Schoolchildren as young as five may be taught about “transgender equality”, a Government document has disclosed.
The move, which is being considered by the Department for Education (DfE), was highlighted in the Government’s new action plan for advancing transgender equality.
But one campaigner has warned that these issues are adult ones and should not be discussed in class at such a tender age.
Adult
Margaret Morrissey, founder of campaign group Parents Outloud, said: “These are adult issues and we should leave it until children are older or until they ask.
“The problem is we are overloading our children with issues that they should not have to consider at a young age. PSHE is already overloaded with other issues.”
The Government’s action plan says the DfE is ‘considering’ “the teaching of equality and diversity, including transgender equality” in its review of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. The Department has until September next year to look at the issue.
First steps
Although the Government has ruled out putting PSHE education on the National Curriculum, it is considering making some elements of the subject statutory.
The action plan says the Government has “identified a range of commitments to help schools become more inclusive for gender variant children and to help provide support and protection to transgender pupils in schools”.
It includes a foreword signed by Home Secretary Theresa May and Minister for Equalities Lynne Featherstone.
They say the actions outlined in the 20-page document are “just the first steps”.
Married
Last year Lynne Featherstone suggested that transsexuals could be granted official recognition of their assumed sex and remain married to an existing partner.
The possibility of such a move would in effect create official same-sex marriages in the UK for the first time.
At present a person who is already married but wants official recognition of their assumed sex, in the form of a Gender Recognition Certificate, must divorce their spouse before they can be officially recognised by the law.