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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

So, in single sex schools, if a girl wants to..

33 replies

GingereIIa · 16/04/2023 09:35

..be called a boys name, and wear the clothes of a boy , and want to be known as a boy etc. also wanting to go the whole hog, would the school be known as mixed? Or would thy have to leave? Or what?
Likewise if a boy wanted to do the same, could they then go to a girl's school because they identify as a male?

OP posts:
sleepwhenidie · 16/04/2023 09:44

it would obviously depend on individual school approach. Interestingly the London Girls School Consortium put out a statement a year or two ago saying that only natal girls would be admitted to their schools. In practice, in the situation you describe, female students identifying as NB or male and using male/alternative names are allowed to do so - tbh they are all still biological girls so it isn’t the same as a boy identifying as a girl in a mixed school, or attempting to enrol at a girls school.

TeiTetua · 16/04/2023 18:02

Logically, I'd have thought that a girl who decides that they're actually a boy, and who's attending a girls' school, should expect to be expelled. They should be proud and happy to have their gender affirmed in such a way!

But logic is far from the transgender mind.

NoRiffRaff · 16/04/2023 18:32

NC for this. I work in a girls’ school and we have several that are following the trend. We have to call them by whichever name they choose, even if they change their mind on a weekly basis. We have provided a ‘unisex’ toilet.
Name of the school is ‘X Girls’ School’ but we are not allowed to refer to girls or daughters in communications or when talking to the girls. ‘Head Girl’ is now ‘Head Student’.

Precipice · 16/04/2023 18:36

wear the clothes of a boy

What does this mean, in the context of school uniform? Schools should allow girls to wear trousers and most schools have uniforms that allow for either trousers and skirts.

Gizlotsmum · 16/04/2023 18:39

in my experience they have stayed at the school.

twelly · 16/04/2023 18:43

The whole situation is a mess - I don't believe that anyone can change sex/gender so think a female is always a female and a male is always a male so no a girl identifying as a boy is not fact and therefore they can stay at the girls school but males cannot be admitted. I don't believe the child should be called a new name but clearly they can wear trousers if the uniform lets them and they can cut their hair short.

parietal · 16/04/2023 19:16

My dc are at an all girls school. One has short hair and wears a skirt. The other has long hair and only wears trousers (which are allowed in the uniform). Neither have expressed any gender issues but if they did I'd do everything possible to keep them at the school. One friend is non binary but it doesn't seem to be a big deal - I think there is less to rebel against in single sex school.

SummerSazz · 16/04/2023 19:19

At my DDs all girls schools they have a number who identify as boys. Not expelled and I don't think they should be.

However..... I do wonder how if they are so sure they are a boy then wouldn't they be 'triggered' by attending an all girls school 🤔🤷‍♀️

Walkingtheplank · 16/04/2023 19:26

GDST (Girls Day School Trust) have stated that only girls can attend.
So girls identifying as boys can attend, but boys identifying as girls can not.

Anotheranonymousname · 16/04/2023 19:26

At my DDs' school, the uniform is skirts or trousers anyway so there's nothing doing on that front. There are a number of girls who identify as male and go by male names. Interestingly, the older students I know who identify as male seem to have opted for quite traditional male names e.g. David, Joshua etc. whereas the Y7/8 girls have chosen more unisex names along the lines of Arlo, Rio etc. No-one seems to have been excluded from the school for identifying as male.

howdoesatoastermaketoast · 16/04/2023 19:49

I believe that in the UK single sex schools have made a clear distinction between sex and GI (for those that would say they had one)

Female children regardless of their feelings about their gender identity. Likewise you do not (now or ever) get chucked out of Eton for dressing in a frock.

Orchidflower1 · 16/04/2023 19:57

What they SHOULD do and what ACTUALLY happens is likely two different things. Obviously they should leave.

Binfire · 16/04/2023 20:04

My DD attends a girls school (state school), she tells me that boys have transferred over from the boys school who now identity as girls whereas girls who identify as boys are staying at the girls school. So they’re all at the girls school 🤷‍♀️ Not to mention the furries.
Utter madness!

Quartz2208 · 16/04/2023 20:06

Work in a girls school we have a Year 13 who has legally name changed and is a boy and a year 12 who is heading that way.

SummerSazz · 16/04/2023 20:07

Binfire · 16/04/2023 20:04

My DD attends a girls school (state school), she tells me that boys have transferred over from the boys school who now identity as girls whereas girls who identify as boys are staying at the girls school. So they’re all at the girls school 🤷‍♀️ Not to mention the furries.
Utter madness!

Wow! I would not be happy with that. Madness

Leafstamp · 16/04/2023 20:10

Quartz2208 · 16/04/2023 20:06

Work in a girls school we have a Year 13 who has legally name changed and is a boy and a year 12 who is heading that way.

This is bonkers. In what way is she a boy?

Original poster
GingereIIa · 17/04/2023 12:14

NoRiffRaff · 16/04/2023 18:32

NC for this. I work in a girls’ school and we have several that are following the trend. We have to call them by whichever name they choose, even if they change their mind on a weekly basis. We have provided a ‘unisex’ toilet.
Name of the school is ‘X Girls’ School’ but we are not allowed to refer to girls or daughters in communications or when talking to the girls. ‘Head Girl’ is now ‘Head Student’.

Jesus wept. What has this life become?

OP posts:
Original poster
GingereIIa · 17/04/2023 12:17

SummerSazz · 16/04/2023 19:19

At my DDs all girls schools they have a number who identify as boys. Not expelled and I don't think they should be.

However..... I do wonder how if they are so sure they are a boy then wouldn't they be 'triggered' by attending an all girls school 🤔🤷‍♀️

Of course they shouldn't be expelled, but could a boy who identifies as a girl join a girls school??? The same as prisons letting trans women go into a women's prison

OP posts:
flotsomandjetsome · 17/04/2023 12:29

DD is at a girls school. In her time there has been one student who can back to 6th form (who don't need to wear the uniform which is obviously for girls) wearing boys clothes clothes and using a boys name.

As they were still female, toilets and changing rooms were not an issue to the other girls, and I think they used 'they' pronouns.

The school was/is still a girls school, the school was ok using the changed name and no uniform rules were broken. The girls weren't bothered as they didn't feel their spaces were being threatened by males.

This would be a very different story if it were a male student wanting to attend as a girl - but knowing the school I very much think they would not take on a student in that situation.

Thelnebriati · 17/04/2023 12:51

Children cannot legally transition as they cannot apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, so however they present socially the school would still be single sex.

IDK why schools are suddenly pandering to children like this. Girls are still expected to wear uniform and follow other rules; they are still strictly policed because short skirts distract male pupils and staff; so this isn't about a sudden new belief that children should be allowed to express themselves.

steppemum · 17/04/2023 15:33

mine go to an all girls school.

Many within the school identifying as non-binary and/or trans
Many changing names and pornouns.

School calls them by chosen name unless parents specifically forbid it, and then they apologetically tell students they aren't allowed to use their prefered name 😡
That also means that kids whose parents don't know just change names and pronouns.

toilets haven't changed. School now refers to our students not our girls.

There was some discussion a while bakc as to what they would do if a boy who identified as a girl applied, but the discussion seems to have been quietly dropped.

TheaBrandt · 17/04/2023 15:38

My understanding (girls state) is that girls that decide to identify as boys can stay but actual boys who identify as girls are not allowed to join the school (headmistress quite formidable). I think they’ve got about right.

KillerSandy · 17/04/2023 15:41

Local girls' school - they have several girls who identify as boys and yes they are called by their chosen name. No reference is to be made to girls - students. They are still as girls' school. As yet no boys have applied to go to the school. No idea what would happen.

ODFOx · 17/04/2023 15:57

At DDs (all girl) school they took a watchful waiting approach, used the preferred name and did nothing else. All of DDs peer group who tried out a trans identity had decided on female by the end of school.

Zodfa · 18/04/2023 10:49

A pro-trans school would kick them out: they're not "girls". A gender-critical school would refuse them special treatment (uniform, pronouns): they're not boys. The actual inconsistent practice adopted by most schools of pandering to them just shows their moral corruption. They shouldn't get their cake and eat it.

I suspect their may be rather more trans-identified girls in single-sex schools as any girl regularly exposed to the reality of boys that age is unlikely to see it as something aspirational. Of course the "trans boy" identity has little to do with actual boys at the best of times, and even the ones in single-sex schools are savvy enough about what real boys are like to have no desire to move institution.