarre thing is, if a child of mine had completed it, given our conversations at home currently, they'd have also scored quite low on the 'true' scale, just as I did, so wouldn't need additional 'learning'.

But only because of all the qualifications I've added to all the answers I've given.

You can still score a high level of 'FALSE's, but be 'gender critical' and believe in very different things than the author of the quiz wants you to believe.

Even from the offset in question one:
1. I think there are only two genders,.and you are born into one or the the other. FALSE - there are only two sexes, you are born one or the other.

I'm immediately 'less' transphobic because I have a FALSE score.

Even though most trans activists would say I'm being transphobic in my answer.

Someone didn't think this survey through. (no emoji for 'not surprised'!)

Sterling work pombear, I salute you.

My answers are pretty much the same as yours but my question (not to you or the OP) is why are children being expected to answer these questions anywhere in the world?
Oh....I know why....

Thanks Betty!

Off to bed, but just had a quick check back in at the questions.
As it struck me as the word 'sex' only came up three times in that survey.

Twice at the end around education in school:
29. I don't think we should be learning about sex and gender in school.
30. I think there are more trans people because kids are learning about sex and gender too young.

And one other:

17 I challenge anyone I think might be in the wrong washroom for their sex.

A very specific question around sex, not gender.

Whether you should be able to question someone being in your toilet who is of a different sex.

That's a very specific use of the word.

In a very specific situation.

In plain sight. I don't usually use this phrase, but tonight 'I see you'.

I get 16 out of 30 in that quiz, or 53%. Also struggled with the conflation of sex and gender, but I knew what they meant.

I wonder if we do too much of that pombear and NotTerfNotCis - that "knowing what they mean" and making allowances thing?

There is a Canadian election in October.

The current government has just been embroiled in a scandal.

The Conservatives are polling ahead of the Liberal government atm.

What happens to all this stuff if the Conservatives win. Will there be a massive backlash? Or since the law is in place, already no one will dare to unpick it.

I'm curious.

Only I just can't see a lot of people buying into this crap. At least privately.

How the hell did Fallon Fox get their own little box? I have an addition:

“Your dad points out that Fox has actually retired so he couldn’t feasibly be watching Fox fight unless it was a replay of Fox’s fight against Tamikka Brents, where Fox shattered Brents’ eye socket. Your dad points out that afterwards Brents said ‘I've fought a lot of women and have never felt the strength that I felt in a fight as I did that night. I can't answer whether it's because she was born a man or not because I'm not a doctor. I can only say, I've never felt so overpowered ever in my life and I am an abnormally strong female in my own right. Her grip was different, I could usually move around in the clinch against other females but couldn't move at all in Fox's clinch...’ Your dad then asks if you still think it’s fair for Fox to have fought against women, and asks ‘Do women and girls deserve their own sport or not you woke little shit, where did I go wrong with you I thought I taught you critical thinking?’”

It's bloody horrific. What are they teaching their children?
Girls are all being told that they don't matter - no wonder so many are coming out as non-conforming or transboys. Who would want to be a woman under these conditions!

I really do not know what to say about that...

Its abusive gaslighting bollocks.

Girls really are just an inconvenience to everyone arent they

Some of those questions are deliberately leading with the desired answers obviously being the 'correct' ones.

Examples are: "I don't think that transwomen and transgirls should be able to use a washroom with other women and girls". Transwomen and trangirls are NOT women or girls and "I have been accused of transphobia". Good grief. Just about every gender critical person is accused of being transphobic at some point.

I also noticed the conflation of gender and sex in the questions.

It's not just GC people who get accused of transphobia though is it? It's even the people who fall over themselves to be 'allies'. Nothing is ever enough. The slightest slip gets people written off and piled on. I think that'll be the downfall of this whole thing.