I am a mother and grandmother. I have been a teacher, a parent governor and a Rainbow leader. I was sexually abused as a child and then raped as a teen.
Grandmother, retired teacher and governor, 58, Lancashire
All of these are pertinent to my stance on transgender ideology and especially the introduction into primary schools of compulsory relationship and sex education lessons which introduce transgender ideology based on outdated sex stereotypes and without any scientific evidence.
My concerns are that ANY sex education MUST be age appropriate – and by that, it must take into account the emotional maturity of children – an issue that is not addressed by teaching to age groups. I would question the need for young children to have any knowledge of sexual relationships beyond the need to know that they have boundaries regarding the touching of their bodies that must be respected. This leads me to the inclusion of trans ideology wherein children are also being told that gender is fluid and boys can be girls and girls can be boys ( and as such can use the facilities that match their gender). Here we have a direct conflict between children having boundaries and yet these selfsame boundaries apparently no longer exist BECAUSE of gender expression.
Children attend school to receive an education – this should be factual and based on truth. Biology still acknowledges that sex is binary and that one cannot change sex and yet the premise behind much trans ideology is that sex is a social construct. Yet another dichotomy. Under the guise of *inclusiveness* schools are being told that single sex facilities need no longer be provided, when in fact there is legislation in place which says they should: separate toilet and washing facilities must be provided for boys and girls aged 8 years and over pursuant to Regulation 4 of the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, which falls within the exemption provided for in Schedule 22 of the Equality Act 2010. I am opposed to any removal of single sex spaces for girls.