Teachers’ union claims challenging radical gender ideology is ‘transphobic’

The UK’s largest teaching union has proposed that discussing the importance of single-sex spaces with gender-confused staff and pupils should be shut down as ‘transphobic’.

Following the National Education Union’s (NEU) annual conference earlier this year, the union drafted a definition of transphobia in collaboration with its Trans and Non-Binary Network. The proposal is before the union’s national executive committee for consideration.

In leaked documentation, the NEU claimed that promoting “ideas, concepts and misinformation harmful to trans people” is transphobic behaviour, but does not outline what would reach that threshold.

‘Scared’

The union also stated that not affirming a gender-confused person’s “identity and a refusal to acknowledge that those identities are real or valid”, along with “misgendering and incorrect use of pronouns”, is transphobic.

Speaking to The Telegraph, a whistleblower said they are “extremely worried by this”, saying: “We need free speech. Women need safe spaces. If this definition is accepted, anyone who says ‘You can’t logically self-identify as the opposite sex’, you’ll be a transphobe.”

The anonymous source added: “I think it will mean that teachers will be too scared to speak up in schools and they will go along with the NEU policy.”

‘Silencing’

In a letter to the NEU’s Joint General Secretaries, Free Speech Union founder Toby Young warned that the proposal is “excessively broad” and would have “the effect of silencing any challenge to gender critical ideology or the agenda of transrights activists”.

He said: “Many people, not just gender critical feminists, reject the idea that sex is a social construct, and, according to the courts, the belief that sex is binary and immutable is a lawful and reasonable point-of-view, deserving of protection under the Equality Act 2010.

“Such people should not be compelled to make statements or endorse ideology that they do not believe”.

Young slammed the NEU for implying that it would not defend the rights of its members who hold such views, saying the union could be found guilty of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

Single-sex spaces

Earlier this month, it was reported that in a push to water down new guidance, gender-confused boys could be allowed to use girls’ single-sex spaces and wear school uniforms of the opposite sex.

The Department for Education, in collaboration with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and senior doctors, was due to publish guidance on supporting gender-confused children in schools next year.

But in an attempt to release the advice before Christmas, senior Government officials are now seeking “compromise” to avoid debate on the issue.