LONDON The British government plans to make it illegal for teachers to talk about gender diversity at any grade level. It must not even be done as part of sex education lessons. The underlying concern is that the information could confuse children about their own gender.
According to the instructions published by the Ministry of Education today, teachers are only allowed to teach children about biological sex. It is also permissible to tell that a person can undergo gender reassignment surgery as an adult, in which case his biological sex would change.
– Adults have the right to change their gender. It can be taught, said the Minister of Education Gillian Keegan on the BBC’s Today programme.
The guidelines will be finalized after 9 weeks, when schools, parents and other reference groups have taken a stand on them.
The minister is concerned about lobbying
According to Keegan, heterosexuality is not a fact. He said on the Today radio program that information about the opposite sex has been brought to some schools by lobbies.
– I have seen material where it is said that gender identity is a spectrum and that there are up to 72 different genders, Keegan explained in the program.
If the student asks about the opposite sex, the teacher must answer that the topic has been discussed.
Teachers must inform parents if a child wants to define himself as the opposite sex, unless it endangers the child’s safety at home.
The Ministry of Education has already instructed that teachers do not have to accede to the students’ request that this be called in English by the word “he” of the opposite sex, nor to the request to be allowed to wear the school uniform of the opposite sex.
The government looks down on the opposite sex
The Conservative government has taken a hard look at questioning gender. Prime minister Rishi Sunak said in a speech last year that “it makes sense that a man is a man and a woman is a woman”.
England’s public health care system stopped giving puberty-blocking drugs to minors after an expert report criticized that there is not enough research data on the treatment and the causes in children were not studied enough. The government is also planning to ban gender-neutral toilets from public spaces.
Sexual education for 9-year-olds at the earliest
The Ministry of Education has now defined strict age limits for sex education. According to the new rules, it starts at 9 years old. Then you can tell the children about reproduction. Only 13-year-olds can talk about pornography, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual violence.
However, you can tell 11-year-olds that sending nude photos to someone under 18 is a crime. You can also talk about sexual harassment, revenge porn, forced marriages and grooming at this age.
The strict age definitions have caused astonishment. According to a study commissioned by the British Children’s Commissioner last year, children as young as 9 are exposed to porn, which can damage their social development.
The teachers wonder about the instructions
According to the teachers, no inappropriate things have been taught in the schools, and the age limits do not fundamentally change the teaching of sex education. It seems to be mostly politics behind it.
Secretary General of the School Directors’ Union Pepe Di’Iasio said for the BBC, that the students have been turned into footballs in the middle of politics. According to him, it is important that students can discuss the topic.
Sexuality education has been mandatory in schools since 2020. The Conservative government decided this itself. The decision sparked protests across England. Conservative Muslims in particular were behind them.
According to the expert, transparency is needed
Child psychiatrist of the Finnish Population Association Raisa Cacciatore wonders about age limits designed by Britain. According to him, children should be told things related to safety, for example about porn, early enough. Already in the first grade, a child may be exposed to violent porn and become anxious if older children show it on their smartphones. The child needs safe information that porn is acted out and aims to raise emotions.
– When sex and porn are pouring out everywhere, the matter will not be improved if we safe adults become dumb about it, he says.
He states that professionals in Finland must respond respectfully to the curiosity of children of all ages about sexuality and the body.
– Families with young children are the ones who receive family allowance. Young children ask the most about children and having babies, she says.
He reminds that in Finland’s early childhood education plan, it is obligatory to talk with children in a way that respects the diversity of people, gender and families, if the children raise the issue.
According to Cacciatore, it is important how things are talked about.
– If gender reassignment is marketed as a solution to adolescent identity crisis or anxiety, it is harmful, he says.