Would you say anything?

[fghjk]

My DD is 7 and what I can only describe as a VERY young 7 due to missing so much school over the last couple of years. She came home today and told me she learned about 'men who love men' - fine - and "men who become girls".

Men can become girls?

Yeah? The teacher said we can just get surgery when we're older. So I can be a boy if I want to. They just told us to talk to our parents. Can I be a boy?

Why do you need to be a boy? I thought you were a tomboy? Why wouldn't you want to be a girl? Girls can do whatever boys can do etc etc.

On and on, back and forth (I'm sure some posters will recognise this).

I went through it with her older sister when she came home aged 10 and attempted to "educate" me. She knows what is what now, but that was a week of non-stop discussion I had no idea was happening until it happened. She thought sex and gender were interchangeable. She thought it was "a feeling". She could not understand why women needed their own spaces and it took telling her about my own experiences (which I didn't really want to do) to convince her.

But... seven? SEVEN?

What adult in their right mind tells a seven year old they can have their genitals removed when they grow up? (Did they mention how many of these surgeries are actually done successfully, I wonder? Highly doubt it!)

I really want to ask if this is actually what happened and this was actually what she was told. Can I? Should I? I realise that would out me as a TERF, but at this stage I honestly don't care? I genuinely believe if she HAS to have this education then there are age appropriate ways to give it which doesn't involve seven year olds being told they can chop off their genitals (or have ones stitched on?!) when they grow up -- they just need to ask mummy and daddy first.

Or am I completely overreacting and this is just the way they're being educated these days? We are in Scotland where apparently the government believes 4 year olds should have their pronouns respected... so I don't even know if this was the teacher either majorly fucking up, or furthering her own agenda, or if this is actually the curriculum these days?

I'm just seriously annoyed that yet again there was no warning and it's putting ideas into young heads that A) they can't even understand and B) really does not matter. It feels like they're being indoctrinated into a religion I don't believe in and (certainly in my eldest's case) being taught that non-believers are wrong and going to hell.

She's always been a bit of a 'tomboy'... into football, all her friends are boys, paw patrol for years and hasn't ever looked twice at a barbie. But even at five, she was the one trying to explain to her ten year old sister who came home full of the gender nonsense that "girls can like boy stuff - it doesn't make them boys!!" and now, one sex education lesson later, she thinks she's a bloody boy. And she can just get surgery when she's older to make her a boy 'for real' 😧.

Does anyone have some practical advice on what I can do?

When the topic came up with my DD I said to her that one can never change sex and if you are born a girl you will always be a girl. She agreed with me.
Mind you, she is a bit older and replied with "but there are different genders" to which I said OK - as she is passionate about the subject and her friend is NB.

It is very odd, isn't it? Schools are now telling children that a person can change their sex, are they? I wonder if they also state that you can even be born in 'somebody else's body'. Like James Max said on Talk radio.

Professor/Lord Robert Winston stated that no one can change their sex. The ability to change your sex is not a mainstream belief, and certainly not evidenced based.

I think I'd ask for my child to be excused from that religion class, as we are not of that particular faith.

Would i say anything to the school? Probably not if I'm honest. I would, however, say to her that surgery and medical treatments are very important, very serious and never to be taken lightly. Has anyone she knows had surgery, or have you? I'd remind or tell her that surgery takes a very long time to recover from and that it damages the body so is only to be done where there's no better option. And then yes, I would say that everybody's body is private but also everyone knows if they're a boy or a girl and she can be sure that that never changes and her own special body is always her own.

i would have a chat with the class teacher, yes, why not? keep it light and cheerful and try and find out what ridiculous notions theyve been saying.
make notes-
then if nec speak to the head.

I would have a chat with school and ask them to educate themselves on sex and gender so that they can give correct information out.

Tricky OP. But if parents don't challenge schools about this, then misinformation thrives. I'd ask for clarification first. Ask what materials are being used to teach children about this and take t from there. Sadly the result is likely to be some anti-science 'born in the wrong body' nonsense but then you'll be able to challenge it accuately.

@Helmetbymidnight has a good approach

I'd complain to the school for advocating FGM

We are in Scotland

Oh shit. School did send a link on Google Classroom a couple of days ago.

“RSHP (Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood) which is a mandatory part of the curriculum. We will be teaching about the names for body parts and discussing what privacy is.
Your child may come home and wish to discuss these things with you.”

That’s P1, and sounds fine, but DS is in P3. Will have to investigate.

I'd complain to the school. They shouldn't be teaching we can be 'born in the wrong body.' Children believe what their teachers tell them if it's taught as fact. This is so damaging.

Research the many negatives of puberty blockers, hormones, and surgery, point out that girls are adversely impacted by this ideology, and disabled (autistic), and traumatised, girls disproportionately. How are they safeguarding these girls? This shit is taking over - we have to fight it..

I’d be absolutely livid and would let the school know in no uncertain terms. I would consider removing my child.

Beyond sick of this fucking bullshit, brainwashing and gaslighting children.

I would be straight down to the school all guns blazing. I did it with dd's school and managed to get some lessons removed or changed. It's so important that you complain. I'm also a teacher and try to counter this stuff at my own school, but parents have more power.

I would be absolutely furious and I would definitely speak to the school. I would ask to speak to the PSHE lead, the head teacher and complain to the governors.
I would get all the relevant resources from Safe Schools Alliance and Transgender Trend and lay it all out.
I would remind them that the government advise NOT to use resources that say you are born in the wrong body etc (even though they don’t actually care if schools do) - oh wait you’re in Scotland. Rats.
I’d still furiously complain though. This nonsense is so damaging. And it shits all over any developing personal boundaries of the girls.

I would be straight down to the school all guns blazing.

This is what it takes. Anyone teacher considering at a curriculum like this has to feel a shudder of dread at the thought of the grief they would get from parents if they used it.

You need to be more annoying and in their face than those who would object if they didn't spout this stuff.

That's how the TRAs got this far - by being really annoying (and scary).

Women need to demonstrate that they can be just as annoying and in larger numbers.

@FrancescaContini

I’d be absolutely livid and would let the school know in no uncertain terms. I would consider removing my child.

Beyond sick of this fucking bullshit, brainwashing and gaslighting children.

I agree it’s brainwashing. It’s not true. It’s also a political ideological position and they absolutely shouldn’t be teaching this as fact in schools. I’d definitely say something.

Get ANGRY.

How dare they spout this ideology as fact?!

I'd be tempted to print out some graphic photos of sex change operations and mastectomies, lay them on the table in front of the headteacher and ask why they are promoting them to my child.

I just watched this Ben Boyce interview with a parent in the US who is challenging SEL (social and emotional learning) classes because of all the nonsense that they incorporate into this subject. Parents are starting to get angry thankfully.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=_4-zW6r-VbY

@TheMissingMango

I'd be tempted to print out some graphic photos of sex change operations and mastectomies, lay them on the table in front of the headteacher and ask why they are promoting them to my child.

Me too.

The trouble with this approach to life is that when you have to put it into very simple terms for children and they say it back to you, the wrongness becomes very clear. I played around with trying to give my son some religious culture without loads of actual religion but then found myself reading him the story of Jonah and the Whale and .. I mean, come on! It's nuts and there's not exactly much to learn from it, it's not even exciting, just revolting. This stuff is like someone starting to introduce a new religion into a primary school that has three commandments: 1. Be Kind or we will ostracise you 2. The past is dead and unmentionable 3. Behold, I tell you a mystery - though you were born female, yet in your male flesh shall you behold God.

You seem very determined your children should think the same as you. Why not let them learn, form their own opinions and be there to quide and educate rather than enforce?

@autienotnaughty because it's not true?

You can't become a boy.

You can have surgery to attempt to recreate something that looks a bit like a penis and you can remove your breasts.

But you cannot become a boy.

Of course we have to challenge if our kids are being taught things that simply aren't true!

@autienotnaughty

You seem very determined your children should think the same as you. Why not let them learn, form their own opinions and be there to quide and educate rather than enforce?

But the school was teaching factually incorrect lessons - they are indoctrinating not educating

If school had educated the OP’s daughter that the world is flat, would you take the same approach?

I would email for clarification to keep a paper trail. They will likely respond with a phone call so send a follow up email to summarise the conversation. This is so wrong and unnecessary. I'm not familiar with Scottish education but for my primary school they took the decision not to go above and beyond the guidance. Schools have a choice to go above and beyond. If there is something similar in Scotland you could ask why they decided to go above and beyond, how did they justify this? There would most likely be cost implications for going above and beyond. Then follow up.

Google phallophasty and the success rates. Gender identity is a belief and they have taught your child as if it is fact and that is indoctrination and not politically impartial.
As others have said read Safe Schools Alliance and Transgender Trend www.transgendertrend.com/ to help with your follow up.
This is a real good film for some background for you.