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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

BBC indoctrination in schools

19 replies

waterbabys · 17/03/2022 21:02

A couple of weeks ago we had the bbc visit our 11-13yr old pupils (I'm a high school teacher), under the guise of introducing a Share Your Story competition. The idea is that the kids have to make a video/film telling 'their story'.

As soon as it started a young woman who was pretty gender non-conforming joined the presenter on stage (introduced as a bbc researcher), and another young woman who was very much gender conforming (introduced as a bbc social media manager) also joined. The presenter told the kids that the guest speakers would 'tell their stories' in order to 'inspire' them to think about how they could tell their own stories (?).

The first young woman stood up and opened with 'when I was 17 I went on testosterone' and her segment continued in that vein for about 25 minutes. All the usual sexist nonsense followed (hated my female body, hated female puberty, loved video games, hated dresses, mainly friends with boys, etc, etc) and then she took questions at the end. The other woman said NOTHING. It was all about the trans identified female (who never explicitly said what she identified as, or her pronouns, so I'm using sex based pronouns). Myself and my colleagues were shocked this was being presented to our pupils with no nuance or balance, it was very much like 'if you also don't meet these girly standards then you're not a girl'. At one point she boasted that she had recently visited her old high school and there are now 13 transgender pupils, whereas 5/6 years ago when she was a pupil there, she was the only one...

I looked into the bbc competition/roadshow and its supposed to be travelling round the country visiting schools and 'bringing 100 diverse speakers into schools to tell pupils about their personal journeys'... the cynic in me wonders how many of these 'diverse' speakers will be trans-identified, but maybe I'm just being paranoid 🤔

OP posts:
Whatsnewpussyhat · 17/03/2022 21:05

It's so blatantly obvious they are pushing an ideological agenda.

Can you complain?

IvyTwines · 17/03/2022 22:05

Very inappropriate, especially when aimed at pupils at that exact age when girls feel at their most uncomfortable with their changing bodies. What the hell are the BBC thinking?

Torunette · 17/03/2022 23:15

This sounds very strange.

My first thought is that this could constitute pharmaceutical promotion to children, and I'm not sure that is lawful. You certainly can't advertise a specific medicine to under-16s, but I'm unsure what the law says about promoting a medical pathway in this manner.

The researcher was essentially saying to the children: "I take this specific type of drug because I felt a certain way, and it makes me feel better." Indeed, it appears the researcher led with that statement. I don't really see the difference between this and someone coming into a school to talk how their prescription for SSRIs helps them cope with their life

To my mind, this is a form of pharmaceutical advertising to under-16s. Just how different is it from someone coming into a school and saying that everytime they get period pain, they take Nurofen?

MangyInseam · 18/03/2022 00:20

Wouldn't it be nice if we had stories from young people about how they decided they wanted to be a doctor, or worked hard to collect returnable bottles to save up for something they wanted, or discovered they loved birdwatching?

There seems to be literally nothing for them to celebrate or aspire to now apart from some kind of inborn identity characteristics.

Apollo441 · 18/03/2022 00:36

I would complain to everyone. The BBC governors, MPs, DoE and about Pharmaceutical promotion. Absolutely disgraceful.
Did she answer any questions like how she felt about sterility, early menopause and male patent baldness?

KittenKong · 18/03/2022 08:50

For the love of god. Why not have a woman step up and say ‘when I was little I loved cars - now I own a garage after years of being told it wasn’t for girls!’ Or a man ‘I love dancing - I now teach ballet after years of being told it wasn’t for boys!’ Or someone ‘I am deaf - I am a musician after being told it wasn’t for people who are deaf!’

Now kids aspire to what? It’s just so very shallow.

KittenKong · 18/03/2022 08:51

Get Kiera - for gods sake for every one of these folx given a platform, get Kiera (and all the others) to show the other side of the coin.

Or better still - teach kids that they can be who they are, just as they are.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 18/03/2022 08:55

So many inspirational women in our society doing so much good - yet this journey is the the one the BBC decide is best to share with 11 year olds. Sad

KittenKong · 18/03/2022 08:58

Because 11 years olds don’t ever copy ‘cool’ older people do they?

MrsOvertonsWindow · 18/03/2022 09:58

waterbabys
Is there any way you can speak up and complain (safely) ? Or do you know any unhappy parents who would do so?
I know many journalists keep an eye on this board as this sort of crap needs exposing.

WalrusSubmarine · 18/03/2022 10:40

This is shocking. The bbc should be going in to promote careers or the arts or sport or further education or something - not flipping surgery and medication.

2fallsfromSSA · 18/03/2022 11:36

Who organised it? Is the school captured or sensible? This actually breaks DfE guidelines but will take parents to complain.

From a wider BBC perspective the press would be interested get in touch with;

safeschoolsallianceuk.net

2fallsfromSSA · 18/03/2022 11:42

As a teacher you can also complain and report to ofsted and DfE. SSA can help.

This is appalling.

waterbabys · 19/03/2022 09:10

So I'm a teacher in Scotland and unfortunately my council & government are totally captured by Stonewall & gender identity nonsense. My head teacher does her best to 'be kind' and when we had a 17yr boy who suddenly began identifying as a girl a couple of years ago, she had made it clear her feelings on the matter. Likewise with a couple of deputies. I feel like I have no one to complain to!

I thought as a Catholic school it might be more difficult to get this rhetoric in, but clearly not. I find it funny as when I have to teach RE everything is presented as 'this is what Catholics believe, this is what Muslims believe, etc etc'. Lots of room for different points of view and belief systems when it comes to religion - but not when it comes to gender identity!

OP posts:
Liveliferun · 19/03/2022 09:29

Does Ofsted have oversight in Scotland? I would it let this lie, it’s dangerous propaganda.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 19/03/2022 09:34

So sorry OP. It all feels a bit hopeless when you look at Scottish schools as safeguarding children from adult gaslighting (there's a better word but it's not allowed) is not a priority.

waterbabys · 20/03/2022 00:08

No neither DofE nor Ofsted have any say over Scottish schools as it's a devolved issue. I suppose I've just posted to vent and feel like I'm not going completely mad!

OP posts:
waterbabys · 20/03/2022 00:10

@2fallsfromSSA

As a teacher you can also complain and report to ofsted and DfE. SSA can help.

This is appalling.

So because I'm in Scotland I can't complain to them but I have emailed SSA 👌🏻
OP posts:
georgarina · 20/03/2022 08:50

That's like getting someone in to talk about their breast implants or nose job...

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