‘Trans children more likely to be white and privileged’ says head

[hholiday]

In The Times today. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/trans-children-white-privilege-katherine-birbalsingh-73d578v7q

There is no statistical evidence of the headteacher’s claim in the article (it’s anecdotal, based on the fact she teaches at an inner city London school and says it’s not really an issue there). And the Cass review and others have given other explanations for the transgender trend among young people, eg autism. But I thought it was really interesting it was being discussed at all - and so bluntly. It would be interesting if this view does get looked into a bit more, as I suspect if there’s one thing likely to bring the transgender movement skidding to a halt among kids, it would be the idea that it’s something for the rich and privileged.

Archive link here: archive.is/alC3d

There is a significant cohort of looked after children in the adolescent trans population. This head teacher may not be seeing them at her school. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist. She is not as well informed on this issue as she thinks she is.

The data shows she's correct with GIDS evidenceing over 80% white british referrals.
Children looked after by the state were one of the first groups to be relentlessly targeted by dubious trans activists and organisations. Children alienated from / rejected by their families were such easy pickings.
Once the intimidation of teachers was completed by disciplining any of them who dared suggest safeguarding instead of transitioning children in their care, targeting all children was easy for transactivists.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37698232/

Such a massive failure of schools to safeguard children from immense harm.

I have no data or expertise, but it's possible for something to be simultaneously a trauma response for one group of children, e.g. CSA victims, and also at the same time a luxury belief or self-indulgent posturing for another group, e.g. privileged white kids. Trans is not necessarily just one thing.

You just have to look at the protest to see that it’s pretty much all middle class privileged student types. Hardly a ‘diverse’ crowd there. I wonder the reason for this phenomena?

Looked after gender questioning children have really been failed. From social workers to foster parents and carehome managers, all these staff would have been following the DEI guidance and at risk of disciplinary and/or being ostracised by colleagues if they dared stray from the party line.

Yes - the capture of all our regulatory bodies by trans extremism has been catastrophic for children's safety and wellbeing (and their future for some of them).

The data shows she's correct with GIDS evidenceing over 80% white british referrals.

According to the last census 81.7% of the population of England and Wales identified themselves as white. In Scotland it was 92.9% and North Ireland was 96.6%. So 80% white British referrals is about right.

How can you tell?
What are your signifiers of 'middle class privileged student types'?
How do you define 'middle class' in 2025?

Just because they are the protestors doesn't mean they are the the full spectrum of gender questioning kids. Student types have always been active protestors.

Via my work I see a lot of kids who are questioning their identity. The vast, vast majority are autistic and they are often vulnerable. Yes white kids predominate. I don't see a heavy class bias especially amongst ROGD type trans boys (natal girls). I certainly wouldn't describe them as privileged middle class kids.

Just a vibe I get from the professional protesters - not all of them, but a chink.

Clearly don’t need to work to they. Their main problems are trans rights, just stop oil bullshit, anything but real world problems like having to work long hours to feed your family. They are luxury causes most people don’t have the brain space for as too busy having to work for a living.

I was going to say that the most common denominator seems to me to be vulnerability.

I think this is a really important point of investigation - there does seem to be a very high proportion of university educated, able bodied, white males in the adult cohort.

Also a huge cohort at Oxbridge - is it the privilege or the neuro diversity speaking?

She's simply talking from her experience if I talked from mine it would be slightly different my experience is squeaky wheel girls getting attention for swinging between I'm a boy call me x to I'm a girl etc there parents are not paying as much attention to them anymore for various reasons younger siblings new relationship etc suddenly these girls want to cut their hair change their name wear a rainbow

"vibes"

I do also wonder whether a Michaela school is the type of environment that encourages or even tolerates exploration of identity and free expression.

Schools have a responsibility to educate children and to promote their wellbeing. No matter how much transactivists insist, a school's role is not to promote "exploration of identity" in terms of sex change. It's to ensure children are able to explore their developing identities as members of communities, families, through their learning, sport, choirs, hobbies etc.

Exploring your sexual / gender identity is not for schools to promote via over eager adults desperate to share their feelings on the subjects. I'm not promoting Michaela's particular ethos - more pointing out the hazards to children of allowing so many porn soaked, gender identity organisations and adults to influence schools

What are “squeaky wheel girls”? Genuine question.

For a child to get to a gender clinic, or for their parents to go into the school to discuss their gender identity, the parents are more likely to be aware and supportive of trans ideology.

Poorer, immigrant families are less likely to be supportive and in a school like Michaela's parents would need to be involved to have any hope of pronoun changes at school.

The problem is that clinics tend not to record class of families, so little is available to prove or disprove its a middle class phenomenon. And now its been taught in so many schools, lots of children will be exposed to it now.

That's not what I meant for goodness sake.

I am not saying that any school that doesn't have its roof painted in rainbow colours and a huge Stonewall banner is oppressive.

I mean this particular school banned expressions of faith and worship. They don't like autistic kids not being comfortable giving eye contact. Etc
It's a different scale.

All schools have legal responsibilities for faith via RE & collective worship. Are you saying they breach those legal responsibilities? Or do you mean they refused to allow a Muslim prayer room? I know a number of schools that have held the line on that.

I have noticed several girls using boys names that fly under the radar as they are Asian and the names they choose are not English, or they are Chinese choosing masculine English names.
I don't think I have met a black gc kid yet, but that might be just my area.
I don't know a single gender questioning child who is not vulnerable for some reason. Either autistic (mostly autistic) and/or LAC, or edge of care, or middle class neglect/ family under pressure.

Yes

This is so true there was a local Grammar school sixth form a few years ago where they were all non-binary.

up the road the average state school sixth form I had hardly any non-binary kids

I thnk the demographics of the child cohort of those with a trans identity also goes some way to explain how they're a noticeably safe cohort. In terms of facing the risk of violence or worse.