FGEN is appalled by Suella Braverman’s misinterpretation of the Equality Act in relation to trans children. This is an attempt by the Conservative Party to implement a Section 28 for trans children.
Trans children deserve protection from bullying and abuse, just like any other child, and Braverman’s intervention should be regarded as an attempt to encourage transphobic bullying and abuse by proxy.
Social transition in school (where a child lives according to his/her/their gender) is often a lifesaving measure and is recommended by all world medical authorities on transgender children. For the government to advise schools not to follow the medically accepted guidelines puts these children at risk.
Social transition is not an ‘intervention’, failure to allow social transition is. Preventing trans and non-binary children from living in their gender can cause them a great deal of harm.
Furthermore, no school should ever out a trans or non-binary child to their parents without their express permission. The fact that a child has come out to school staff but not parents should constitute a warning that to do so could place the child at risk of harm.
According to advice we have seen, we believe that Braverman’s interpretation of the Equality Act is illegal. We believe that schools and teachers should – and will – continue to support trans children according to their responsibilities as teachers and the law as it already exists.
Trans and non-binary children should be allowed to socially transition if they want to, should decide themselves if and when to come out to their parents, and be protected from bullying and abuse, like all other children.