Heads should stop teachers allowing children to identify as cats, says No 10

[IwantToRetire]

The spokesman said that teachers should not teach “contested opinions as facts” and called for headteachers to intervene in extreme cases.

“It would not be right to comment on the actions of a specific individual or a specific school without knowing the full details, but we understand why these reports will be concerning for parents,” the spokesman said.

“In broad terms, teachers have a responsibility to encourage their students to engage respectfully with those they disagree with.

“They should also not be teaching contested opinions as fact, shutting down valid discussions and debates.

“It’s important parents and carers are reassured that children aren’t being influenced by personal views of those teaching them. Any example that strays from this would be wrong and we would expect headteachers to act.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/20/rye-college-children-neo-pronouns-cats-moons-rishi-sunak/

Unlike the headline the article makes it clear that a "spokesman" (how old fashioned and sexist shouldn't that be spokesperson?!) has said this so Sunak may or may not have a public opinion about this ...

But the Telegraph seems to be keen to keep the issue of self identifying on their front pages.

When I first heard about children doing this I thought (hoped) that it was younger children making fun of the trans generation, but seems not.

NB article is behind a paywall but can be read at https://archive.ph by entering the Telegraph URL above into the box.

(The cat in picture below looks very cross. Probably feels the same way GC women feel - outraged at the notion that some young human could in any way know or speak with experience based knowledge about being a cat!)

My view has always been that the stance on trans by society should have been .
Most people are born as men or women. You can not change what sex you are.
A small number of people feel they should have been the opposite sex to the one they were born as. Some take medications or even have operations so they look more like that sex. They choose to dress as that sex and live as that sex. However, they are still genetically the sex they were born with.
We are a tolerant society and we allow people to live in whatever way they choose as long as it causes no harm to others.We should treat everyone with respect.
There are provisions for everyone in society- toilets for men, toilets for women and toilets that anyone can choose to use.Changing rooms the same.
However, some places/activities remain single sex and everyone has to respect that.

What's wrong with that as a stance?

Exactly!

@LuluBlakey1 in some places that’s not what happens, though. Unisex changing rooms in places like Hollisters, unisex toilets like MCR university, to name just 2 I came across in the past few days (yes, I don’t go out a lot and I didn’t know about this stuff). I understand where it’s not possible, like aeroplanes, and people manage perfectly well, but it’s not something I want otherwise. My DD didn’t see anything amiss with this 😒

PS I agree otherwise @LuluBlakey1

That would never be enough for the TRAs as it doesn't directly affirm their delusion or allow the thrill of co-opting others into their AGP fantasies.

SmurfetteSalad · Today 21:20
Exactly from me too.

Yes, I know but had we adopted this straightforward approach from the start instead of allowing ourselves (I mean society in general rather than you or me) to be bullied into going along with all this stuff we wouldn't be in this mess.

Yes, but perhaps because society went along with the ridiculousness because we were almost afraid to stop it and stand up to them.I can not understand why we have not simply promoted what I am suggesting was sensible- I think the vast majority would agree with it.

The more people this peaks the better.

Isn't that the view that the teacher was saying? Biological sex and gender are different, you can identify differently to your biological sex and people shouldn't be called weird or crazy?

Is it just me or is this whole story basically The Emperor's New Clothes?

A whole load of adults afraid to say what's true and a couple of teenage girls come along and say "you're not a cat, mate!"

Your suggestion does rely on 'living as they opposite sex' actually meaning something though and it only can with reference to stereotypes whichever should be dismantling not reinforcing.

I think the vast majority would agree with it.

They probably would, but suggesting this would have stopped it is really niave.

The trans agenda took hold within the establishment because through queer networking many TRAs got into positons of influence or on committees. And by the time any of us realised how far it had gone, probably the consultation on the GRA, it was too late.

Most of the media (who have the most influence) and decision makers had swalled the Stonewall agenda.

And when some tried to raise concerns, as we are now well aware, the backlash and bullying started.

And added to this is the underlying misogyny in society that says women's righta are never as important as anyone elses.

The TRA agenda was heavily amplified by the MRA agenda that were only too happy to tell women they could expect to be listened to.

And as with so many other things social contagion is hard to stop.

The idea that a few sensible women saying this is straight forward and will give everyone what they need, and the male dominated population would go of course is just not plausible.

If it was that simple how come in terms of the public as a whole, are at best on the be kind agenda. Because women are as always expected to give way to others.

And as said upthread, what had once been about a few people with genuine gender dysphoria had been hijacked by a politics who prioritised winning at any costs. ie the agenda if to make sure that women publicly bow down to their needs being superior to everyone else's, especially women.

There's an audio recording made by the girls in class linked to have n this report: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12209919/Full-audio-Student-rejected-classmates-claim-shes-CAT-scolded-teacher.html

I'm not sure if you have missed a word out or something or perhaps I am tired- but I can't quite make sense of your reply.

If this girl really wants to live as a cat, then like a cat, she’s not entitled to an education or to wear clothing. No pizza and chips or any human food, only cat meat served on the floor twice daily, only water to drink. No loo, just a tray to pee and poo in. 😂 Lets see how long the delusion lasts.

She shouldn't be in school, because cats don't go to school. She can stay home with her parents and sit on the sideboard or something.

Keir Starmer may not know the biological difference between a man and a woman but is able to see that biologically a child is not a cat.

Is this a positive step forward for the Labour Party or will there be a backlash from those who see all of this as a coded attack on trans self identifying?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/06/21/keir-starmer-children-self-identifying-as-cats/

Simon Edge's next book is just writing itself...!

It was always going to descend into utter absurdity and I believe we have further to go yet.

Yes, even if the cat aspect wasn't there, those girls were being ordered by a teacher to believe in gender ideology nonsense and lectured about intersex and how the sex binary doesn't exist.

Found this cartoon and posted it on another thread, but it's too daft to miss

So identifying as a cat is clearly “ridiculous” but men self identifying as women is absolutely fine

is he really that hard of thinking?

Isn't that the view that the teacher was saying? Biological sex and gender are different, you can identify differently to your biological sex and people shouldn't be called weird or crazy?

But, @noblegiraffe, what is gender? What does it actually mean to "identify as a gender"?

People on this board have been asking this for years now, to no avail.

In a nutshell, what does 'living as the opposite sex' mean?

Having periods? Doing all the housework? Earning less?

It's awxiat claptrap to think that putting on a dress and surgically altering your body means you're living as a woman.