Transgender lessons for primary pupils
Senior doctors in call for primary pupils to be given ‘clear information’ over the different types of sexuality
Primary schoolchildren should be taught what it means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, leading doctors have said. The Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health urged ministers to go further in their guidance on sex and relationship classes, which are to become compulsory from 2020.
PRIMARY schoolchildren should be taught what it means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, leading doctors have said.
The Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health (RCPCH) urged ministers to go further in their guidance on sex and relationship classes, which are set to become compulsory from 2020.
Draft Government recommendations said schools would be free to determine how they addressed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, but they must ensure teaching was “sensitive and age-appropriate”.
However, senior doctors have called on the Government to be more upfront, and said that primary school pupils should receive clear information about different types of sexuality. Responding to a consultation, the RCPCH said: “There needs to be a clear statement that LGBT people and relationships are part of teaching about healthy relationships in primary school. This can be demonstrated in relation to families – but also it is helpful to children to learn the meaning of terms such as lesbian, gay and bisexual”.
Paediatricians also said children should be taught the proper names for body parts, and about emotional changes during puberty.
Dr Max Davie, the RCPCH officer for health promotion, said: “We need to talk to children like they are intelligent beings. They are curious. My children know people who are gay or lesbian, it’s not that big a stretch to be talking to children about bisexuality.”
Frank discussions about such matters would prevent “sniggering at the back”, he said. “There is nothing mysterious or shameful about it, it’s not about promoting LGBT as superior to anything else, it’s setting out the facts.”
The consultation on Government guidance on relationships, sex and health education closed last week. It followed legislation that makes relationships education compulsory in primary schools, with sex education in secondary schools, from 2020.
The RCPCH said the Government’s plans did not go far enough. Dr Davie added: “We have got a strong commitment against discrimination on LGBT and we need to commit to that.”
He suggested that such discussions were best when children were in the final two years of primary school, aged between nine and 11. However, he urged teachers to take care in explaining transgender issues.
“I think it’s very contentious so I think you have to be quite bland,” he said, suggesting that primary schoolchildren might be told “some people identify in different ways; you have to love and respect them”.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “The draft guidance is clear that teaching should look at healthy relationships – which includes LGBT relationships – and that all pupils learn about equality.
“The draft guidance is also clear that relationships and sex education should be relevant to all pupils, whatever their developing sexuality or identity, in an age-appropriate way.”