Updated relationships, sex and health curriculum guidance

[umbel]

Updated government guidance, released today!!!

Do you have a link to this specific update, I can't seem to find it?

Also thank you to Baroness Nicholson!

damn cross-posted!

You should work together with parents on any decisions regarding your school’s treatment of their child, in line with the school’s safeguarding policy and the statutory guidance on working together to safeguard children.

Yesss.

Not keep it from parents, not give them a secret email, not give them a leave now button on your website.

@FindTheTruth

TransgenderTrend

Thank you, thank you, thank you Stephanie Davies-Arai Founder

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 thanks Stephanie and everyone else who has been working on this behind the scenes.

I feel quite emotional. How can you argue with any of it?

Thank fuck. Many thanks to all the people, the Baroness included, who helped to make this happen.

Also some selfish personal rejoicing as this saves me from the awkward convo I was planning with the head at school (who is rushed off her with Covid anyway).

Wow what a bloody brilliant week we've had! All the things we have done, all the letters, the tweets, the protests etc, it was all worth it. Well done every single bloody one of us!

Safeschools Alliance and Transgender Trend have worked so hard for this, too. So many parents owe them an enormous amount today.

Wow, that really is quite something - I've been wondering for years when some actual adults with sense would enter the room and here we are!

So pleased and grateful to everyone who had a hand in this, but at the same time have the grim feeling of doom as someone who resides Scotland...SG just love to set themselves apart from Westminster, it doesn't bode well I fear...

This does not affect Scotland but I am still over the moon with it as I can use it with my daughter’s school. They formally transitioned her to a boy behind our backs (told her brother though who had to tell us) and then told me we had no say as parents. They reversed the decision after I escalated the complaint but it has been made clear to me that we are on borrowed time until she raises the issue again. This should make it much easier for me to push back again if needed.

I suspect Baroness Nicholson played a very big part in this- she wrote to Gavin Williamson about our case a few months before her involvement in the overall issue became widely known and I think she has been working very hard in the background.

And a massive thanks to Transgender Trend and Safe Schools Alliance as well!

Have just read the Mermaids response, they are just tying themselves in so many knots that they no longer even make sense.

Gender identity is who you are as a gendered person. So, if you are a woman for instance, that is your gender identity. However, you might be a woman who expresses in ways seen as ‘masculine’ by traditional society. It shouldn’t matter of course but, in any case, this is your gender expression. We agree that schools should be careful not to confuse the two, as many transgender, cisgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people express themselves freely and should never be judged as a result.

Whatever Mermaids. You are so over.

Well done to all the vipers! Including honorary vipers Stephanie Davies-Arai and Baroness Nicholson.

Incredible.

I assume No Outsiders should also be... outside now? Esp since he admitted he knew sex was a PC but put gender on his bloody poster anyway?

Shameless placemark to read properly later. Was going to erupt about the Mermaids response, but see my thoughts have already been posted. Just more eloquently. Thank You.

my children aren't in school, but I can't thank safe schools alliance, Stephanie, and the baroness enough.

💐

And yes, a big thank you to Transgender Trend and Safe Schools Alliance for all their hard work too.

This is the link to the guidance if anyone wants it for reference

www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum

Consider my flabber well and truly gasted. Still so much to do, but my word, this has been a brilliant week.

@KnightsofColumbusThatHurt

Have just read the Mermaids response, they are just tying themselves in so many knots that they no longer even make sense.

Gender identity is who you are as a gendered person. So, if you are a woman for instance, that is your gender identity. However, you might be a woman who expresses in ways seen as ‘masculine’ by traditional society. It shouldn’t matter of course but, in any case, this is your gender expression. We agree that schools should be careful not to confuse the two, as many transgender, cisgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people express themselves freely and should never be judged as a result.

Whatever Mermaids. You are so over.

I wonder if they've sustained whiplash from that spectacular U-Turn.

WTF are they even banging on about? If you're a woman who likes stereotypical masculine things, your gender identity is male. So what does traditional society deem masculine then, Mermaids? Clothes, hairstyles, hobbies... The exact stereotypes you're now say have nothing to do with being transgender.

Errmmm... At this point, all they're worthy of is a little nod and a 'that's nice, dear'.

@KnightsofColumbusThatHurt

Have just read the Mermaids response, they are just tying themselves in so many knots that they no longer even make sense.

Gender identity is who you are as a gendered person. So, if you are a woman for instance, that is your gender identity. However, you might be a woman who expresses in ways seen as ‘masculine’ by traditional society. It shouldn’t matter of course but, in any case, this is your gender expression. We agree that schools should be careful not to confuse the two, as many transgender, cisgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people express themselves freely and should never be judged as a result.

Whatever Mermaids. You are so over.

I was just about to highlight that part of the Mermaids response. priceless, isn't it? It is prefaced with

[gender non-conformity vs gender identity] raises a vital distinction which can be difficult to understand at first.

No, it really isn't difficult. You've created the difficulty by pushing the notion of gender identity in the first place.

Errmmm...confused At this point, all they're worthy of is a little nod and a 'that's nice, dear'.

I'd really like to see them, or Stonewall now, explain why a boy who is feminine needs to use the girls' changing rooms and toilets.

Such good news. I'm so happy. Thank you so much to everyone who played a part in this. I can only hope Scotland sees sense too as well.

Hang on, are they honestly saying that if I have a buzz cut and wear trousers then that is my "gender expression"?! I have no words for how I feel about that.

That's good. Sensible and sympathetic.

I'd also like them to stop the weird fixation with teaching how anal sex is normal and all happy happy fun times. If they must teach tweens and teens about anal, they should be honest about the risks of damage etc when not done properly and how it's fine not to like it and not to want to do it. I've looked through the new resources and it just keeps coming up time and time again that a lot of people, both straight and otherwise, really enjoy anal. Why do kids need to know that?

I was just going to ask about that

it’s bollocks isn’t it

If someone wants to tell my daughter that her gender expression is masculine there will be words! How is that any different to saying that she has a boys haircut and football is for boys...

To help create a safe environment for pupils when teaching these topics, you should consider:

Not promising confidentiality if a pupil confides something concerning.
Telling pupils they can ask for help and they will be taken seriously

absolute to all the amazing people who have achieved this. Safeguarding resumes - as opposed to telling children it is ok to have secrets from parents and transitioning them at school without their parents knowledge or consent - thank goodness.
(sorry am getting overexcited - I do realise that there is a long way to go but this feels like progress :!)

Gender identity is who you are as a gendered person. So, if you are a woman for instance, that is your gender identity.

Noooooo.