School allowing boy to change in girls changing room secondary school

[Saffy6]

Hi my teenage daughter has told me there is a boy who identifies as a girl changing with the girls in their communal changing room. I have emailed the school who have confirmed this and stated that cases are dealt with individually but in most cases “trans students would have access to the changing room or toilet that corresponds to their gender identity. This approach is supported by the equality act 2010” None of the parents have been informed. Some of the girls are uncomfortable but do not feel they can say anything as they are afraid of being accused of transphobia.

My other daughter in year 9 has 3 girls in her class now identifying as boys (changed name and pronouns). Surely if they want to change in the boys changing rooms they will be allowed to too?

I’ve contacted safe schools alliance and I intend to challenge this policy. My question is, is this the norm? What is your schools policy on transgender kids and changing rooms and has anyone been in a similar position where you challenged this policy and what was the outcome?

[EnjoyingTheSilence]

I would not be happy with this but would take the lead from my dd. If she were unhappy I would definitely challenge. The feelings of one student should override the feelings of many others

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Awful and i would be telling every parent and telling my child to not to PE until the matter is resolved correctly- I would not let this go

[tabbycatstripy]

I would challenge this with everyone I could think of. It’s not normal and it’s not okay.

[Theunamedcat]

Is this approach supported by the equality act? I thought thst referred to sex not gender?

[SirSamVimesCityWatch]

It is NOT supported by the equality act. The EHRC has just confirmed that single sex exemptions apply in these cases. And even without that, gender identity is not covered by the Equality Act. Gender reassignment is, but that is only applicable to age 18+.

[BiggerBoat1]

This should not be happening. In my school there is a large disabled toilet between the girls' and boys' changing room which any student is free to use if they feel they need to.

[Krakenchorus]

It's a straight-up safeguarding issue and they are creating an unsafe policy. Do not let your complaint focus on one child - don't let them, either - but on the policy. The policy is a safeguarding nightmare for girls.

[Sirzy]

I’m the mum of a boy but would support any parents in campaigning against this. Girls are often reluctant enough to do PE as it is without added worry about getting changed in front of what is genetically a boy.

[Onionpatch]

I would start by asking for the risk assessment for the mixed sex/single gender changing rooms.

[MrsOvertonsWindow]

Why schools believe that girls are not allowed boundaries I can't imagine. It's almost as if predators have been allowed to influence their policies? 🙄

[334bu]

Also ask if this means that they would also allow a male teacher who identifies as a woman to supervise girls changing.

[derob]

You could send the school a copy of the Transgender Trend guide for schools: https://www.transgendertrend.com/schools-resources/

And the critique of the Oxfordshire toolkit from Safe Schools Alliance: https://safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/#AdviceNoteeonSociallTransitioningbyy_Schools

[ControversialOpening]

Asking for the risk assessment is a good idea - I bet there isn't one.

I would also consider anonymously leaking this story to the local press, as schools really hate getting publicity for anything like this.

[334bu]

The equality act makes it quite clear that a male person who identifies as a woman/girl can be excluded, just like any other male fpr the safety, dignity and privacy of people of the opposite sex.

[Whatsnewpussyhat]

It never goes the other way. Always males wanting access to female only spaces.

They are full of shit. No way would I be accepting that.

Ask them where exactly in the equality act does is say they must make their single sex female spaces mixed sex to accommodate a male pupil.

The whole 'case by case' nonsense is perpetuated by the trans lobby. It doesn't mean by individual, it means by the situation as a whole. Keeping single sex spaces for the safety, privacy and dignity of female pupils is a legitimate aim and the exemptions allow this.

Ask them why the feelings of one male pupil are being but over the boundaries and consent of all female pupils.

Ask them to provide the equality impact assessment they should have done before removing the single sex safe space for all female pupils.

Tell them they are discriminating on the basis of the protected characteristic of sex.

They are free to offer this child their own seperate space to change if they are uncomfortable changing with other boys.

[Lynnthesearesexnotgenderpeople]

FFS - 'gender identity', is NOT a protected characteristic in the EA. Sex, however, is. There is nothing in the EA which says that schools need to allow males to change in the female facilities. Just ask them to quote the part of the Equality Act they are referring to.

[Clymene]

Children who do not want to change with children of their sex change on their own at my kids' school. There is no way they'd be allowed into communal changing rooms with children of the opposite sex.

Send them a copy of the EHRC guidance.

www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/separate-and-single-sex-service-providers-guide-equality-act-sex-and-gender

[ExMachinaDeus]

“trans students would have access to the changing room or toilet that corresponds to their gender identity. This approach is supported by the equality act 2010” 

As PP have said, they're wrong about that.

[MissPollysFitDolly]

Totally unacceptable and, as others have said, not supported by the Equality Act. You're very right to challenge it.

It's terrible that girls are scared to speak up about situations that make them uncomfortable, please let the school know this too.

[Sexnotgender]

I’d be kicking up a massive fuss and wouldn’t give a shit. The school are totally in the wrong.

[MrsOvertonsWindow]

The new guidance from the government cannot come soon enough. Schools like this are in for a shock when they realise that all these lobby groups have been lying all the time when they say that girls must accept enforced nudity in front of confused boys.

[PutinIsAWarCriminal]

Trans girls in my dd's school change in a single cubicle toilet facility.
If school insist on letting this male change in the female communal facility, then get your dd to tell her friends to all queue for the toilet cubicle to change.
I'm willing to bet the trans girl identifies as lesbian?

[Mummyoflittledragon]

These poor girls. It hasn’t happened with my dd and her friends, who are teens. I agree with asking for the risk assessment, sending the EHCR guidelines, kicking up a stink and leaking to the press.

Will your dd also advocate for herself by refusing to change in a mixed sex environment? I’d rather throw my dd’s PE kit in the bin than allow this to happen with her.

[Coyoacan]

That boy's wishes seem to trump everyone else's. Orthodox Jewish, Sikh and Muslim girls at that school are at risk of being withdrawn from education when their parents find out.

[123sunshine]

Simple, you write to the school and advise them that your child will not be participating in PE lessons due to this issue. No PE kit taken to school and a very clear message that child is not to be made to participate and change in to school borrowed kit. If other parents follow suit, the school will have to take notice. They’ll be no kids left to take part in PE lessons.