Charities targeting SEND children with gender identity

[FemaleAndLearning]

This charity hosts some excellent training courses, but I've just seen they are running this "How to effectively support transgender and non-binary young people: for parents and professionals". You can see who is running the course by clicking on the link. Not surprisingly the slides will not be available afterwards nor will it be recorded. This is what it will cover:

-Understanding gender and gender diversity
-LGBTQIA+ terminology awareness
-Challenges faced by trans young people
-Transition pathways including healthcare
-Changing names, systems and forms
-Legal responsibilities
-Managing single-sex spaces
-Improving equity, equality and diversity; policies, guidance, recommended resources

No mention of autism or other disabilities. Obviously this will be a one sided affirmative approach and it makes me so angry that SENd children are being targeted.

I've had to leave parents of autistic children groups on Facebook because everytime I suggest alternative support groups for parents like Transgender Trend, Bayswater Support, PITT, my posts get deleted for transphobia!

I'm too angry to go on the course but have sent the link to Transgender Trend because this targeting of already vulnerable children (young people?) needs to be looked at. I am also going to write to Sunshine Support (the hosting charity) to suggest they show both sides of the discussion and have an event run by a watchful waiting organisation.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-effectively-support-transgender-non-binary-young-people-tickets-353930243887?aff=odeccpebemailcampaigns&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=ebcampaigns&utm_campaign=8444309&mipa=ABIdvVt03MxPrxU4AMcthlIALaOCMrB3baCjQhNM5jyVDw1grWsPTUCcfetsq1OyU2t1_ICzf995JPLf0irr6VPqbSu3TSCGh5HTS00NIfpRTEbKKhbDFsMpUDL1WfOZ3jOAa91nEFGEkPN-5IAimgRq4fmn06LRKdtEyiZj0DHyLH99XHDwF6xmkiBqNIfWFW-hpUju2_4POxZo_Lrsm-PZOJ89ccVY7JGZi2KYLSszceL-XcWU2cYHY3py7snvW6XpdQ_jkw19xTD5BDDbQZE3hM6L9ILQog

[WarriorN]

@whenimnotwithyou

Obviously Mermaids are complete bobbins but these self-styled SEND 'advocacy agencies' don't generally have any oversight or due process over, in my experience.

I know someone who runs a SEND agency and her confidentiality and professionalism are shockingly poor. Advocacy isn't a regulated or protected industry, any old sheister can set up an agency like this so I wouldn't expect them to be peddling anything ethical anyway.

Yes.

They can also apply to various funding bodies for all sorts of amounts of money. Thus seeming to be rubber stamped. But the people with the purse strings haven't got a clue about safeguarding let alone how affirmation models are damaging.

[Wellies54]

@Clymene

There is reams and reams of data about the overrepresentation of autistic kids in the cohort that ID as trans. I can totally see the attraction

It's really disturbing how many parents see this as a good thing. I do think that being a parent of a child with a 'thing' can be quite validating and give people a sense of belonging. It's not quite munchausen's by proxy but there is definitely a degree of being able to identify as a special victim which is quite compelling. I can see how this can be another thing to add to the list of struggles.

I agree with this. I remember years ago hearing an interview on women's hour with a mum who's daughter was confused about their gender identity. The highlight for me was this 'I knew something was wrong when she had a pirate and princess party and she wanted to dress as a pirate'. !!!!!! And there she was sounding terribly anxious being interviewed on the radio getting lots of attention!

[FemaleAndLearning]

There are a few people on the Sunshine Support Facebook posts trying to shine some light but most of the parents are captured and TERF, bigot and transphobic are being thrown around. As well as people saying their autistic kids do get pronouns very easily and young people in general pick it too easily. Really really sad for these people and their children.

[LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo]

...

[LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo]

So I attended the webinar. I will give a full account tomorrow as I am very tired. It was very warm, lovely and inclusive. First hour was all about definition. Very much a marketing webinar aimed at increasing traffic to their website, legal support and the forum. Online forum for young people is for ages 13 to 19. You have to apply and give ID.
Wouldn't answer questions on Tavistock closure defaulted to statement on their website. Honestly if I hadn't been gender critical I would have fell for all their lively be kind stuff. More tomorrow.

[WarriorN]

Thanks for attending.

Concerned that 19 yr olds are in with 13 on a closed forum.

[LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo]

Oh dear I refused to be educated on their Sunshine Support's Facebook page so I have been banned and all my posts deleted! I spent a lot of time giving links and evidence and was just met with transphobe, bigot and TERF. I never called anyone any names. I asked lots of genuine questions to try and see why so many autistic girls were transitioning and why this was being allowed.

Mermaids claim the forum is very controlled you need ID to join but no mention of how content is moderated with such a large age gap.

A question was asked about residential single sex spaces. The answer was blah blah the Equality Act then see our page for a really good resource. But the page only talks about the EHRC guidance, stressing the word guidance.

mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/single-sex-spaces-know-your-rights/

The reply was "typically you should be able to use the facilities that match your gender".
13 year old girls want to share forms with 13 year old boys and noone sees this as a safeguarding risk just about getting the right to be in there and validate the new gender. I was gobsmacked.

I think it is really cruel that Mermaids give this false hope to parents and children questioning their gender surely it only causes conflict? Though I guess some schools will just go along with it once the Equality Act is mentioned.

I was polite in the webinar and only asked a few questions most didn't get answered as there was not time.

Very disappointed in Sunshine Support. Screenshot attached where they say anyone who refuses to me educated will be banned.

[MeaninglessGraphs]

It's very bad that you got banned, LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo, and it's very sinister.

You are trying to protect girls.

They don't seem to even recognise, let alone understand, that there are males and females. Fact. Biology.

And that in current society, as in society for thousands of years - women and girls, females, are still the more oppressed class. Whatever their neurotype.

[ScrollingLeaves]

LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo · Today 22:54

Regarding the screen shot from Sunshine support about autism, which shows a misunderstanding about the correlation between a child being autistic and their wishing to change their gender, do you think you should send it to Dr Cass? She may not realise quite how blatantly parents are being misinformed by an influential so called support group.

[LeaveAutisticsKidsOutOfGenderWoo]

Good idea I will send it to Dr Cass. She needs to be aware of the way autism and questioning your gender ste seen as co morbid, a bit like epilepsy can be, but I don't see parents all rushing to prove their child has epilepsy be sure you need facts for that.