My daughter is in year 7. She spent the last two years of primary school within the disruption of covid. She started secondary school without the maturity and confidence that my son had when he started in pre-covid times. Within the first few months of secondary school, my daughter started talking endlessly about her sexuality and gender identity, explaining to me that she was unsure what or who she was.
She had been taught at school that there are many genders and many sexualities. She had also been told by teachers that sex is assigned at birth and that ‘cis gender’ means you identify with the sex you were assigned at birth. The implication is that this could he wrong and she could be male. All of this has contributed to much anxiety and has come through in therapy sessions.
I had a meeting with the headteacher and head of PSHEE to explain my concerns that children are being taught ideological positions as fact. The effect of this is to confuse vulnerable children and promote a choice of identities and sexualities to them that are adult-led and inappropriate. It is harmful when they are starting puberty and already uncomfortable in their developing bodies and minds. The head of PSHEE disagreed with me that it was incorrect to state that sex ‘assigned at birth’ and continued using the term. The children were also taught that trans lesbians are the most marginalised of all lesbians and that they should politely enquire as to someone’s preferred pronouns before addressing them. My daughter will comply with all of this without question. What she has not been taught in school is that other views are also valid and that not all people believe in gender ideology. This looks to me more like political activism than teaching.
I have requested to see teaching materials since the meeting but my requests have been ignored.