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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Brenda is a Sheep - Jo Bartosch (Scottish Book Trust)

7 replies

SmallPug · 19/11/2020 19:21

Great piece by Jo Bartosch on the children’s book Brenda is a Sheep. Particularly relevant to parents in Scotland, as it’s been handed out to all 4-5 year olds via Scottish Book Trust.

www.spiked-online.com/2020/11/19/beware-trans-ideas-in-sheeps-clothing/

OP posts:
JKRismyhero · 19/11/2020 19:53

Concerning indeed.

Abitofalark · 19/11/2020 20:16

I was about to start a thread on this. What's going on in Scotland is shocking. To give a flavour of this:

'Four- and five-year-olds in Scotland are now being taught that some sheep growl. This message was delivered in award-winning author Morag Hood’s Brenda is a Sheep, a brightly illustrated book being given to Primary One (reception class) schoolchildren courtesy of the Scottish Book Trust, and conveniently in time for Transgender Week of Visibility.
'The story centres on Brenda, a wolf who identifies as a sheep.' By the end of the book the wolf is accepted as a sheep.
'It is a book about how it is wrong to be suspicious of men who identify as transgender women and demand access to women’s spaces. The book teaches children not to trust their instincts, nor to question the motives that people might have for pretending to be something they are clearly not.'

Safe Schools Alliance UK has expressed concern:
‘Children need to be encouraged to trust their instincts about people and situations and feel supported to express them. People who prey on children will use all kinds of strategies to get close to them. This book blatantly encourages children to question their boundaries under the guise of being kind and inclusive. This book has safeguarding red flags all over it and leaves children more susceptible to grooming, not less.’
Not so The Guardian which gave it a glowing review.

twoHopes · 19/11/2020 20:23

Is there actually any evidence this is anything to do with trans issues? I think portraying transwomen as "wolves in sheep's clothing" would be pretty offensive, no matter how friendly the wolf turns out to be.

I think this is a strange message to send to children (and can see the safeguarding concerns) but it seems quite a leap to suddenly arrive at this being "woke" or "pro-trans".

OhHolyJesus · 19/11/2020 20:56

Really two?

Here is a clue

The story centres on Brenda, a wolf who identifies as a sheep.' By the end of the book the wolf is accepted as a sheep.

It's queer theory/gender ideology wrapped up in the saying "a wolf in sheep's clothing". Have you never heard of that?

Cwenthryth · 19/11/2020 21:08

This book is one of those things that you really think must be a parody, surely?

How can this be lauded by the wokerati when they were up in arms about the crocodile in the newt pond cartoon in the Morning Star?

SmallPug · 19/11/2020 21:36

Agree - it’s offensive and a safeguarding risk. I know people will say we’re all ‘think of the children’, but ffs. Safe Schools Alliance has flagged it up. Hopefully there’s someone at Scottish Book Trust with some sense and a few brain cells.

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ErrolTheDragon · 19/11/2020 22:16

There was a thread about this book recently ...much skepticism!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4072921-Daughters-book

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