CW: This article mentions transphobia, self-harm, suicide and subjects relating to these topics.
Caitlin Clifford
The UK government has recently introduced new guidance requiring schools to inform parents if their child is questioning their gender identity. In short, schools must now out their students.
If the government could assure me that this new guidance will not be detrimental to child welfare, I wouldn’t be writing this article. If MPs could convince me that no child will suffer as a result and that the personal prejudice of specific individuals was not a factor in the decision to introduce this guidance, I wouldn’t dream of writing this. Unfortunately, they can’t.
It is especially concerning to discover that one of the most prominent UK voices on the transgender issue is Katharine Birbalsingh, who describes herself as “Britain’s toughest headmistress” and opts to publicly bash students who “identify as cats” when questioned on issues of trans welfare.
Although I’m still at school, as a cisgender woman, I am not personally affected by these school policies. However, several of my close friends, aged from 13 to 17, do not identify with their biological sex — and I have seen firsthand the worry this guidance has inflicted.
Young LGBTQ+ People
Sadly, my friends and other transgender and genderqueer teens across the country have good reason to be concerned. According to a 2017 Stonewall report, 64 per cent of trans schoolchildren have experienced bullying, and nine per cent of trans schoolchildren have received death threats.
84 per cent of trans young people have self-harmed, while 45 per cent of trans young people have attempted suicide. Meanwhile, only 40 per cent of LGBT young people have a trusted adult they can talk to at home.
“They wouldn’t even talk to teachers for fear that the school would tell their parents.”
While progress has been made, the world is still far from accepting the trans community. I have repeatedly seen these exclusionary attitudes impact those around me.
Of my friends who have come out, all of them have made me promise not to tell their parents, as they knew that they would not be accepted. Even if they were struggling with their gender identity, they wouldn’t seek out support from teachers, for fear that the school would tell their parents.
In a conversation with Jordan*, a friend of mine who identifies as non-binary, they described the guidance as “absolutely ridiculous”.
“The government might think they are protecting children, [but] in reality they are putting more children in danger,” they said.
The problem with new government guidance
“I didn’t want to risk my parents finding out and the consequences that would come if they did.”
The new guidance might benefit those trans children in the UK with trusted parents or guardians that are equipped to offer adequate support and guidance. But what about the 60 per cent of young people that don’t have a trusted adult at home? If their families were informed, the impact could lead to a relationship breakdown, abuse or estrangement.
Jordan continues: “I was at that school for almost six years before telling a teacher, not because I didn’t trust the school, but because I didn’t want to risk my parents finding out and the consequences that would come if they did.”
When their parents did find out, their relationship was severely tested, and Jordan has since voiced their wish that they could erase the discovery from their parents’ memories.
Government guidance: mistaken priorities
It appears that this new guidance does not prioritise the welfare of schoolchildren.
No one should be forced to come out before they feel ready to do so, and children are no exception. To demonstrate direct support for trans youth, the government would do better to invest in national programs promoting allyship education, rather than aligning with anti-trans media outlets that perpetuate fear about trans rights (as shown by the shared use of language between right-wing tabloids and government ministers).
“This guidance is more about the government’s prejudice than the welfare of trans children”
Many have accused the current government of being one of the most anti-trans governments the UK has seen for a while. Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch, amongst other government ministers, have all been clear on their negative views of trans people, with recent footage of Sunak mocking trans women going viral online.
This has led me to suspect that this guidance is more about upholding prejudice than ensuring the welfare of trans children.
Regardless of who you think should be in which bathroom, everyone should be able to agree that this guidance is detrimental to child welfare, and the government would do to reverse it immediately before it does any more damage.
*Names have been changed to protect interviewees’ identity
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Featured image courtesy of Ivan Aleksic via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
