The women fighting to keep trans activism out of the classroom

[IwantToRetire]

As gender ideology infiltrates schools, more children are identifying as a different sex. This grassroots group is taking action.

One morning last June, outside a primary school in Devon, three women stood unobtrusively at the school gates handing out leaflets.
They were there at the request of a parent who was worried that an outside organisation had been invited in to teach the children – some as young as six – about “inclusiveness”.

On the surface, this appeared harmless. But this parent had safeguarding concerns about this particular LGBTQ+ supportive group – Pop’n’Olly – whose materials include teaching children about the “gender unicorn” and that a child can be born “male”, “female” or "another sex".

The three local women – Cathy Mudge, a retired midwife, Gilli Blick, a retired solicitor and grandmother, and Jenny Dingsdale, a mother of two children aged 11 and nine – decided to take some gentle direct action.

Article continues at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/02/women-fighting-to-keep-trans-activism-out-of-classrooms/

And at https://archive.is/19b6P

This is the website for this group:
https://protectteach.co.uk/

sound like an interesting bunch

Yes they do.

It would be good to have a FWR resources thread, where (if we can all contain ourselves from wanting to comment!) each post is just about a really useful and inspiriting groups like this one.

oops - I see my typos and my bad spelling has led to a new word - inspiriting!

I am sure it is something positive and uplifting.

Thanks for the inspiritisation😄

While I applaud the group mentioned in the OP, and 'protect the children from trans' is a valid aim, it also feeds into the TRA accusation that this is simply the same hysterical 'moral panic' that spawned Section 28 in the 1980s.

Obviously I don't think that at all, but my main reason for not wanting trans ideology in schools is because it is factually incorrect, and I expect schools to stick to facts.

Schools teaching inaccuracies like that there are more than two sexes, that you can transition away form the sex you were born into, that some men are actually women and vice versa, when these are just factually wrong bothers me as a matter of principle.

It would be like teaching children that the earth is flat - it's just plain demonstrably provably factually wrong.

As I write this I am aware that children are taught things that are not scientifically provable, like that you must use your indoor voice indoors😄but human sex is a matter of biology, not opinion.

'protect the children from trans' is not a valid aim. It implies intolerance.

Protecting children from ideological buffoonery that conflates sex and gender. That challenges biological reality. That unnecessarily confuses small children's sense of self. Those are valid aims.

it also feeds into the TRA accusation that this is simply the same hysterical 'moral panic' that spawned Section 28 in the 1980s.

From their web site:

Mission Statement:

We propose to protect children in education. We intend to keep our children, our grandchildren, our nephews and nieces, children in the care of the state as well as your children and grandchildren safe from gender ideology which is sweeping unchecked through educational establishments, children’s services, children’s clubs and associations, children’s television programs, children’s books and children’s entertainment.

In order to further our mission we have joined with a large number of interested adults from all walks of life to pursue our stated aims in the most effective ways we can find. These other adults are welcome associates to Protect&Teach

They use the phrase "gender ideology" so took it to mean more than just being "anti trans". Maybe?

But thanks for continuing the inspiritisation!

Pushing for the re-introduction of section 28 but this time for trans kids is appalling. Transsexuals don't suddenly turn trans when we turn 18. I was having sex dysphoria in primary school.

There's a huge difference between learning about gender dysphoria and having an anti science based political campaign material included because people are frightened of TRAs.

Apart from women, the group suffering most from TRA activism is those with gender dysphoria.

They have an excellent publication on their website on safeguarding matters. Parents can download and send in to support any concerns.

i also heard an interesting point made by a parent recently about their autistic young person who was socially transitioned at school. Discovered on ParentPay. They went into school and pointed out that while they were happily being “inclusive” they were also putting in motion things they didn’t understand and wouldn’t have to deal with post 18. The school did a survey of its past pupils with trans identities and discovered that all was not at all well… the school took a much more neutral stance thereafter. Such a great way to deal with this problem.

'protect the children from trans'

That phrase does not occur in the article nor on their website.

No, what is appalling is brainwashing children into believing that they can be born in the "wrong body "

I never suggested it did. I was responding to the comment immediately above mine.

Children who have sex dysphoria should.be support to come to terms with their body. They should not ever be told that they can change sex.

"Schools teaching inaccuracies like that there are more than two sexes, that you can transition away form the sex you were born into, that some men are actually women and vice versa, when these are just factually wrong bothers me as a matter of principle."

Schools do not teach that there are more than two sexes. This is a straw man argument.

Schools as part of pshe will present the concept of gender and usually also the idea that some people do not accept it.

Being gender critical is a a protected belief but then so is the alternate view that sex and gender are not the same

Sex and gender aren't the same thing. Our schools should be teaching that. They should also be teaching the negative impact of gender stereotyping. They should not be teaching that boys can become girls if the boy feels like wearing a dress playing with dolls.

Schools do not teach that there are more than two sexes. This is a straw man argument.

From the article:

an outside organisation had been invited in to teach the children – some as young as six – about “inclusiveness”.

On the surface, this appeared harmless. But this parent had safeguarding concerns about this particular LGBTQ+ supportive group – Pop’n’Olly – whose materials include teaching children about the “gender unicorn” and that a child can be born “male”, “female” or "another sex".

This is presented as a direct quote from their material. Is this wrong? I can't see the actual material without signing up. Can you quote what they actually say if the Telegraph has got it wrong?

Being gender critical is a a protected belief but then so is the alternate view that sex and gender are not the same

That isn't an "alternate view", it's part of being gender critical.

Sex is biological. Gender is stereotypes.

Not so.

My school explicitly taught (year 8 and year 9) that there were 3 sexes.

It taught that gender identity was fact, and it was unacceptable not to agree.

🤯What was the third sex?

Intersex of course, Betty!

Nope the courts are very clear on what is and is not legally recognised as a PC.

Just because it has ruled on GC it has not ruled on all alternative version of sex and gender not being the same thing.

So if a branch of transgenderism is upselling that belief the (non-GC) individual who holds that belief is not recognised as having a PC.

And "usually also" is doing some heavy lifting there

Trans activists have been extremely clever (cunning) in their approach.

For children, they have co-opted the Jesuits', Give me a child until the age of seven and I will show you the man.

There is at least one generation which will take a lot of unpicking, if it is even possible to do so.

The main problem has been the outsourcing of this to lobby groups and those with a vested interest in pushing queer theory at children. Few teachers - apart from self invested transactivists - have the time or energy to keep up to date with all this.
Until very recently the DfE and even Osted were pushing trans ideology at children so it's no surprise about the lack of critical thinking and the assumption that the Pop'n'Olly's of the world are experts in child development / psychology - as opposed to grifters with a very lucrative gig.
The SRE curriculum guidelines are much more clear than they used to be. It would help if the government updated the draft guidelines on gender questioning children. Schools are under immense pressure from the self invested desperate that schools teach gender ideology uncritically rather than comply with the requirements to be politically impartial, age appropriate and address the needs of all children

https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf

"That isn't an "alternate view", it's part of being gender critical."

True, but not everyone is gender critical. Other people are not gender critical and as inclusive institutions will also share non gender critical viewpoints especially with it being LGBTQ + month.

Inclusive insitutions is a loaded term

So is the +

Schools with the obligation to safeguard young children need to be careful what they are allowing be taught to the children and careful about who they are allowing to do the teaching

But teaching children total nonsense like there being more than two sexes or that it's possible to be born in the wrong body shouldn't be part of the curriculum.

"Not being gender critical" is synonymous with thinking that gender stereotypes should be promoted to children. This shouldn't be part of the curriculum either.

What "non gender critical viewpoints" do you think children should be taught?