City:
Oakland, CA
Date:
05/19/2011

Oakland Elementary School Teaches Pupils That There Are More Than Two Genders

On May 23-24 Redwood Heights Elementary School will be teaching children in grades kindergarten through fifth that there are more than two genders. The two days calendared for this are entitled "Gender Spectrum Diversity Training." In documents released by the school, students will be taught that "gender is not inherently nor solely connected to one's physical anatomy." Further, gender is a "complex interrelationship between [physical traits] and one's internal sense of self as male, female, both or neither as well as one's outward presentations and behaviors related to that perception." Another document from the school advises parents: "When you discuss gender with your child, you may hear them [sic] exploring where they [sic] fit on the gender spectrum and why."

Wow!  Imagine if this idea takes off!

In some households I fear for the children who do try exploring their gender, because "loving" dad is going to tell them with a belt in his raised fist to demonstrate what gd does to kids who do not believe dad's way!  I hope the authorities are ready to handle child abuse cases.

Sorry to be negative, but I have seen who some of the players are. 

I tend to agree with Vicky here. I also believe it's a mistake to suggest that being transgender is conventional.

It seems a better approach is to say that some people are born with a problem with how their physical bodies appear. That it is rare. That it can be cured. And to encourage children to see it in the same way as other problems, birth marks, epliepsy, diabetes.

To suggest it is an option or an alternative is to open the door to opposition. Those of us who have lived with this problem, our entire lives and had to deal with it in secret, certanly never chose this.

And to those that are unable to understand I would point out that I have met people who don't believe in epliepsy, diabetes, mental illnesses.

I don't like limiting the discussion in school to the "born with a problem with their physical body" view of gender. It is no more correct than to say it is "born with a problem with their view of themselves". I like the premise of the school's approach, although I confess to not reading the article, so I may be premature in posting this. Describing these things as "rare" and "curable" only reinforces the perception that gender issues are manifestations of a sick person.

As far as it endangering kids, anything you teach kids can endanger them from the cavemen and tiger moms among us. I don't believe that means we should stop teaching them new things.

I'm totally with sfem on this.  The concept of "a problem" is borne out of social conformity and the subsequent conditioning to believe anything that isn't deemed "normal" by society is a problem and therefore needs to be corrected.

All one has to do is take a look at Nature to realize diversity is not only the rule, it's vital for the survival of the species, human, plant, animal, insect, etc.  The true "normal", as defined by everything that exists, is unique and that means different.  That can be simply proven by the fact there are no two things on this earth (or anywhere else for that matter) that are identical.

Our "problem" is, was and has always been, a socially created one.  When we leave it up to man to decide what in Nature is normal and what is not, we are in serious trouble.

The article is quite brief, doesn't cite the claim in the title and is actually an advertisment for the Pacific Justice Institute, a group of lawyers, to ask parents to complain, through them.

However the issues are complex.

I will be intersting if we could have a discussion on these issues. I have sought to put forward some of my own observations. I confess to being very uncomfortable with them, as they stand, because they lack clarity or reason.

I do hope some here can take the time to contribute to this important issue. I will certainly try to contribute.

Quote from: Sarah7 on May 27, 2011, 09:04:54 PM
My problem is physical. I was born with a condition that negatively impacts my capacity to function.

What I'm talking about is the problem that causes many of us to feel we are defective, mentally disordered, rejects, and worse.  If society viewed those with red hair the same way, they too would probably have lots more problems.

Yes, mind and body gender incongruence is a problem but imagine a world where the status quo is to do whatever possible to help that person get the mind and body in synch.  Our condition is a physical one.  Most of the problems we face, however, are social ones.

I really can't see anything wrong with what these teachers are doing because what they are really teaching the students is that gender can be in flux.  Just because you begin life as male or female doesn't mean that is the way it will always be.  To me, that is a great lesson.