Thread by @AlisonTunley

1/18The Department for Education has given schools an impossible task when it comes to the RSE curriculum and teaching about "gender identity". A thread on the conundrum @educationgovuk have created … #edutwitter

2/18The DfE state: "Pupils should be taught the facts and the law about sex, sexuality, sexual health and gender identity in an age-appropriate and inclusive way."

3/18Source: gov.uk/government/pub…

4/18At the same time, the DfE states "You should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear."

5/18And "Materials which suggest that non-conformity to gender stereotypes should be seen as synonymous with having a different gender identity should not be used". (Source: "gov.uk/guidance/plan-…")

6/18But what are the "facts and law" about gender identity? The Equality Act 2010 makes no mention of "gender identity", referring instead to the protected characteristic "gender reassignment".

7/18The Gender Recognition Act 2004 makes no mention of gender identity except in a single reference to the now abandoned "gender identity disorder". The truth is: "gender identity" currently has no status in UK law.

8/18So, what about the "facts" relating to gender identity? Let's look at the terminology defined in the government's GRA consultation (referenced here: publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmse…)

9/18"Gender identity: A person’s internal sense of their own gender. This does not have to be man or woman. It could be, for example, non-binary."

10/18And what is gender? "Gender: Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender refers to socially constructed characteristics, and is often assumed from the sex people are registered as at birth."

11/18This definition of gender sounds remarkably close to gender stereotypes, i.e. "the beliefs that people have about the characteristics of males and females [which vary] over cultures and over time." (sciencedirect.com/topics/social-…)

12/18So gender identity is your internal sense of gender, which is socially constructed and effectively is a set of stereotypes associated with men and women, but the DfE says schools are not allowed to say this.

13/18Alternatively, if there are "socially constructed characteristics" relating to "masculinity and femininity" that are not stereotypes and could help a child figure out their gender identity, maybe DfE could list them.

14/18In short: the question for the DfE is how can schools possibly teach "the facts and law" about "gender identity" without suggesting it is based on stereotypes?

15/18DfE urgently needs to offer guidance, because in the meantime kids (& adults) are utterly confused. The definitions used in PSHE materials are either circular, or so nebulous as to be meaningless, or contravene the no stereotypes rule.

16/18Meanwhile, we have the NHS Cass interim review @thecassreview emphasising the need for further consideration on “The important role of schools and the challenges they face in responding appropriately to gender-questioning children and young people.”

17/18We have an unmanageable explosion of referrals to gender identity services (overwhelmingly among the under 25s), and no sign of this abating.

18/18Kids are being told we all have a "gender identity" that determines whether we are "trans" "non-binary" or "cis". But nobody can tell you what it is (without stereotypes, which are prohibited). END.