School policies list gender not sex

[NabiHunter]

How important is it to approach school about this? The equality policy lists sex/gender lower down but has gender in the statement at top along with gender identity and gender reassignment. All the other policies have the same at the top and often don't refer to sex at all.

I'm new to all this and unsure how to go about it and if it will raise questions/suspicion as DD has said shes nonbinary but keeping from school and friends and I really don't want school involved. I have downloaded template letter from safer schools alliance.

The key thing is the school cannot rewrite or remove the nine protected characteristics. So when I have challenged these I have done it ‘to help you not make mistakes and discriminate against people with protected characteristics by misdescribing them’. It’s always worked.

Consult Safe Schools Alliance. They'll likely have an FAQ or other resource to help you or you might contact them.

safeschoolsallianceuk.net/

Thank you. It should be easy shouldn't it. Pointing out a legal irregularity.

A key resource index for such matters is:

gcritical.org/introduction/

I had to recently contact my Childs school re PSHE lessons, they were teaching that 'transgender' is a protected characteristic....I pointed out that the correct term is 'gender reassignement', which only someone over the age of 18 can have (as have to be over 18 to get a GRC)

They did accept this and update the wording. Its always worth speaking to any organisations misinterpreting the law.

@NabiHunter it's really important that this is pointed out, others have given you good advice on this. Do come back if school try to wriggle out of it. If needs be, write to the governors.

@happydappy2 I'm not sure what you've said is correct. You do not have to have a GRC to fall under the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. Here's the definition:

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/7

As far as I know, it's not clear whether or not children can have this protected characteristic, but it's arguably safest to assume they can.

@Leafstamp That is interesting-thank you for the link.

What a mess we're in! I suppose someone under 18 can have the PC of gender reassignment if they propose to change, but they cannot obtain a GRC until over 18? So their birth certificate reflects their birth sex (accurately)

[quote happydappy2]**@Leafstamp That is interesting-thank you for the link.

What a mess we're in! I suppose someone under 18 can have the PC of gender reassignment if they propose to change, but they cannot obtain a GRC until over 18? So their birth certificate reflects their birth sex (accurately)[/quote]
The text for people who want to see the full wording and don't like clicking links:

I think schools are particularly vulnerable as long before gender identity was a thing they always used gender to mean sex to avoid the sex "yes please" response and general teenaged sniggering.

Ours are in a right muddle now between biology teaching straightforward sex and PSHE/assemblies teaching that it doesn't exist.

Lots of policies still reflect that they mean sex. All their forms still think "gender" is binary male/female. "There will be absolutely no mixed gender dorms on the trip" - why not? And if my male and female friend point out they're both agender do they get to share a room? Of course not. They mean no sharing between sex that generates sperm and sex that can get pregnant, for obvious reasons.

Yes, I think that's very true. Many schools, and other organisations, in the past used sex and gender interchangeably, and they meant sex.

Now that wording has different implications altogether and it's like no one has caught on, or people have chosen to deliberately misunderstand.

[quote happydappy2]**@Leafstamp That is interesting-thank you for the link.

What a mess we're in! I suppose someone under 18 can have the PC of gender reassignment if they propose to change, but they cannot obtain a GRC until over 18? So their birth certificate reflects their birth sex (accurately)[/quote]
Indeed, it's a right mess, the legislation around all of this is not well thought through. But governement are aware of this (sort of) and it is being looked at - see Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne seminars.

Correct that you cannot get a GRC until age 18.

Also, an interesting point, and I am 99% sure I'm right about this, but happy to be corrected : if you have the PC of gender reassignment then that give you the right to be not treated differently to those of the same sex as you. It does not give you the right to be treated as the gender you "identify" with.

This is why it's important that the protected characteristic is correctly stated as gender reassignment and policies don't make reference to gender identity.

@thirdfiddle

I think schools are particularly vulnerable as long before gender identity was a thing they always used gender to mean sex to avoid the sex "yes please" response and general teenaged sniggering.

Ours are in a right muddle now between biology teaching straightforward sex and PSHE/assemblies teaching that it doesn't exist.

Lots of policies still reflect that they mean sex. All their forms still think "gender" is binary male/female. "There will be absolutely no mixed gender dorms on the trip" - why not? And if my male and female friend point out they're both agender do they get to share a room? Of course not. They mean no sharing between sex that generates sperm and sex that can get pregnant, for obvious reasons.

Totally agree with this.