Thread by @yrhenwrach

I've tuned into the webinar from @MerchedCymru, @LGBAllies_Cymru and @WomensRightsNet on #RSE #RSEWales

Scene being set... Huge challenges with sexual harassment in schools as per @EstynHMI report and @WelshGovernment's RSE code fails to tackle these.

Stephanie Davies Arai @cwknews speaking first.
Children being exposed to porn and gender identity ideology online and in life.
Link being made between toxic messages girls receiving and deciding to opt-out of becoming women.

Change of language has happened. GIRES presenting gender identity as innate.
Now looking at resources for teens eg. Gender Identity Workbook for Teens, 'Gender Quest' Workbook, all encouraging kids to interpret their lives through gender lens (likes, hobbies etc).
Good grief.

Gender quizzes and 'Certificate of Transness' (you're trans enough and anyone who says otherwise can 'eat rocks'), trans set up as difficult, you need to survive it. 'Cis rain' falling on the trans parade.
Basically, every teen experience can mean that you're trans.

Looking at YouTube female transitioners now. Showing off scars, documenting medical transitions, huge followings, driving content.
Medicalisation presented as 'trans joy'.
These messages getting repeated in schools #WalesRSE #RSE

Now the books for small kids books. Idea is seeded early - if you like the things normally associated with the opposite sex, you ARE the opposite sex.
Should we be reinforcing this online messaging in #RSE? Is it helpful to intrprlife through this lens, good for #mentalhealth?

Tanya Carter now from @SafeSchools_UK talking about #safeguarding and boundaries.

Talking about the range of parents who contact them; and teachers who want to get it right. All good parents and teachers know that boundaries are important.

Talking about horrific #ChildQ case and the catalogue of safeguarding failures.
Trust in school and police broken.
'Adultification' is a particular risk for black children.

Grooming of children can be hidden in #RSE materials. The vast majority of parents want clear boundaries explained and want harm of porn addressed - not suggested that it's 'liberating'.
Just because something says it's #RSE, it doesn't mean it's appropriate.

Teachers need to be mindful that there will be at least one child in a class who has been sexually abused.
@SafeSchools_UK have a lot of materials on their website to help teachers and parents engage with schools on #RSE
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Tanya talking about England's Department for Education guidance (not applicable in Wales) - it's good but needs to go further and little enforcement.

Next up is Christian Wilton-King, who has expertise in #autism.

Christian is giving some facts about autism. It's developmental but genetically based and can lead to atypical thinking, processing, movement, and interaction.

Social media has been a godsend for some people who are autistic, but there's a #safeguarding risk.
Age restrictions very easy to get around, new platforms come out, and it is very easy for predatory adults to exploit.

@EstynHMI's report largely neglects to address autism. Not enough, says Christian.
Social communication is a big vulnerability for autistic people - schools need to get a grip. Sensory issues & gender non-conformity can leave young autistic people seeking answers in gender id.

Tavistock produced some stats on autism/gender - 48% has autistic traits or diagnosis.

@millihill on next.
Starts by talking about new Disney/Pixar film #TurningRed    and how some parents have been shocked, and stigma and shame around periods remain.
Quote from Pliny the Elder 2000 years ago about menstual blood. He wasn't a fan.

1985 was the first mention of periods on TV. Blue liquid has been used in adverts until 2017.
Milli talks about need for privacy and how women expected to 'move over' and mentions #PennCheats
Women's safety is low priority.

We need to help our daughters and young women feel confident, forming strong boundaries and saying 'no'. It's ok to speak your needs, even if it upsets others.
Some things are private, and girls need single-sex facilities.
Boundaries framed as prudishness often.

@stellaomalley3 now - looking at gender nonconformity in children. At some stages, it's developmentally appropriate to explore identities and eventually settle on their identity in adulthood.
Needs to be space, it needs not to be set in stone prematurely.

Pink and blue clothes/toys arrived as a marketing strategy. We HAD come far, and then it went backwards, leaving GNC children feeling out of place and distressed.
We've seen this in the referral rise to clinics like the Tavistock #ROGD

Teenagers appear to be being coralled into gender identity. Gender reveal parties - it is rammed down kids throats from the outset.
Looking at @LisaLittman1 study - huge mix of 'stuff' going on in these girls lives (soc isolation, self harm, autism, anxiety).

Stella looking at bullying cycle. Not just bully v target, there are sidekicks, bystanders, upstanders.
More meaningful work around bullying needed in school, not just posters. They need to support others in the bullying cycle.
#RSEWales #RSE

Stella talking about homophobia and how it can be self-directed. No role-models easily available for young butch lesbians.
Kids showing signs of fear of their changing bodies - hating hair and breasts.
Loads of ideas around 'liberated identities' - Grace Jones, Frida Kahlo etc.

Celebrating identities needs to be discouraged, as you could concrete-ise before it's fixed. Staff need to be neutral.
Premature foreclosure is dangerous.
Reinforcing the importance of boundaries ('no' is a full sentence)

Not school's role to intervene in a loving and engaged relationship between parent and child. Highlights a sad case where daughter took own life, where school had encouraged secrets.
#RSE #RSEWales

@cwknews talking about the fabulous book by @RooneyRachel #MyBodyIsMe and tactics for getting it into schools and local libraries - local groups could take this on.
Potential Welsh translation in the pipeline!
#RSE #RSEWales

Ali Morris, VAWG specialist, is up next. She'll be talking about sexual exploitation, sexual harrassment, prostitution, violence against women and girls, and keeping girls safe.

Ali saying we have NO IDEA what girls are facing these days.
Looking a couple of recent reports- 95% had seen sexual harassment happening, but 46% don't tell anyone.
Girls fed up with situation. Schools not listening to their experiences.
Girls face 24/7 possibility of abuse.

Upskirting is prevalent, unsoliticed sexting, sharing of sexual images, touching, and rape.
Girls seem to expect sexual violence in their relationships.
#RSEWales #RSE

Police not talking things seriously, seen as low-level and they need to get used to it. How can we expect them to report?

Now, child exploitation and grooming. Girls tricked into believing they're in a romantic relationship. Groomers have new tools at their disposal to reach vulnerable girls. Groomers will groom the entire social circle around the child.

Girls can be vulnerable for a hige variety of reasons. Sex exchange is a coping mechanism.
RSE needs to be important part in reducing this. It is happening in #Wales and extensive failures by local authorities and police.
#Swansea highlighted in report - opportunities missed.

Ali Morris talking about #prostitution - average age of entry is 13, with child sexual exploitation forming a route into it.
Usually started for cigarettes, bottle of cider, or small amounts of money.
The younger the girl is, the more easy a target.

'Choice', 'empowerment', 'sex work is real work' - current discourse around prostitution. We need to disrupt this messaging. Being made very easy for girls to get pulled in.
Only Fans - loads of positive media around it. 'Success stories' of giving up careers for OF.

Girls on only fans called 'Content Creators' (empowering rebranding) but there is abuse, mental stress and shame going on as part of picture.
This isn't presented in the media.

Talking about minority groups. Black and minority ethnic girls have particular needs/ vulnerability, as do disabled girls, lesbian girls, and girls in the care system.

Ali implores adults to listen to girls and believe them. Clarify the language they use. Act and do something, look for signs. And schools need to have factual, appropriate stong #RSE.

Michael Conroy from @MenAtWork_MC up next - how to talk to our boys about sexual harassment, porn and countering the messages they're bombarded with.
He has constructive, purposeful dialogues with boys and young men.

Michael says if you have a phone, you are a potential pornographer. He wants to work towards harm reduction, collaborative safeguarding, critical thinking, healthy relationships and societal change.
It needs to be constructive #RSEWales #RSE

Need to have an assumption that sexual abuse, violence and harassment IS happening here and #nametheproblem
We need to talk about the sex of who does this and the sex of who is having it done to them, not fluff around with gender neutrality.

We need to ask WHY this is happening because then we can DO something.
(What is happening is spiking, catcalling, upskirting, touching, sharing images, tracking devices used by boys on girls).

We must acknowledge sex because #SexMatters.
This is an opportunity for men to be upstanders.
The boys engaging in these abusive behaviours are in an unhealthy mindset and are vulnerable to their own problems (substance misuse, violence, mental health).

Why is this happening? 'Man Rules' - be tough, be dominant, get the last word, bants, money power, getting status, anger the only acceptable emotion to display, have lots of sex, don't ask for help.
Boys are getting these messages.
Consequences if they break the Man Rules.

Really upsetting list of punishing words - misogynistic terms, homophobic terms.
Gives the message that girls are worth less.
Very little work goes on to counter this - they are drinking from a poisoned well.
We need to show boys there's another way.

There are messages in toys, clothes, and books from an early age for both sexes. Here are the rules: obey them.
By 16, boys will have watched between 300-500 hours of porn online.
Fascinating to listen to @MenAtWork_MC on this.
#RSEWales

An excellent event - thank you so much to all the panellists. #RSE is such an important topic and the key to solving so many problems down the line.
#RSEWales needs to tackle the difficult stuff, and at the moment, it's failing.
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