News from the Changing Room

[FairytaleofBykerGrove]

Just a bit of good news. A lot of you gave me great advice earlier in the year when my daughter was told there would be a male pupil who ‘is a girl’ in her communal changing room for swimming, just before lockdown.

Today I had a long meeting with the head teacher who listened patiently to all my concerns, wrote them down and then asked me if I would contribute to a school policy, to think about what it should include and to get back to her. She said she will bring in someone with an opposing view and see if we can find middle ground.

She also said I mentioned things regarding swimming that she hadn’t considered, and that it seemed likely that a new arrangement would have to be made. Overall I feel it was a very positive meeting. So thanks again to all who contributed and helped me clarify my thoughts on the matter.

Has anyone ever heard of a girl (who identifies as a boy) wanting to change in the boys' changing room?

There is a ftm child in my local secondary who wanted to change with the boys for a school show. The principal quite rightly provided a private dressing room for that child and there was a great backlash by a few pupils who were swiftly put in their place. I heard this from one of the mothers whose daughter was sat on for calling the principal a transphobe.

I’d be worried about parents who actually support their ftm children Changing with boys at such a young age.

Malhala It's so sneaky, to have introduced it. This is how it works, otherwise there would be too many objections so it's often piggy backed onto something else.

The media are culpable. Do you have a regulator such as OFCOM. Is it worth writing to them regarding bias. If the media are not reporting this at all and therefore there is no debate, that is undemocratic.

I need to do the same thing here re sporting coverage (on my 'to do list'

Excellent points. Another question to ask is whether any groups of girls and women are stating that they want to undress in front of random males? It never happens. But women's opinions & voices have been ignored from the getgo with this issue.

@Jellyeggs

There is a ftm child in my local secondary who wanted to change with the boys for a school show. The principal quite rightly provided a private dressing room for that child and there was a great backlash by a few pupils who were swiftly put in their place. I heard this from one of the mothers whose daughter was sat on for calling the principal a transphobe.

I’d be worried about parents who actually support their ftm children Changing with boys at such a young age.

Thank you for your reply.

The principal did the right thing.

Do you happen to know if the principal would've behaved the same way if it'd been a "mtf" child?

It’s a Catholic school so I’d guess it would be the same scenario. I don’t know the answer.

That's brilliant; suddenly I'm all in favour of Catholic schools.

Anyway,

Has anyone ever heard of a girl (who identifies as a boy) wanting to change in the boys' changing room? (Not including Catholic schools)

Lily Madigan went to a Catholic school, St Simon Stock in Maidstone. They were forced to climb down and apologise to Madigan.

www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/schools-apology-to-transgender-pupil-104081/

Uniform, and fair enough. Changing rooms, and absolutely not. Alternative arrangements are entirely possible and there is no reason at all to throw every single girl under the bus like this.

The misrepresentation of the legislation - Ann Sinnott so needs this judicial review. If the GEO and EHRC are forced to advise all those they have misled on what the law actually says, we will see change.

@JaneAustenWouldHateThis

Anyway,

Has anyone ever heard of a girl (who identifies as a boy) wanting to change in the boys' changing room? (Not including Catholic schools)

Yes. It was in the US though. A male teacher, I think, resigned because he was supposed to monitor the boys showering and changing after PE and he felt it inappropriate to be present when a teen girl was changing. If I find it I'll post it.

Well that was fast:

https://pjmedia.com/parenting/jeff-sanders/2018/11/16/florida-school-orders-male-teacher-to-watch-transgender-girl-undress-in-the-boys-locker-room-n114001

"The school administration did not inform parents that a transgender girl (a female who thinks she is male) will now be allowed in the boys’ locker room. In September, the girl walked into the boys’ locker room while the boys were undressing. The girl literally caught them with their pants down. A male physical education teacher (who is also a coach at the school) was ordered to stand and monitor the situation. He refused, stating that he would not stand and watch a teenage girl undress. That teacher was told that his actions would not be tolerated and that he would be put on administrative leave. The female PE teacher’s objections to the policy were also ignored by the school."

Utter madness.

adult women in the male changing rooms with the boys, and adult males in the female changing room with the girls.

I can't imagine anyone finding that appropriate. The policy at any changing room or restroom I've ever used is only very small children are allowed in the opposite one.

I would rather that teacher not have resigned (but stayed and averted his eyes) because who now is going to apply for that position (assuming the school hasn’t already filled it)?