news.stv.tv/scotland/taskforce-to-end-gender-stereotyping-in-schools-set-to-meet?top
Anyone else seen this? Apologies if it's been discussed before.
Co-chaired by John Swinney and Razzanah Hussain. So we have the word 'gender' rather than sex but we'll just assume (hopefully?) that this is down to the squeamishness of using the word 'sex' in an early years and school setting rather than any conflation of the terms (but yes, it provides lots of room for annoying conflation)
Its aims certainly seem good - Razzanah Hussain said ahead of its first meeting this week that its ambition was:
“to ensure that girls and young women have a gender-equal experience of education and learning... Ms Hussain added that this was a “fundamental part of achieving a gender-equal Scotland, which will benefit everyone... She said: “It is essential that young women like me, and the others on the taskforce, have direct input in this way. Developing policy informed by lived experience is the best way to create a fairer Scotland...We know young women and girls are significantly more likely to be disadvantaged by gender inequality while at school, leading to issues later in life, and the taskforce will help inform how we reduce the impact of this.”
If this taskforce is going to do its job properly NONE of the LGBT Youth Scotland literature that equates being 'gender non-conforming' with being transgender (see image attached from the Guidance) should have a place in our schools. We know that its Guidance was supposed to have been withdrawn from schools but a statement on the LGBTYS site states:
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"“The guidance produced by LGBT Youth Scotland, in conjunction with the Scottish Trans Alliance, has not been withdrawn and remains available... The guidance is already being used in schools and education authorities across Scotland as it provides practical advice to support them to respond positively to meet the needs of their pupils. It is one of a number of tools which help education authorities and schools to prevent discrimination of pupils.”
The Scottish Government plan to update our guidance by the end of this year, working closely with us and other key stakeholders. This will ensure that there is consistent practice in schools across Scotland."
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But if the Task Force is to make a true impact surely any notion of restrictive gender stereotypes dictating whether you are a boy or a girl should be thrown out the window? Any notion of Pink brain and Blue brain? Let's hope that this Task Force isn't hijacked by any of this type of thinking.
Whilst there is much in the LGBTYS Guidance that is common-sense and positive (respectful behaviours that should be fostered in a school environment as a matter of course to combat any prejudice and bullying) there is much in it that will entirely contradict attempts to create true equality of opportunity. If the aim is to encourage young girls, and create a safe learning environment within schools, then this Task Force needs to make it crystal clear that sex does not equal gender stereotypes.
I'm thinking of writing to Joan McAlpine, Joanna Cherry and John Swinney to implore them to give this Task Force teeth and make it work for the young women of Scotland.
I'm sure some of you will be more knowledgeable about the LGBTYS guidance and the efforts some groups like Transgender Trend have made to counter it. I just wanted to flag up the formation of this Task Force on this board in case anyone else wanted to get in touch with some members of the Scottish Government or in case others didn't know about it. And of course, if anyone knows any more about it, then please share!