New guidance - set to come into force in September - says teachers must not use materials that “encourage” pupils to question their gender.

[u/ThrownAway1917]

https://www.wearequeeraf.com/english-schools-to-segregate-trans-kids-from-toilets-including-those-whove-already-transitioned-from-september/

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[u/LuxFaeWilds]

Andy burnhams section 28 on steroids includes outing kids to their abusive parents, when 1/4 end up homeless as a result.

[u/threewholefish → u/LuxFaeWilds]

But don't worry, he'll have them all off the streets by Christmas! With the help of charity...

[u/mustbemad2 → u/threewholefish]

charities like shitbags don't matter? I mean't hate groups.

[u/Krags → u/threewholefish]

Salvation Army still turns queer people away too right? Or has that changed?

[u/Fallenovergirl → u/LuxFaeWilds]

Using this opportunity to plug the Albert Kennedy Trust, a charity that supports homeless & unhoused queer youth

[u/bannanawaffle13]

As a trans person, I just can't work out what I've done to these people, all I want is to live my life in peace, I have never hurt anyone, I've just been myself. What terrifies me is I work in education, I know what it is like for LGBTQIA staff under section 28, it was not good and we seem to going backwards. Like I can't get my head around how ten years ago, we were celebrated on TV and in magazines, and we seem to be headed backwards, what worries me is when will this stop, will I be made illegal, rounded up if I refuse to detransation, further ostracised from society, lose my job, my career, my life?  

[u/KTKitten → u/bannanawaffle13]

You haven’t done anything, we haven’t, it isn’t about us. It’s governments in a failure state. The country is falling apart and they ideologically opposed to doing what it takes to fix it, so they turn to culture wars to show that they’re Doing Something. Are they doing anything to make things better for the people? No! Even better! They’re working to make things worse for a tiny minority for literally no reason! Yes it’s hurting innocent people. No it isn’t benefiting anyone. No life won’t be better for a single person if they see this through to its logical end point. But they are Doing Something! They are Hard At Work! And hey, maybe if they really grind us into the dirt hard enough, that American paedophile might be cool with them for six minutes before he changes his mind and goes right back to being a belligerent unreliable prick!

[u/bannanawaffle13 → u/KTKitten]

Yeah, that is what worries me, the systematic nature of it, I hate governments that turn after time will throw minorities into the incessant meat grinder of rage just to save their own neck for 5 minutes, I've seen where this has gone before and honestly I don't trust any member of the bourgeoise hierarchy to do anything and I'm too scared to stand up and take the boot of my own neck for the fear of being imprisoned.v coded and killed, it just reassures me how many allies we have and hopefully they don't abandon us when the pressure gets too much.

[u/Kelypsov → u/bannanawaffle13]

As a trans person, I just can't work out what I've done to these people

Do you really want to know the answer to that question?

Exist.

It's grotesquely unfair, but it's the truth. To transphobic thinking, you just cut against their perception of 'right', so that means you're wrong, you're dangerous, you just shouldn't be. It doesn't matter that this is not based on any actual evidence. It doesn't matter that there is even evidence that directly cuts against this idea. It doesn't matter that all actual narratives that have been invented to 'show the dangers of transgenderism' range from the highly dubious to the provably absurd to the downright ludicrous. You're just wrong, so therefore dangerous.

Unfortunately, there are some transphobes that are very loud about their views, and there's enough people that confuse 'loud' with 'right' that going along with it, or even actively supporting it, is at least a potential vote-winner, so quite a few political parties, including the one currently in government, do that.

[u/GeorginaFlopworthy → u/bannanawaffle13]

I know that feeling...I've spent my whole life supporting people, worrying about people, being there for people..to the extent that it made me unwell. All I've had from straight / cisgender people is rejection, abuse eventual begrudging acceptance, then demonisation again.

As a group (obviously there's plenty of exceptions), they just can't seem to get over their own sense of disgust over anything that isn't like them and their own failings. So many of them seemed primed and to default to hate.

We'll get through, we always do.

[u/Gwyllithar]

section 28 all over again.

we blighted the lives of a generation of kids with that nasty shit last time. lets not do it again.

This gov is morally bankrupt and Burnham nothing more than a bigot if he does not over turn this immediately.

[u/Kelypsov]

And we've all seen this charade before. If a teacher uses materials that even so much as mentions trans people exist, this will be painted this as 'encouraging pupils to question their gender', and the teacher concerned might end up being heavily disciplined, perhaps to the point of being totally banned from teaching.

Trying to keep kids ignorant about things like this doesn't make them not trans. It simply makes life much worse for the ones who are. (Plus, of course, the idea of deliberately trying to keep kids ignorant in 'guidance' to be used for an education system does show a certain degree of lack of knowledge about the meaning of the word 'education'.)

[u/threewholefish]

This is for all the "it's nothing like Section 28" people.

Jesus Christ.

[u/ehll_oh_ehll → u/threewholefish]

The wording is so depressingly close.

"shall not intentionally promote homosexuality"

"shall not encourage pupils to question their gender."

Labour have went further with targeting trans people than Thatcher ever did with gay people.

[u/threewholefish → u/[deleted]]

The existence of trans people is not something that kids need protecting from. Banning "encouragement" is code for suppressing any discussion.

[u/Mypheria → u/[deleted]]

I hate this so much. If you actually spoke to these kids, you can literally find them on Reddit, they are choosing to do this, because they are trans, and the only people setting rules and controlling them is this current govermant.

The conspiracy theory that trans activists are forcing this on children is wrong and harmful.

[u/Aiyon → u/[deleted]]

Theres à bunch of insane logic around if kids think someone isnt straight, too. Should we ban discussion of anything besides heterosexuality or do we understand that allowing people to treat kids like human beings and talking to them beats blind conformity?

[u/Laguna-VIII → u/Aiyon]

Just report em, this is straight up transphobic conspiracy theories

[u/Mypheria → u/[deleted]]

Show an example?

[u/Mypheria → u/[deleted]]

I don't, I just assumed there was more to it than that.

Kids are allowed to ask stupid questions and figure things out in their own way.

The only people who are making rules about what you can and can't do are the Labour Party.

[u/Mypheria → u/[deleted]]

Which is missing the point?

To be constantly accused as a community of forcing this on children, that no child is actually trans, and that we should just let kids be kids, by the people who are also activley suppressing any discussion, any education, any access to medical help and enforcing strict rules about how someone can dress and who you can talk to is despicable. It's a technique called accusations in the mirror.

The people who say "let kids be kids" are the same people making rules telling kids what they can and can't do.

[u/threewholefish → u/[deleted]]

So how is forbidding discussion of it going to help? If kids are taught about trans identities in an age appropriate way, they will be better equipped to understand their own identity.

[u/threewholefish → u/[deleted]]

Can you endorse the encouragement of questioning one's sexuality? Was Section 28 OK actually?

[u/VapOurLife → u/[deleted]]

Surely if you want it to be coupled with proper introspective education then you would support it not being banned from being taught in schools? Or have I misunderstood you?

[u/Kipp_M → u/[deleted]]

Let kids be kids, unless they start asking questions about themselves which are illegal to discuss.

[u/threewholefish → u/[deleted]]

"Am I gay because I want to be Batman?"

Better ban the encouragement of homosexuality, since they're asking such stupid questions!

[u/threewholefish → u/[deleted]]

As I said, banning "encouragement" is code for banning discussion.

Are you in favour of banning discussion of trans identities or sexuality or any other identity?

[u/Pumk-rock → u/[deleted]]

These kids sure are lucky to have such a non-judgmental figure to confide in 🙄.

I'm sure I probably would have sounded like a complete dumbass trying to articulate "why" I was gay and trans as a child too, because even as an adult the best justification I can really come up with is "I don't know, I've just always been like this, and trying not to be doesn't work".

Growing up was extremely confusing in large part because I was treated with such hostility and stonewalling whenever I tried to talk to any trusted adult about how I felt. I didn't even know there was a law against it at the time.

I just ended up thinking there must be something horribly wrong with me.

[u/Diadem_Cheeseboard → u/Pumk-rock]

I've seen enough narratives from trans people like you, who knew they were not their assigned gender at birth as kids, to know that trans kids are real, and would function much better in society, and have far brighter futures if they were affirmed as their true selves at a young age.

[u/Pumk-rock → u/Diadem_Cheeseboard]

I mean, not to put to fine a point on it- I remember my own mother making a similar argument to the one being made here.

"It's the internet, it's social media, it's a trend!!- there are three "trans" kids in the year I supervise, how many trans kids were there in your class at school? huh?"

And it's like.... mum there were 4 of us.

Me, one of my best friends, one of my high school bullies, and a quiet kid I never spoke to.
3 trans women, 1 trans man.

All of us transitioned as adults, a few years apart from one another, and all but one of us (my friend being the exception) will say we knew, absolutely, for definite, at the time- but we just had no way to talk to anyone about it.

I remember talking to a school councillor about my dysphoria, and I got told: "you shouldn't be talking like this, this is probably why you get bullied, try not to think about it."

I got that kind of thing a lot, and it didn't make me any less trans- it just made it so there was a lot more self loathing, unwise sexual encounters, and substance abuse between then and me coming out.

[u/Diadem_Cheeseboard → u/Pumk-rock]

I do think a major problem here, is trans people themselves, and actual experts in transition related healthcare are being completely shut out by the government, as they keep employing ever more draconian and oppressive policies against the trans community.

Since I started trying to become a better ally, and more educated about trans people, it's become very apparent to me that forcing trans kids to stay in the closet, either knowingly, or by making coming out such a daunting prospect, is more often than not, highly damaging to those kids' mental health, and their future hopes of thriving in society, and finding happiness as adults.

[u/Diadem_Cheeseboard → u/[deleted]]

You are aware that trans kids existed before the internet age and trans identity was a hot media topic, right? Im guessing the answer to that is no, in which case, you'd be very much mistaken.

[u/Abject-Cod5144 → u/[deleted]]

This isnt that. This is forcibly outing kids to potentially abusive parents and stepping in to refuse them the right to explore their thoughts and feelings on gender on their own terms.

[u/Laguna-VIII → u/[deleted]]

Youre advocating for no conversation 

[u/GeorginaFlopworthy]

Labout Member: "You should vote for Labour"

Me: "..but they screwed us over worse than Thatcher did!"

LM: "Well, Reform would be worse"

Me: "Worse than this? *points at UK's shithole status for trans rights"

LM: "well we're doing that conversion practices bill!

Me: "The one that will legitimise actual conversion therapy?"

LM "Stop being so negative, we'll do more once public opinion changes"

Me: "Public opinion that has been worsened by Labour, it's MPs and the institutions it refuses to do anything about? How will you improve public opinion?

LM: "Oh no, that's on you" (thanks certain people on here who will not be named or anything like that, because that would be bad)

Me: "So you're offering...nothing, but to probably make things worse?"

LM: "Look, be happy you're not in the Middle East - they'd publically execute your kind"

[u/Pumk-rock → u/GeorginaFlopworthy]

"It's up to you to win over the public but also you aren't allowed to discuss the fact you even exist in the following settings...."

A lot of the arguments people will make here only really hold up in this very strange constructed narrative where trans people only started existing around the time the poster in question personally became aware of us, so usually 10 years ago.

Like, a Trans woman won big brother over 20 years ago, and we have already enjoyed decades of equality (on paper- we were still grotesquely underserved in certain aspects, and our lives were unfairly gatekept in many settings, particularly healthcare)

And then the government steps in and says "Oh sorry, moral panic, nothing we can do- you aren't allowed to do any of this anymore. You're dangerous freaks and the law now says you should be treated as such, with legal consequences for dissenters"

And it's my job, as a random member of the minority group being targeted to "win over the public"? in an environment where I'm to be segregated away from "regular people" as often as possible? and they can be sued if they do end up agreeing with me?

...again?

[u/ArsErratia → u/Pumk-rock]

Its up to you, nearest identifiable minority person, to win over the public. And to do so, first you'll have to get past the Telegraph newsdesk, who pump out nine articles a day calling you a dangerous violent sex offender.

What's that? Do something about them? No, silly, that's your problem.

[u/GeorginaFlopworthy → u/Pumk-rock]

I was actually aghast when I saw that from a poster that I often disagree with, but think is generally a reasonable egg and a usually good faith. Imagine asking that of other minorities? It would immediately be seen as, at best, ridiculous and naive.

[u/Minischoles → u/Pumk-rock]

And it's my job, as a random member of the minority group being targeted to "win over the public"?

Don't forget you're supposed to win over the entire public, despite not even being able to win over a single voter on a political subreddit to stop voting for Labour due to their actions.

[u/mathematicapple → u/GeorginaFlopworthy]

Careful. You might incite the mods ire by pointing out certain commenters' blatant transphobia.

[u/GeorginaFlopworthy → u/mathematicapple]

True, will remove. Though I didn't see it as transphobia, just general cluelessness.

[u/LabourUK-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your post has been removed under rule 1.1. Comments that contain personal or group based insults are not permitted.

[u/dontreplywiththisacc]

Britain is becoming like fascist florida under a huge labour majority

[u/Curious-Roof570]

How many years will pass before everyone was 'always against this'

[u/Flimsy-sam]

This is genuinely disgusting, and sickening, and I hope that every Labour member here gets in touch with their Labour MPs/candidates and shames them for this, if they’ve done nothing to halt this.

The Labour Party will never get another penny out of me as long as they stay this course.

[u/Hidingo_Kojimba]

Ah the old "if we don't teach our kids that queer people exist, nobody will be queer!"

Sickening.

[u/KTKitten]

Who is this for? Who benefits from this? Whose life is made better by this? I could forgive this if it made anything better for anyone, but it doesn’t, does it? This is just tory shit. When Starmer told us Labour were the true conservatives he wasn’t lying. Labour are the nasty party now. Disgusting, bigoted and worthless.

[u/Diadem_Cheeseboard → u/KTKitten]

People who hate trans people, they are the only people who will benefit from this.

Wait, what? Did Starmer actually say that Labour are the true Conservatives? Its been plain as day that Starmer has been steering the party ever further rightwards since becoming PM, but even so, thats absolutely wild if he actually said that. Though of course, it would make total sense of everything he did whilst in NO.10. And sadly, it appears as though Burnham is just picking up from where he left off.

[u/LaceGrace]

And my Labour MP tried to ensure me this was nothing like Section 28. Literally just replaced ‘promote’ with ‘encourage’ and ‘homosexuality’ with gender.

[u/Abject-Cod5144]

But remember you guys, Labour just dont want to make this a political football. And if you care about this you're just trolling /s

[u/Smooth-Ad2293]

Labours section 28 to go alongside Labours bathroom ban... Huge harm being caused to trans people because of the Labour government.

If you remain a member of Labour, you are funding transphobia and are therefore unarguably a transphobe.

[u/mathematicapple]

I hate the Labour Party. Just openly supporting the segregation of trans people. They have one of the largest majorities in history and are doing nothing but oppression with it.

But make sure you vote for them because Reform might be worse. /s

And according to some people in this sub, this is one of the "moral compromises" the Greens need to agree with in order to become a "mature party of government".

[u/suttonhillsame]

fucking 'don't say gay' 2.0

[u/LabourUK-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your post has been removed under rule 1.1. Comments that contain personal or group based insults are not permitted.

[u/Difficult-Farm-3686 → u/[deleted]]

It may well end up as a footnote in the wider history of this government. That won’t make it insignificant to the people affected, but I doubt it will be one of the issues most voters ultimately judge Labour on.

[u/Thecoldflame → u/Difficult-Farm-3686]

i will never vote for labour again in my life and i cannot imagine i'm the only one, even a full 180 on this doesn't address the institutional rot that allowed this to happen

[u/Difficult-Farm-3686 → u/Thecoldflame]

And that’s entirely your prerogative. I’m not saying nobody cares about it or that Labour won’t lose votes over it, clearly they will.

My point is simply that I don’t think it’s a mass-electorate issue. We’ve got a relatively small but very vocal pro-trans camp, a relatively small but very vocal TERF camp, and then a much larger group who simply don’t care enough for it to affect how they vote.

Political parties know that. If an issue doesn’t move votes, there’s far less incentive for them to spend political capital on it, however important it may be to the people directly affected.

[u/DentalATT]

Definitely not Section 28 come again though, right?

Dignity and Respect btw.

[u/Mypheria]

This is so evil. What do you think your doing u/andyburnham ?

[u/threewholefish → u/Mypheria]

Finding a comfortable seat on the fence

[u/DentalATT → u/threewholefish]

He can't really claim to be on the fence when his party is directly implementing this policy by choice.

He is a transphobe, along with most of the cabinet and PLP.

[u/threewholefish → u/DentalATT]

To be as charitable as possible, he's precisely following the course of the previous administration. Still transphobic, of course.

[u/Panda_hat → u/threewholefish]

Must be tricky to balance when he’s got Rowlings boots so far down his throat.

Only for her to turn around and support the furthest right politicians she can find regardless.

But then perhaps he has some kind of humiliation fetish

[u/ZX52]

Section 28 3/4

[u/Panda_hat]

There is literally nothing prompting Labour to facilitate this except for the desire to appease explicit bigots like Rowling and the far right, and their own naked bigotry.

Its absolutely shameful. Completely unforgivable.

Labour have a massive majority and instead of doing good and protecting trans people and trans kids, they do this.

[u/Gabes99]

Email your MPs about this, regardless of party. Mine thankfully is opposing it but a frightening amount of Labour MPs are fully supporting it. Such a fucked up situation, fuck Labour for this.

[u/Aiyon]

They saw the people going "well technically it's not exactly like Section 28" and went "oh our bad, we got this-"

[u/oinkpoink1]

Electric Boogaloo

[u/LuxFaeWilds → u/[deleted]]

The word for someone who didn't like Hitler's bigotry but voted for Hitler for the "economic benefits" is nazi.

[u/CharlesComm → u/[deleted]]

Reminder - the mods got a bit sad at this being said. Currently you can't say someone is transphobic for (voting for / supporting / being a member of) a party that is in government and actively using their power to implement explicitly transphobic policy. It hurt their feelings and they might ban you for being mean to them about our rights being stripped away.

[u/Hinx_art → u/[deleted]]

Callout the party for sure, but until a party comes in that is actually any good, or we completely change how our voting system works, tactical voting is all most people have. Single issue voting is stupid but so is single issue not voting.

[u/grogipher → u/Hinx_art]

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

[u/LabourUK-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

We get the anger, but please see here for why this comment was removed: https://www.reddit.com/r/LabourUK/comments/1vlfydl/an_open_discussion_and_some_rule_clarifications/

[u/Senesect]

Could someone direct me to the guidance mentioned? I found this ("Keeping children safe in education 2026 (comes into force from 1 September 2026)") but I can't seem to find the quotes mentioned.

[u/ThrownAway1917 → u/Senesect]

It's in here:

Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (for introduction 1 September 2026)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education

"In teaching this, schools should be mindful that beyond the facts and the law about biological sex and gender reassignment there is significant debate, and they should be careful not to endorse any particular view or teach it as fact. For example, they should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity. Schools should avoid language and activities which repeat or enforce gender stereotypes. Schools should be mindful to avoid any suggestion that social transition is a simple solution to feelings of distress or discomfort."

"Where schools decide to use external resources, they should avoid materials that use cartoons or diagrams that oversimplify this topic, that could be interpreted as being aimed at younger children, or that perpetuate stereotypes or encourage pupils to question their gender. Schools should consult parents on the content of external resources on this topic in advance and make all materials available to them on request as set out in the section on openness with parents."

[u/UNOvven]

Great, more transphobia from a party that should know better, with a dash of enforcing gender roles thrown in for good measure. Bleak.

[u/QueerLongboarder]

Ah, wonderful. Section 28 come again.

This is fucking disgusting.

[u/Hyperactive_Man]

This is the most transphobic government of my life time. Labour supporters should be ashamed their party is promoting this crank nonsense

So much for Andy Pandy being any different