School raising money for Stonewall.

[Lavender1974]

My DD's school sent an email today advertising a Pride event raising money for Stonewall. The event itself sounds fine - it's an after school event which is ticketed and organised by the school's 'Pride team' - but I was shocked to see that Stonewall is being centred. Surely they are deeply controversial now? As it's after school, I feel like I could probably ignore it but I have this nagging feeling that it would be unprincipled of me not to at least politely question it. My DD would kill me for getting involved though although she hasn't mentioned it. Is this worth me putting my head above the parapet for do you think? Is it possible the organisers are not aware of the controversy? Is it perhaps not common knowledge?

I’d politely question it, for sure. If I could think of an uncontroversial alternative I’d suggest it.

It’s hard to know what’s common knowledge these days, isn’t it? So many people don’t watch the news, we all see our own algorithm-controlled feeds…

I would go with as a ltd company they were not in a good financial position last year and due to the US funding cuts nolonger likely to be a going concern so any funds raised are not likely to be of benefit.

So a local service for young people may be a better choice

I think schools plan these things ages in advance but really you’d think they could choose someone else. My kids primary school recently did an equality workshop it’s ok for boys to like pink, or cry or girls to like blue etc.

Last year it was all trans and rainbows. They can make a vagina/ penis delivered like a gotcha. I was very unimpressed.

I think @AnSolas 's take is a good one. Very neutral. If you could find a local young person's charity instead? (hard though because stonewall has really taken over generally)

Hope it's not Surrey Pride OP?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/sutton-pride-surrey-guildford-crown-court-grindr-b1216596.html

If you want to be upfront with them, it's worth pointing out to the school that the Supreme Court judgement evidences that Stonewall have been lying making incorrect statements about the law leading to girls having their right to single sex sports, changing rooms, toilets etc removed along with them promoting the lie that children can be born in the wrong body with a sex change being the cure.

I think it’s definitely possibly they don’t realise the controversy and I would write in to highlight.

If they double down then please let someone* know the details so that this can be reported up the chain.

*like Safe Schools Alliance or Transgender Trend

The school should have done some due diligence. I’d be annoyed and speak to them.

Many thanks for replies. Am thinking about how to approach the school in low key way.

I would point out that Stonewall is in legal and financial difficulties, largely due to its own mismanagement.

They have been found to have given incorrect legal advice by either deliberately or negligently misrepresenting the law when delivering training to employers, particularly regarding single sex spaces. This is an incredibly live issue in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment. Over the last few years increasing numbers of employers have been cutting ties with Stonewall and that trend is likely to continue and even accelerate now.

They have also come out with some pretty homophobic statements such as calling lesbians prejudiced for not wanting to have sexual relationships with trans women. This has led many people to question whether Stonewall actually support the rights of same sex attracted people anymore, or whether they have become solely a trans activist organisation.

By publicly supporting Stonewall the school is taking a political position in favour of a highly controversial organisation.

It's also unclear what supporting Stonewall does to help children who are struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity, and children should really be the school's focus.

The difficulty is that I can't think of a charity to suggest instead of Stonewall.

Ideally something focused on children, but not one which is going to encourage them to transition, like Mermaids. Perhaps a charity focused on advocating for gay people's rights in developing countries.

I've questioned schools' support of LGBTYS before. I opened with, something like - surprised to see support for this organisation, after all the controversy.

Was then asked what controversy, so shared news articles, etc.

Head was shocked and confirmed they would not be referencing the org again.

Primary School or Secondary, and is the event organised by pupils or staff?

Maybe you could say that you understand that Stonewall has been involved in giving incorrect legal advice to schools, and that you are worried about the school budget should they be taken to court?

The difficulty is that I can't think of a charity to suggest instead of Stonewall.

Ideally something focused on children, but not one which is going to encourage them to transition, like Mermaids. Perhaps a charity focused on advocating for gay people's rights in developing countries.

Agree with above.

The LGB Alliance is the obvious alternative, but although Mermaids spectacularly lost its attempt to get LGBA deregistered as a charity, that would probably be seen as a provocative choice by some. I hope this will change.

I wonder if we will still see the same focus on Pride in a few years' time. This is not my area, but I naively thought things were going very much for the better in the area of gay rights. Protection in the Equality Act, same-sex marriage, big changes in social atittudes showing up in polls, far more visible role models than there used to be. Obviously homophobia has not gone awayand there will always be a need to monitor and challenge that. Some religious groups are irredeemably homophobic, which is a tricky area given they are also protected under the Equality Act.

But taken all round, would it be fair to say that activists for gay rights have made far more progress than activists for other minority groups, e.g. people with disabilities? And yet when it comes to EDI initiatives LGBTQ++ seems to dominate. My hunch is that it's just far easier to put on a Pride event than put in the work to improve access to buildings for wheelchair users or work out why women from certain ethnic groups are not represented in your workforce. Great for social media too, because of the photo opportunities.

I hope that by the end of the year, all EDI departments will have strict instructions to get advice from lawyers, not advocacy groups, if for no other reason than that it saves legal costs in the long term.

Wouldn't a children's disability or health charity be more appropriate for a school?

Something smaller and local where you can see what they do with the money.

I'd just point out the Supreme Court judgment evidence that Stonewall have made incorrect statements about the law. Very neutral but incontrovertible.