British trans guidance publish ; represents progress

Schools guidance published

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?mc_cid=42e50cc471


The DfE's draft schools guidance: how is it doing so far? This week the government finally published its draft guidance for schools on accommodating gender-questioning pupils. First promised in 2018, the guidance has faced significant delays and legal hurdles, leading to suggestions that civil servants had tried to stymie the Equalities Minister’s plans. Schools in England have been told that they must “take a very cautious approach” if pupils want to use a new name, pronouns or uniform. Teachers will be expected to inform parents if their child wishes to identify as trans at school. Single-sex spaces and sports will be upheld to protect safety and ensure fairness in competitive sports. Women and Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch said: “This guidance is intended to give teachers and school leaders greater confidence when dealing with an issue that has been hijacked by activists misrepresenting the law.” The document draws on the findings of the Cass Review, and advises schools that social transition should be extremely rare and permitted only when the appropriate safeguards are put in place and the child’s best interests taken into account. The minister explained: “It makes clear that schools do not have to accept a child’s request to socially transition, and that teachers or pupils should not be pressured into using different pronouns.” Child-transition lobby group Mermaids has begun to campaign against the guidance, claiming in a statement that the “overwhelming majority of teachers and parents” will “disregard these discriminatory guidelines”. Sex Matters rates the new guidance at B+ with a score of 76%. In the new year, we will be publishing advice on how to respond to the consultation.