What do you think of the question / cloze text "I like being a boy/ girl because ..."

[Anothernotherone]

DS3 came home with fluffy homework about being yourself, mostly banal sentences to complete such as "I'm good at..." "I enjoy..." "I find ... difficult" "I'd like to try..." "I'd like to be" and favourite book, film, colour, food etc.

One of the questions though was "I like being a girl/ boy because..."

DS wrote "I don't know"

Is it a weird question? It can only be answered with a gender stereotype can't it? Maybe a girl could be encouraged to write "girls can do anything" - for a boy to write that seems to be a bit, well, cocky

sorry...

With this child alone among my children I've had to spend time reassuring that boys can do anything, just like girls can, after mini emotional crises about liking colours, TV programmes, toys and books which his classmates tell him are for girls... He's also growing his hair (allowed at his school) He doesn't have any identity issues, he knows he's a boy and is perfectly normal, likes things stereotypically associated with both girls and boys.

He's only 8, he's just a child, obviously children need to know whether they're girls or boys and what adult women can do (have babies, breastfeed) which men can't, and gradually understand how puberty affects their biological sex and what to expect. Beyond that though - is there anything to "like" (or dislike) about being either a boy or a girl at 8?

Should he write "because I'll never have to have periods or an emergency caesarean section"...

Is it not a weird question?

I think it's a weird question and one that has to rely on stereotypes unless you start bringing up physical differences like the c-sections you mentioned.
I think it's probably just a not thought through one rather than anything else though

Dumb question.

One enterprising student made this video:

It's a weird question. It shouldn't be, but it is. And because children now are taught gender ideology (ie that we have an innate gender or a gender identity) which can only be explained by referencing sex stereotypes, our schools are now inadvertently reinforcing these same stereotypes.

It's properly bizarre, because the kids now get teaching designed to challenge sex stereotypes in terms of being able to do or wear or play with or become anything, no matter your sex and then they get taught about "being transgender" which says if you happen to do/wear/play with or become something stereotypically associated with the opposite sex, you may actually be that sex. I've seen some kids reject this outright and some completely confused by this while others absolutely embrace the idea of proper boy/girl stuff and then police each other accordingly.

I'd be tempted to leave this question unanswered or honestly reflect the answer you got "I don't know". It might open up a conversation with the teacher, who knows.

Stupid question.
There was nothing that I liked especially about being a girl.
As a woman you can say things like being able to have babies but not as a girl.

He should write that he likes being able to pee standing up.

Im pretty sure the answer is 'pee standing up' or maybe 'willy windmill'

"...I am unlikely to suffer from the gender pay gap"

"...I am less likely to be killed by an intimate partner"

"...I am less likely to experience sexual harassment"

"....I am more likely to have my symptoms believed and my pain adequately treated by medics"

"...it is likely I will get away without doing my share of the domestic work for my entire adult life"

"...when I'm old enough to drive cars will be safer for me than they are for women"

"...it'll be more socially acceptable to walk around with my hands in my pants" (relatively)

"...my penis will provide hours of fun"

Not sure how many of these I'd let my 8 year old write though! But they might give the staff something to think about.

Can you interpret it as "child"? Girl/boy as opposed to woman/man?

Nobody minds if my nipples are showing?

I've suggested the pee standing up answer, which made him laugh but he's sticking with "I don't know". DS1 suggested something about muscles - 8 year old is quite strong due to being unable to stay still and doing pull ups and sit ups as a way to settle down every ten minutes or so! He pointed out that he thinks Angelina is stronger though 8 is too young for their to be a sex based difference in anything except pering standing up!

The gender pay gap is worth discussing but he currently wants to be a self employed ice-cream flavour inventor and seller, so not the most relevant

I think his answer is spot on. He could also answer it

I like being a boy [rather than a man]

Because grown ups are boring

Because children have more playtime than adults

Because my [mum and dad] look after me

Because I don't have to go to work yet

Or

Because it rhymes with toy

Spindelina that's probably sensible - "I have time to play" or something innocuous... I suspect though that the question is gender based, because of the curriculum point about knowing who you are which includes knowing you're a boy or a girl.

Oh, I'm not arguing that that is what was asked. Just that something else is what you could answer .

because that's what I and I like being me?

I am sorry...

"My parents didn't abort me based on my sex"

"I'll never need a hysterectomy"

"I'll be less likely to be affected by the changes to the tax credit system"

@Spindelina that's what I'd go for too.

Boy tells us three key pieces of information - male human child. Concentrate on the human or child bit!

It is a bit of a weird question with only cliches or stereotype for answers, given that at 8 biological or sociological differences like childbirth or the gender pay gap are unlikely to be relevant.

Because I might be a Dad one day? I like the peeing standing up answer myself

Or go completely off piste with “because I would not enjoy having to catch my own food if I was a tiger/shark...”

Sounds like a teacher trying to do their well-being and mindset stuff but totally forgetting their gender stereotyping training.

Oh sorry, they don't get that, I forgot 🙄

Unless they are looking for new trans recruits! 😱

That is absolutely a fucking weird question. 5, 10 years ago it wouldn't have been on the homework.

Fairenuff His sister does, she's very strict with her little brothers about not wandering around outside their bedrooms without tops on

I think it's an attempt to elicit some sort of sexist "cause I like sparkles/trucks" response. Possibly the teacher/school finds this cute. A response that references fun kid stuff instead is perfect.

It is a totally weird question though, I'm glad it's not just me who thinks so.

I work with adults with disabilities and one young man with downs syndrome likes wearing nail varnish and jewelry and prefers female carers, who he greets with a high 5 and "girl power" and I was asked by a training provider who came in whether he had a firm gender identity... He has a large toy Dalmatian dog who he believes is real, I really don't think he identifies as anything except himself, his name, child of his parents, friend of his friends, lover of his football team and jewelry and dogs (but only ones which don't bark) and his favourite singer... Yet my answer that he seemed very happy just being (name) was met with a concerned head tilt...

I don't think the need for such a strong "identity" as a system of labels rather than simply knowing that you belong to a group by virtue of biology or age or languages spoken or ancestry is necessary or healthy but it's very pervasive - first time I've seen it at my children's school in this way (rather than just spontaneous thought free non PC sexism).

Yet my answer that he seemed very happy just being (name) was met with a concerned head tilt...

God forbid someone just be happy! No, we have to confuse and complicate his sense of identity for his own good.