Sun and Mail Show Transphobia is Alive and Well

The case of the child who has begun secondary school in her new gender has clearly whetted the appetites of the hacks in the right wing press who are looking for their marmalade droppers.

Schools OUT believes that forcing a child to go through puberty and adolescence when s/he is clearly unhappy in her/his body is child abuse. Furthermore, children are very receptive and understanding about sexual orientation and gender variance from primary school onwards.

Further, we believe that the pernicious influences on children’s understanding and ability to empathise comes from the wider culture, peers and, sometimes from parents themselves. And once again we would emphasise that children coming home and discussing what they have learned at school is what should be expected within a functionally successful family.

Tony Fenwick, co-chair of Schools OUT, said: “This child is under risk of being traumatised by media intrusion. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will be publishing guidance for schools on transphobia this autumn and cases like this demonstrate how vital good advice is. Frankly, it won’t come a day too soon.”

The guidance should be on the DCSF website and TeacherNet soon. It is hoped that its official launch will be at the LGBT History Month 2010 Pre-Lanch at the British Museum on Thursday November 19th.