Guidelines for all schools in Scotland are due to be rolled out next year include informing 5 year olds they can choose their gender. Here are some extracts from the draft.
“Your gender is what you decide. You might be a boy or a girl”.
This is aimed at Level 1, recommended to be suitable for P2 onwards or perhaps sooner in some cases. Primary 2 children are 5 & 6 year olds.
This is the recommended reading list for this age group.
“A doctor says what sex a baby is when they are born”
In the activity learning about LGB we discover it is no longer an attraction based on the persons ‘sex’ but instead their ‘gender’. But the other lesson just taught these 5 yr olds the difference between sex and gender.
Moving onto the Second Level, P5 onwards, children are aged 8 or 9 years old starting P5. We begin more in depth lessons on non-binary and transgender. We begin with a recap
Then we have a colourful slide explaining what non-binary means.
“A non-binary person does not want to change their sex, they want to be who they are without having to be seen as a man or a woman”
The class are then shown the stories of two children who happily reject gender stereotypes and play the games and wear the clothes they want to. Shock horror, the girl even has short hair. But sadly rather than embrace this GNC the lesson is, that these children are non-binary.
Moving in from non-binary, these 8 & 9 year olds are then taught about what transgender means. Shockingly they are already being introduced to the idea of ‘changing their bodies’.
It is anticipated that there might be some questions at this point, specifically what is the difference between someone who is non-binary and someone who is trans?
Answer
NB don’t want to change their gender or body.
Trans born into a body that doesn’t fit with how they feel
Recommended reading for this age group is ‘I am Jazz’ (girl brain in a boys body school of thought), it’s use of simple language should be good for 8 & 9 year olds.
I do believe they missed a perfect opportunity to describe what Gender Stereotypes actually are and how they can be damaging to both girls and boys, this activity is called ‘Gender Boys Girls and Stereotypes’. But bizarrely it appears to instead focus on the appearances of people
“This programme of work is being supported by a partnership of NHS Boards, Local Authorities, Education Scotland, Scottish Government and Third Sector agencies. “
These guidelines have full support across the board.
I sense that quite a few people would perhaps like to contact them and get involved. Input from professionals and parents is welcome. Remember these guidelines are still in draft form and are only currently being piloted. You can get involved here RSHP
I would urge everyone who works in any child and young person sector, any parent, grandparent, politician, anyone at all who thinks that these guidelines could be at all improved to please make contact with the organisers. Don’t wait until it is too late.
This was first posted on Twitter @Scottish_Women on 12/8/18 here
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Susan Sinclair - Scottish Women 