Miriam Cates

[Isthatthebestyoucando]

Brilliant speech, I don't know if it's already on here. Worth a watch
I sent a card to this lady when she was on GB new the other week.

This is amazing. Thank you Miriam Cates.

I wonder whether she has wanted to say this for a while but felt unable to or whether the current litigation and news regarding Stonewall etc has simply brought the issue to the front?

Wonderful. Thank you MC. Let all that light in

I've checked her voting record and it's off-putting.

Which bits? She's voted with the Tories pretty consistently so it's never going to be stuff I particularly agree with but I can't see any huge clangers. Johnson actually hasn't done that much legislating sort from Brexit.

It tells you how far down the rabbit hole we are when someone saying things that were self evident in 2015 sounds like a bloody genius and speaker of truth to power.

@Masdintle

I don't really know what Hansard is, but would this speech be transcribed into it? As a permanent record?

Yes

Oops sorry didn't rtft!

That is a sterling speech. Nail on head. I don't write to mps much ever but I'm writing to her about that.

She kept repeating the line: dangerous and contested extreme ideologies that don't have a basis in science which is important

Yes. No basis in science.

Since joining some fb RSE teaching groups this is more of an issue than I ever thought and she's so absolutely bang on about this.

If this is inserted into actual safeguarding guidance in a more explicit way, it will be harder for both the external agencies and teacher training institutions to peddle this shit,

Because that's the other big issue. Universities are infected and their staff are teaching the next gen of teachers. See Shereen Benjamin

When you are in safeguarding sessions for schools you discuss specific cases and specific scenarios to demonstrate the way safeguarding needs to work.

Teachers need to consider specific cases such as Keira Bell (or one linked to a school. Eg as experienced by ROGDmum.)

The minister has agreed to meet with her and I hope 2 matters re Stonewall are discussed:

1. RSE guidance linking to Stonewall In England, the Department for Education lists Stonewall’s inclusive education guidance as a key resource in Annex B of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance (page 46)

2. Money The DfE spent almost £600,000 of taxpayers' money on Stonewall schemes in the past four years

3. EA Stonewall's misrepresentation of the Equality Act and guidance that contravenes the latest government RSE guidelines

4. Teaching 5 year olds trans identities Why are five year olds being taught about “trans identities” using a book which teaches children that they have no right to know the sex of other children in their schools and playgrounds? It is not until children reach the age of six to seven that they understand the consistency of sex. For English, children will open Are You A Boy or Are You A Girl? again and be asked to identify nouns and verbs. Stonewall go further though, advising that the book should also be used to explore “trans identities”. www.transgendertrend.com/stonewall-lgbt-inclusive-teaching-primary-schools/

5. DfE membership of Stonewall. both champions diversity scheme and Workplace equality index

This is a great speech. But serious work needs to be done on the ground. I'm a PSHE teacher and most PSHE teachers I know are fully invested in gender ideology. There is no questioning the Mermaids/Stonewall good; Transgender Trend bad mantra. I think PSHE attracts particularly 'woke' young teachers, and they are the ones setting the agenda in schools. Sadly this speech, if they notice it at all, will be categorised as another bit of transphobia and dismissed.

Please everybody keep pestering your children's schools! They are in so deep this will take so much more fight.

Please everybody keep pestering your children's schools!

Puuuuulllllllll