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Save the Children Fund's new(ish) policy on Sexual Orientation Gender Identity & Expression is a mixed bag resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/15414/pdf…

Its heart is in the right place: Children's rights first & foremost. Duty bearers must follow the principle of do no harm.

This is a good start
The policy is explicitly against labelling children who don't conform to traditional and rigid gender behaviours. The policy is about the right of all children to live without fear and to express themselves how they wish
It recognises that there are different terms and concepts for diversity in gender expression around the world.

It does not impose the recent view popular amongst young, Northern elites and some NGOs that "Transwomen are women, get over it"
Like @Transgendertrd it does not talk about "trans children", but about all children's rights.

But it doesn't say that it is important that policies driven by inclusion based on SOGIE do not undermine women's rights or safeguarding of children.
It muddles up sex & gender throughout & uses the inaccurate and confusing "sex assigned at birth"

Sexual orientation is defined as being about attraction to the "same gender"
Its views on children transitioning are on the fence. Children that "express a clear preference" should be "recognised in that gender".

On the other hand, duty bearers must follow the principle of do no harm
Save the Children: Affirmation is not necessarily 'doing no harm'!

There can be different reasons for children feeling uncomfortable about their sex (including homophobic attitudes, as well as mental health issues).

You cannot diagnose in a policy!

economist.com/open-future/20…
@save_children rightly says it wont discriminate based on SOGIE.

It also says that it will not work with orgs or individuals which don't share its principles of respect for sexual & gender diversity

Which may be OK...given principles cautiously written & based in child rights.
But since people are losing their jobs & being harassed for saying things like "lesbians are women who are same sex attracted" they could have committed to respect diversity of beliefs on sex & gender

Pple working in development orgs shld not be afraid to discuss complex issues!
Perhaps the development sector needs its own version of the women's declarations attached to political parties.

Addressing discrimination based on SOGIE does not have to mean losing sight of the discrimination faced by women & girls and the need for sex based rights protections
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