School Uniforms Discriminate Against Transsexuals

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More political correctness from Europe. However, the answer could be allow TG children to wear the uniform appropriate to their preferred gender.

See the link:
http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=152243390

Angharad.

Comments

Grrr...

Possibly even more irritating than the EHRC's guidance is the number of commentators below who failed to notice HH's response that it should be left up to individual schools to determine their own uniform policy, and mistakenly thought HH supported the skirt ban...

Besides which, the whole issue is a non-issue. Most schools already allow girls to wear trousers if they so wish - besides which, certain faiths effectively require female followers to wear trousers - so it's far easier to implement trousers as acceptable wear for all girls than to offer case-by-case exemptions for followers of particular faiths, F2M transgendered etc.

Of course, the ideal scenario would be, as Angharad stated, to allow students to wear whichever uniform they're most comfortable with, but the traditionalist / conservative (small c, although a large part of the big c bunch would fall into the camp) camps would cause a media storm if genetic males were allowed to wear skirts. The Daily Wail in particular would have a field day...

 
 
--Ben


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Some schools allow it

Angharad's picture

if the child is transitioning and living in role--as will happen with Kylie(Bonkers), and already does with Trish in Bike. My examples are based on my knowledge that this does already happen--it's where the individual makes the change at the same school they attended in their previous role that causes the problem which is then scooped up by the tabloids and hyped up to the heavens.

Angharad

Angharad

Changes

I know schools allow transitioning pupils/students to adopt the uniform of their intended gender - my comment was based more on the anticipated reaction in the hypothetical situation of a school allowing any student to wear whichever garments they desired from a single list covering both genders (as opposed to having two lists - one for the 'girls' uniform and one for the 'boys' uniform).

 
 
--Ben


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

And, What's Wrong With That?

The definition of the word "uniform," at least at its etymological origin, is "one form," that is, "all the same." As soon as you decide different outfits based on dividing or distinguishing characteristics, it's no longer exactly "uniform," is it? Anyway, so much for pedantic hair-splitting...

If one is serious about human rights, and extending them to students (not always the case across various jurisdictions), and recognizing a right of individual gender expression, and if you're insistent on providing separate lists of uniform components based on gender, then there is no reason not to also accommodate "gender queers"; that is, those persons who like to mix-and-match the components of their appearance. (Skirts with unshaven legs, black socks and lace-up shoes, for example. Girls with blouses, push-up bras, and buzz cuts. Guys with mascara, lipstick, and a beard.)

Yeah, I know. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of uniforms, doesn't it? Personal expression... Next thing you know, students will want to have actual opinions and things!

These people do not deserve this kind of publicity

"Possibly even more irritating... is the number of commentators below who failed to notice HH's response that it should be left up to individual schools to determine their own uniform policy, and mistakenly thought HH supported the skirt ban."

Let's face it, this is exactly the kind of article that brings out the worst in a few people, and it's one of the reasons why I hate the way the internet gives an incredibly wide voice on a popular and (fairly) respectable site to these kind of people.

Not to worry dear

The English Teacher's picture

The politician was doing what all politicians do redirect the issue so that it isn’t their problem and thank the goddess for that if a politician took a stand on any issue the world wouldn’t exist at this moment.

As always, so much to read, so little time and only one of me :)
The English Teacher

So much to read, so little time and only one of me :)

The English Teacher

What will they do in Scottland

The English Teacher's picture

The boys won't be able to wear thier kilts for dress up OOOOOhhhhh the horror!!!!

As always, so much to read, so little time and only one of me :)
The English Teacher

So much to read, so little time and only one of me :)

The English Teacher

More importantly

did anyone notice the Daleks for sale at the bottom of the page???

If only...

...we could EXTERMINATE the attitudes of the misguided, narrow-minded souls whose world view doesn't encompass anything other than a happy married heterosexual couple with 2.4 children, preferably conceived naturally, with total abstinence from 'bedroom antics' other than for the express purpose of procreation. Who then seek to impose their world view on the rest of humanity.

The upper echelons of the organisation which could be described as the last remaining outpost of the Holy Roman Empire spring to mind...
The fact their current boss used to be head of their policy enforcement unit doesn't exactly help matters either.

 
 
--Ben


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Skirting the issue

The issue of gender specific clothing is a rather charged one for me and some other T folk. It has taken me over 5 years to come to the place that I can wear pants with our feeling teary and petulant. I suppose that I never got over the fact that my dress was so violently torn from me in the first place.

It changed over the years

When it was necessary to make certain pieces of meat less obvious, I wore a skirt. Now I don't have said pieces of meat, I wear jeans most of the time. OK, there are occasions when I wear a dress or skirt; for example, I will wear a skirt on Thursday as I'm attending a funeral. I wear a formal dress on 'formal nights' on board ship.

When I was in my teens, I looked enviously at the girls from the neighbouring school in their uniform skirts, blouses and cardigans; partly because I wanted to wear their clothes, partly because I wanted to attend their school and partly because I wanted to be one of them.

Susie

Dress or drab

The English Teacher's picture

Wonder if in UK (since they are so fond of doing studies) if any one has addressed the health issue of wearing a skirt in the winter with bare legs or skimpy socks only for protection how many of the girls real or otherwise have more sick days over the boys who always wearing trousers.

I know that many of the schools here in the US have uniforms now but I think that the girls get to choose which they wish to wear skirt or trousers. Not all of course because I think it is dependent on how intelligent the skool bored is :)

Perhaps I don’t know what I’m saying since UK kids are made of sterner stuff.

As always, so much to read, so little time and only one of me :)
The English Teacher

So much to read, so little time and only one of me :)

The English Teacher

UK Uniforms

What you suggest was common when I was of schooling age, back in the cretaceous, but thankfully is rare now. (I just know someone will come up with a contradictory example!)

Most school uniforms for girls include tights of varying thicknesses for all ages and weather conditions. A large number of urban schools now have non-christian pupils, which mean that they have to allow trousers in any case.

The ones you should be feeling for are the boys. Some are still restricted to shorts at certain ages, and even if they have long socks there's still a big gap between the top of the sock and the shorts!

Penny