Trans youth need supportive schools
All young people deserve an accepting and supportive school environment to learn and be their authentic selves. But the UK Government’s draft trans guidance for schools in England seeks to prevent that.
Its approach is unworkable, out of touch and absurd. It will create further confusion for teachers and put young people at risk.
Take a stand for trans students and write to your MP using our tool below.
What’s going on?
All young people deserve an accepting and supportive school environment to learn and be their authentic selves.
The UK Government’s draft trans guidance for schools in England, published 19 December 2023, seeks to prevent that. Its approach is unworkable, out of touch and absurd.
Rather than listening to trans young people and reflecting best practice of inclusive educators across the UK, the Government has created more confusion for schools and is putting young people at risk.
It is difficult to understand how aspects of this draft guidance, including automatically excluding trans pupils from facilities, sport bans or allowing students to be misgendered are compatible with existing equalities law.
The overwhelming majority of teachers and parents believe trans pupils should be safe at school and will disregard these discriminatory guidelines, which will be non-compulsory.
You can read our analysis of what the draft guidance says in our explainer blog.
The consultation on the draft guidance closed on 12 March 2024. If you responded to this consultation, thank you.
If you want to take further action, you can ask your MP to speak out against this proposed guidance and support our campaign to create safe, supportive schools for all.
What should schools be doing now?
While we wait for the final guidance to be published, we recommend schools continue to ensure the safety of trans young people, and act within the law, which states a young person cannot be excluded from single-sex spaces without fair reason.
There are examples of good practice out there that teachers and schools can draw on, including Brighton and Hove’s Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit, the Scottish Government’s Transgender Schools Guidance, NSPCC’s Safeguarding LGBTQ+ children and young people page, and Good Law Project’s Legal Advice.
We also offer tailored, CPD Accredited training modules to teachers and other professionals seeking to better support their trans students and colleagues.
Are you a parent who is concerned about a decision that your child’s school is making? We have worked with solicitors to create a template letter that you can use to set out your concerns.
Our consultation response
Interesting articles
What does the proposed trans schools guidance really say? A Mermaids Explainer
Government trans guidance puts young people at risk
Coalition urges rethink on schools transgender guidance
Children Are Too Scared to Go to School Because of Transphobic Bullying
My child is non-binary – their school saw it as a problem to be fixed
What it was like ‘coming out’ trans at school during Section 28
20 years after Section 28, why repealing anti-LGBT law wasn’t enough: OpenDemocracy
My teacher told me not to come out as trans: Metro
Trans youth have always existed – nothing the Government does will change that: Huffington Post
Transgender guidance must lead to a more inclusive education: FE Week
Coming out at school: Students share stories: Pink News
Gender Identity in Schools: “Teachers can’t do their jobs properly”: BBC
Trans children’s safety is paramount: A teacher’s view: WeAreQueerAF
Trans rights in schools: Mermaids’ statement (10 August 2022)
Share your story
Are you a pupil, teacher or parent? Are you worried about how the Government’s draft proposals would impact you? If you’d like to share your story, click the link below to send us an email.
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