17/07/2024
Opposition politicians including Caroline Lucas of the Green Party and Diane Abbott of the Labour Party have joined forces to condemn a government proposal, which was reported by the BBC News Channel, to make it mandatory for teachers to tell young transgender people that there was no such thing as different gender identities. Pink News explains that the reported plans have been widely criticised by politicians, activists, and experts as the “new Section 28” – a reference to the Thather-era legislation banning the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in classrooms in England and Wales from 1988 until its formal repeal in 2003. Caroline Lucas said that the government was politicising sex education, which was felt by most parents to be perfectly adequate and not at all inappropriate. Ms Abbott agreed, saying that comprehensive relationships education were essential for protecting young people from abuse and exploitation. Labour MP, Nadia Whittome, similarly criticised the decision, saying to PinkNews: “Sex and relationship education is vital for helping to keep children and young people safe and healthy. It is already taught in an age-appropriate way by schools". Once more the Daily Mail newspaper managed to report the story in a senstational way, rabbiting on about a transgender takeover of schools, for which they presented no evidence.
