Transgender children/personal trainers

[nancybotwinbloom]

Evening

My friend is a personal trainer and does a lot of classes for our local council and their gyms.

She told me today she has to complete a course to help her identify transgender children.

She is horrified.

I have explained what I have learned myself from these boards.

Once she has completed this course she has said she will explain what she has been "taught".

I am really shocked as my friend teaches adult classes. No children's classes at all:

This is the most random thread ever.

Love your little colon at the end. It's like you are aware that what you've said makes no sense and needs further explanation...

To help her ID trans kids? That's bizarre. What on earth would she look for? And why? Perhaps it's more about identifying the needs of trans kids, which would range from the reasonable - dangers of exercising while binding - to the unreasonable - transgirls belong in girls' only fitness classes.

My experience of trans kids is that getting them anywhere near a fitness class, out of their heads, off their screens and into their bodies would be a bloody miracle. Can't imagine there's much, if any relevance, for your friend. Has she been pulled in for diversity training for any other group?

Interesting to see what the training consists of in the end.

I'm so sorry!

I have had some red wine.

We were at a friends birthday party and this is how the conversation went for clarity.

Or thereabouts.

Her: remember a few weeks ago and you said about that trans stuff to me?

Me: yes

Her: well the council who I provide classes
For, (adult gym classes) they have said if I want to continue to do this I have to go on a course to help me identify children who identify as trans.

Me: you don't teach kids.

Her : I know. I don't want to do it. I don't agree with it. They are just kids.

Me: well have you seen these boards....

After asking a few further questions she is to go on a course to help her identify children who may feel trans.

I am still a bit I am not sure what you mean and she has said well neither am I but I am booked on a course.

She doesn't teach children. She teaches legs bums and tums etc, those types of classes.

I am just surprised that she has been asked to do this as a contractor.

It sounds clearer when you say she works for a council. It is probably a requirement for everyone who has any sessional contact with customers (eg. Someone who leads a class, or group meeting not someone who is at a counter collecting forms etc).

It will be for their diversity champion accreditation.

I hope this isn't encouraging adults to look for 'signs of trans' in kids, then dropping hints/broaching the subject with the kids and their parents.

Weird - if it is 'diversity training' I wonder why is it limited to children?

Surely the whole point of gender identity is that the person who believes in it is the one who decides if they identify as trans?

If I were her I’d just do the training and make notes. It’ll probably never become an issue if she doesn’t have contact with children in her work.

@nancybotwinbloom

After asking a few further questions she is to go on a course to help her identify children who may feel trans.

I am still a bit I am not sure what you mean and she has said well neither am I but I am booked on a course.

She doesn't teach children. She teaches legs bums and tums etc, those types of classes.

I am just surprised that she has been asked to do this as a contractor.

It dies sound very odd - as mentioned above isn’t it fit the trans person to feel that they are trans rather than being ‘spotted’ by someone and having it suggested to them. I’m sure your friend would feel very uncomfortable in telling a child that ‘your body doesn’t appear to match your brain so you need to get yourself fixed’ so hopefully it isnt as bad as it sounds.
I will look forward to seeing an update from your friend once the training has been completed.

It’s probably not going to affect her if she doesn’t teach children, however presumably there will be people on this course who do. It’s worrying that some of those people will put the training into action, and it’s likely to be based on stereotypes like boy wearing pink or girl liking football or whatever. Which council does she work for? Identifying a “trans kid” could put the child on the road to mermaids/puberty blockers/hormones so this is a big deal unfortunately

Just the latest in a line of nonsense.
Why do personal trainers who don’t train kids need to be able to recognise them ( and how can they if it’s self ID ?)
Who else is going to have to train to do this?
Postmen? Shop workers? People digging up the roads?

Utter shite.

why is this thread 'random'?

the random thing here is an exercise coach for adults being sent on a training course to identify trans children. that is bizarre, an absurd use of public funds, an absurd pretext for a course and that concerns me far more than a mis-placed colon.

how weird, op.

Does she have to pay for this course herself?

It's the money-go-round - persuade the council it's needed then charge her, or the council to do the 'training'. It all boils down to a way to funnel money out of the community's accounts and into someone's pocket for no great benefit to anyone.

It's a relevant thread because if it's true if shows how a critical mass of social policing around gender could be built. There are plenty of threads on Mumsnet where people with gender non-conforming children are being told by family, friends and schools that the child might be trans. Those opinions are coming from somewhere and they create a hostile environment for children that don't meet expectations.

Be interested in an update OP if you can.

I agree 100% Minotaur - if they are using the checklist generated by Mermaids, it sounds like her positive diagnosis rate will be high (if she meets any children) and then what will be the consequences for the parents if they don't agree? What action will she be required to take if she does come across someone who fits the criteria?
I wonder if she has been asked to do a safeguarding/how to spot abuse for children as well? If not, then this course seems utterly random.

Definitely interested in an update please nancybotwin

Interesting to find out what the trainer should do if they do spot a potential transgender kid. Obviously they can't raise it with a parent as that would be 'outing' them.

that is bizarre, an absurd use of public funds

Like the £90,000 the police spent on Pride t shirts, fans and rainbow merch, 'educational' trans courses are very well funded.

My eldest son who is definitely does not identify as trans took a dance class that no boys attended when he was tiny. Would that count?

My niece is clearly shaping up to be a butch lesbian. If she went to the strength training at the gym (like we have been discussing) would people be saying to her "ooh, short hair, baggy clothes, like lifting weight, maybe you are a boy." Makes my blood run cold.

Well exercise is very good for mental health. Its hardly surprising that there would be a vested interest in ensuring this avenue of "escape from mental distress " no longer existed. Excercise with a binder would ve incredibly dangerous so any girl singled out would end up being unable to continue . Likely end up online talking to God knows who.

It's such a low blow to extract such a tax from self-employed fitness instructors/ personal trainers at a time when they're financially vulnerable due to the long furlough and continuing shielding by many who could be exercising, and at a time when good exercise advice and encouragement are needed. How much is this inappropriate training going to cost your friend and her fellow instructors?

Clearly, they all need to "pass" the training, or they risk their professional access to the council's gyms, but in gaining access to all the instructors/PTs, the trainers are giving the instructors access to one another, too, and your friend could raise the excellent points made by other posters about binders and exercise. They are teaching adult classes, but will probably be interested if they are alerted to the health threats developing in the community. Recognising binding might be the new recognising cutting, and what about the bone density effects of puberty blockers, destroying a whole demographic of future clients?!

This is very strange indeed. Just as strange say as going on a course to "spot" gay kids. What would be the point? Not just strange, actually, more like fucking creepy.

I haven’t received any message about my deleted post and as I was extremely careful in the language I used, could someone from MNHQ please tell me what ‘specific’ words I have used that has caused apparent offence?

I am bloody vexed that I cannot read what Lillian has just said especially if it was in response to my post. I can't believe that Lillian said anything remotely deletion worthy.

Please PM me if you'd like.