Children's Social Transition

[MalagaNights]

Given the closing of the Tavi and the conservative leadership candidates both speaking about concerns about puberty blockers, I've started to think more about social transition and how we challenge and change the assumption that this must be supported.

It is now totally assumed and supported by all professional organisations who work with young people that the correct practice is to use the pronouns young people request and to refer to them as the sex or gender identity they choose.

These assumptions of practice are now deeply ingrained.

They are shared by teachers, psychologists, social workers, mental health professionals. It is just stated as fact mostly now, without comment or challenge.

The assumption is underpinned by principles, or slogans, such as 'lived experience' 'young person's voice' and the idea that your identity is central and must be protected.

Understandably the focus has been on the devastating impact of medicalisation, but I'm wondering how we are going to change the embedded assumptions and practice around social transition which now exist within schools and all professions who work with young people.

I should add to my previous post - Mermaids advice is what led to the situation I describe.

Yeah Pomolo there was an element of awarding the behaviour in my case too. lovely small private school. There was a careful exposition to the pre-K class and letters to the 8th grade class because they did cross-grade activities with pre-K and everyone was falling over themselves to be inclusive and non-judgemental. The child had been seen by a psychologist who recommended the social transition which involved pronouns, name, and clothes - at age 5 before proper school had even begun. I still can't quite believe it. That child would be 12 now and I wonder what has happened to them and would it be different if they were simply allowed to grow their hair and wear whatever the hell they wanted while being reminded that it was impossible to actually change sex but it was possible to become more comfortable with your own body.

You can see how childish their members are from these drawings on the leaflet.
This group is definitely targeting children.

Bookmarking as have 'trans training' in school first day back in September and lots of useful references here.

Hopefully they'll start by making reference to the Cass Review? If they don't they need to be challenged about it.

I want to see teachers/schools/medical professionals/anyone else involved in transing children taking responsibility for what they do when they trans a child at school.

I think if teachers & others knew they could be taken to court for doing this level of damage to a child, they might not be so quick to jump in & destroy so many children.

I know there are plenty of teachers etc.. who do not push trans ideology, but there are plenty who do & they need to be stopped.

Teachers who don't want to trans children also need to be able to say they can't so they can't be taken to court, protecting themselves & the children involved.

Right now, it seems like none of them are held accountable for this.
They can do as they like.

Namerchangerextraordinaire · Today 03:24
I want to see teachers/schools/medical professionals/anyone else involved in transing children taking responsibility for what they do when they trans a child at school.

I think if teachers & others knew they could be taken to court for doing this level of damage to a child, they might not be so quick to jump in & destroy so many children.

I know there are plenty of teachers etc.. who do not push trans ideology, but there are plenty who do & they need to be stopped.

Teachers who don't want to trans children also need to be able to say they can't so they can't be taken to court, protecting themselves & the children involved.

Right now, it seems like none of them are held accountable for this.
They can do as they like.

I agree with all you say. What on earth has got hold of their minds?

I'd like to see the people involved held responsible for their actions too, but I doubt most of them will be. Maybe a few unfortunate ones will be whilst others more heavily involved will find a way to wriggle out of responsibility.

I think the problem is it's so widespread, it's not like one parent or teacher randomly transes a child - they'll be loads of people involved in every case. The people who trained the staff at the school, the sources staff got their information from, the management encouraging it, the parents, parents friends, Mermaids advising the parents... It's hard to pinpoint clear responsibility. Everyone encouraging everyone else and quashing dissent.

In the case I mentioned upthread, one parent was advised to go to Mermaids and basically followed everything they said uncritically. Who's responsible? Well, Mermaids definitely. But also those who portray them as specialists who know the best thing for children. The parent is responsible too, but many people seem to lack the ability to think critically and will believe those in (apparent) authority, so schools/government/etc pushing a certain line have a lot to answer for.

There is obviously someone I'd like to see in court... A lot of this leads back to one place.

I think if teachers & others knew they could be taken to court for doing this level of damage to a child, they might not be so quick to jump in & destroy so many children.

While not disagreeing with forcing teachers to face the consequences, to be fair to them, they're taking their lead from the DfE, the unions and even Ofsted. The NAHT was captured very early with (as usual) self invested individuals writing a dire policy. Another self interested individual led the DfE's charge to fund and involve Stonewall in schools.
Ofsted have been complicit and are surprisingly silent about the safeguarding busting "Stonewall / LGBT" groups in schools - although I suspect a school allowing a group of middle aged males running groups for girls to explore their heterosexuality would be in special measures pretty promptly.
That's how insane all this is.

Those with power over schools need to be reined in to prioritise safeguarding children rather than the demands of the queer theorists - then the rest will follow

In the case I mentioned upthread, one parent was advised to go to Mermaids and basically followed everything they said uncritically. Who's responsible? Well, Mermaids definitely.

Don't be so sure. Didn't Stonewall get away with advising Allison Bailey's employers to break the law by stating in court that they merely advise, and it's their clients responsibility whether or not they choose to follow that advice?

MrsOvertonsWindow · Today 09:38
I think if teachers & others knew they could be taken to court for doing this level of damage to a child, they might not be so quick to jump in & destroy so many children.

While not disagreeing with forcing teachers to face the consequences, to be fair to them, they're taking their lead from the DfE, the unions and even Ofsted. The NAHT was captured very early with (as usual) self invested individuals writing a dire policy. Another self interested individual led the DfE's charge to fund and involve Stonewall in schools.

Ofsted have been complicit and are surprisingly silent about the safeguarding busting "Stonewall / LGBT" groups in schools - although I suspect a school allowing a group of middle aged males running groups for girls to explore their heterosexuality would be in special measures pretty promptly.

*That's how insane all this is+.

Those with power over schools need to be reined in to prioritise safeguarding children rather than the demands of the queer theorists - then the rest will follow

I think some of the teachers are already TWAW champions even before seeing the ‘official’ guidance from various sources apparently directing them to affirm trans gender identity in their pupils.

As for OFSTED, there was a thread some months ago about how schools couldn’t get an ‘Outstanding’ reports without Stonewall (?) points but unfortunately I can’t remember the details. Can anyone else here?

The DfE could be held responsible. The senior civil servant (now sacked) responsible for Stonewall's influence I believe had a vested personal interest & received awards from Stonewall for removing single sex toilets (in clear breach of the Nolan principles).
But for parents suing a school - the school points out they followed DFE advice to use Stonewall, Mermaids, GIRES etc. Are civil servants ever held responsible for breaching Nolan? For corruption? For pushing self interest at the expense of others? I suspect not.

This may be the thread about OFFSTED marking schools down, if not it is similar to the one I remembered. I see they were marked down for not teaching enough ‘gender identity’.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4571980-ofsted-cites-lack-of-gender-identity-lessons-as-factor-in-primary-school-grading

RE:OFFSTED marking schools down for not enough ‘gender identity’ teaching,
this is why this petition matters but it isn’t getting much response:

Remove references to 'gender identity' from relationships education guidance'
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/618970

The senior civil servant (now sacked) responsible for Stonewall's influence I believe had a vested personal interest & received awards from Stonewall for removing single sex toilets (in clear breach of the Nolan principles).

Single sex toilets in schools are a legal requirement.

Separate toilet facilities for boys and girls aged 8 years or over must be provided except where the toilet facility is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and that is intended for use by one pupil at a time.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1943/made

(This applies to England. I'm not sure if it's the same for the rest of the UK.)

Thanks OldCrone. I wasn't clear. He got his Stonewall award for enforcing mixed sex toilets in the DfE - not schools. But having written repeatedly to government ministers complaining about mixed sex changing rooms, toilets etc in schools, the responses ( written by civil servants for ministers to sign) showed a worrying number of them over keen on girls being forced to toilet and undress alongside males.

As pp have said it's extremely complex.

You have teacher training colleges/ universities also teaching this ideology. Edutwitter is ridiculous.

Most teachers who've never been on this board haven't a clue and trust the system.

Which is why it's so important that this is being dismantled from Cass and also that a clear statement needs to be made by the dfe. However, as I said, the rot is so deep it's going to be v hard to help many understand the issues.

Diversity signalling is rife. Over the last few years I've been rather stunned at the inability of my colleagues and other teachers to think particularly critically on other matters. Education was very spoon fed under labour.

Ofsted and keeping children safe in education is key too. What ever they look for, predominantly KCSIE, schools do.

There was a small article in the Sunday times that Suella Braverman is to announce soon that schools have no obligation to make any changes for trans identifying children.