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For parents In the face of the powerful international lobby promoting transgender beliefs to our children, what can parents do? Here is information and advice to help families navigate the unfamiliar and frightening territory of transgender ideation. FAQs about RSE What are the Ministry requirements for teaching Relationships and Sexuality Education? Should schools still be using the same RSE resources as they did last year? Read more We need to talk about gender identity This is a 12-slide Power Point presentation about the impact of gender ideology on schools, for parents to use when talking to the Board of Trustees. If you use this presentation, please email info@resistgendereducation.nz to give feedback. Click on the Read More button to automatically download the Power Point. Read more Advice from other parents When a child, seemingly out of the blue, claims a transgender or non-binary identity, parents can find themselves alone with their questions and misgivings. Here, parents will find the information, advice, and support they seek, and a place to share their experiences. Read more Your rights as a parent Parents have the right to opt their children out of specified parts of the health curriculum related to sexuality. Parents have the responsibility of making major decisions on behalf of their children. But some schools have policies and practices that evade these parental rights and responsibilities. Read more Manual for parents One click for all the information you need! Our most useful information for parents is collected here onto one page. (November 2023 - to be updated after the new curriculum has been written.) Read more Letter templates Here is our collection of letters that parents can use as a template for their own letters to the teacher, principal, or BOT. Read more Spread the word While it is important to engage with your child’s principal and teacher, it is also important to educate the parents around you about what is being taught. Once you start talking to other parents about this issue, you will be surprised how many parents are unaware of what is being taught during RSE classes or the potential for harm posed by gender theory. Read more Don't stop now Five more ways to help expel gender ideology from NZ schools Read more

Our latest Substacks Two more years of telling gender lies to children NZ parents will have to suffer two more years of their primary-aged children being taught lies about their bodies because the government has broken its promise to immediately purge gender ideology from the curriculum. Read more Sex realism in schools A new era of truthfulness about 'gender identity' is beginning in schools. What used to be acceptable pretence is now being questioned. What used to be best practice deference is being reconsidered. Read more for links to resources to help foster honesty, dignity, and compassion in your school. Read more Teach the truth - sex cannot change Make your submission to the RSE curriculum consultation before it closes on 24 April. Children deserve to be taught the truth – that there are only two sexes, that sex is a reproductive category, and that it is impossible for humans to change their sex. Read more Auckland Women's Centre betrays children The Auckland Women’s Centre’s (AWC) opposition to the new Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum would be laughable if it was not so damaging to children. Read more Parallel Dignity - how schools can respect the rights of all their students Parallel Dignity recognises that all students deserve to be treated with respect but no one is obliged to agree with everything another person believes. Read more It's not okay for schools to let boys say they are girls When schools bend over backwards to give boys who say they are girls whatever they desire, they are callously overlooking the dignity and rights of all their female students. Read more Time to start talking about the UK Puberty Blocker trial A cross post from Active Watchful Waiting Australia about why we should be paying attention to the unethical Pathways trial. Read more PATHA goes to the Court of Appeal On Monday 26 January, the NZ Court of Appeal will reconvene early after the summer break especially to hear an appeal from PATHA* about the High Court interim ruling of 17 December that gave ‘interim relief’ to the government’s puberty blocker ban. Read more Lessons in Gender A cross post from "The Ministry has Fallen" - how kids were taught that dismantling sex was moral, proper and clever. Read more The judge who knew too little and was swayed by PATHA When PATHA sought an injunction to stop the government's ban on puberty blockers, the judge heard almost none of the evidence in support of the regulation and was not informed that PATHA's 'expert evidence' is nothing of the sort. Read more To be, or not to be, consulted? Public submissions are open until January 14 on whether parents should be informed instead of consulted about RSE content. Read about why RGE supports the change. Read more PATHA puts a nail in its own coffin PATHA has released new "Gender Affirming Healthcare Guidelines" that reveal it to be a body modification activist group, not a professional healthcare organisation. Read more Red-letter day in NZ The government’s decision to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers for the treatment of gender dysphoria is a welcome recognition that puberty is a crucial developmental pathway into adulthood that should not be disrupted. Read more Stuff breaks its silence with bias, hypocrisy and misinformation Last week the BBC was in the news for its "systemic bias" in reporting unfairly on trans issues. The legacy media in NZ has been playing the same game for years. If it wants to save itself from the huge embarrassment swirling around the BBC, legacy media needs to start reporting accurately and fairly on transgender issues or watch its audience numbers continue to decline. Read more Gentle parenting and the link to gender identity The link between this parenting style and gender identity may not be immediately obvious but it became striking during the evidence given by Professor Alexandra Gunn in support of Wellington Pride at the Human Rights Review Tribunal in Wellington in July. Read more New RSE curriculum raises cautious optimism RGE gives A- to the new RSE curriculum It is hugely improved but there are still some areas needing attention. Read more We need to talk about gender identity In October 2025, let's make the most of the opportunities to talk frankly about gender identity: A Genspect webinar Helen Joyce's tour of NZ A biased Media Council ruling The hush-hush Human Rights Review Tribunal. Read more Wishful thinking to be elevated to a human right Every protecton in the Human Rights Act for the safety, dignity, and fairness of women and girls is to be sacrificed in favour of the disconnected-from-reality feelings of people with transgender identities. Read on for RGE's deeper dive into what the Law Commission has recommended and what we can do about it. Read more The Law Commission has declared open season on girls' rights In its "Ia Tangata" report, released on 4 September, The Law Commission has proposed major changes to the Human Rights Act that will remove the right to exclude people of the opposite sex from single-sex schools, public facilities, and many sports. Although the change would also apply to boys’ schools and facilities, it is indisputable that the impact of these proposed changes would be far more profound for girls. Click to read our Press Statement. Read more Use your voice and your vote Elections for school Boards of Trustees are due to take place in September. It is time to hold schools to account for pushing gender ideology. Ask questions and vote! Read more # Not all librarians Sex realist librarians are also struggling with the tsunami of children's books that promote gender ideology. They need our support. Read more Is it hateful to say humans can't change sex? If you haven’t heard of this important LAVA vs Wellington Pride case, which has been simmering since 2021, the crux of the dispute is that LAVA (Lesbian Action for Visibility Aotearoa) was excluded from a Pride event in Wellington in 2021 for holding the belief that men cannot become women. The dispute has now reached the Human Rights Review Tribunal (HRRT) which is tasked with considering whether saying humans cannot change sex is a protected belief under the Human Rights Act or a view so hateful and harmful it does not warrant protection. Read more Who's in charge - the Minister or the Ministry of Education? Why are resources like Navigating the Journey, that promote the gender ideological language and beliefs of the RSE Guide, still being used in NZ schools despite the removal of the Guide? Read more Pronouns as weapons of deception Journalist, David Fisher, by using male pronouns for Vanessa, has endorsed all those who blithely affirmed a mentally unwell teen’s make believe that she had changed sex. He quotes an online friend of hers saying Vanessa was “deeply entrenched and trapped in his thinking”, yet Fisher has failed to join the dots and see that part of Vanessa’s illness was taking extreme measures to deflect attention from her eating. Read more Transgenderism enables anorexia Keen to avoid looking in the mirror at their own culpability, trans activists have studiously ignored the fact that Vanessa had a raft of other serious mental illnesses; OCD, ODD, autism and the well-documented and long-standing anorexia. It was only towards the very end of her short life that gender dysphoria manifested itself. Read more The tragic loss of our daughter Vanessa PRESS RELEASE 17 June 2025 It is with deep sadness that we, as the parents of Vanessa, speak out against the sensationalised portrayal of our daughter’s life and death in a recent article by David Farrier. We are heartbroken by the story that has been shared publicly and deeply disappointed by the way Mr Farrier has weaponised Vanessa's* distress and struggles with complex mental illness. Read more An inexcusable failure The story of our health and education system, in thrall to gender ideology, undermining a mentally unwell girl’s parents and ignoring the recommendations of her psychiatrist. Read more Bamboozled by words How gender activist language manipulates teachers and parents. Read more Puberty needs protection “Puberty is the essential bridge between childhood and adulthood. We must protect every adolescent’s right to cross it, so they have the best possible chance at a healthy and free future,” writes Stella O’Malley in this announcement of Genspect’s Memorandum of Understanding on the Role of Puberty. Read more Don't stop now Five more ways to help expel gender ideology from NZ schools. Read more Picture book propaganda (Part 1) NZ libraries are pushing gender nonsense to pre-schoolers. Read more Picture book propaganda (Part 2) Public libraries are funded by local government and library managers are responsible for writing and applying collection policies, in compliance with the guidelines of their local council and LIANZA (the Library and Information Association). Because public and school library collections are managed differently, complaints to each need to be handled differently. Read more A hat trick for sex realism April 2025 in NZ has been a good month for confirmation that there are only two sexes. Read more Who needs puberty? Trans activists say that ‘transgender children’ should be able to go through the ‘right’ puberty. But the only ‘right’ puberty is the natural one launched by a person’s own body. Read more Proceed with caution At long last, the Ministry of Education has released the new draft framework for relationships and sexuality education and has opened it to public consultation. Overall, it is a vast improvement on the 2020 RSE Guide that was removed in March. Read more Keep it simple It will take patience and perseverance to break through the ‘be kind and inclusive’ catchcry. Key to getting our message across is keeping it simple. The following three strong points are good places to start the critical conversations with your family, friends, school, and MPs. Read more Losing the plot at the library In all the heat generated by Destiny Church’s non-peaceful protest at Te Atatu library on February 15, the underlying reason for the protest has become obscured. Tamaki talks about the need to protect children but none of the soundbites identify that it’s protection from gender identity ideology that is necessary. Read more

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Testimonals and examples of gender idealogy in schools in New Zealand. Testimonials From all over the country, parents are reporting alarming new school practices that, at best, are confusing children about the science of sex and, at worst, are teaching children gender ideology as fact. Parents are witnessing children being coerced into accepting a belief that requires them to deny the reality they see with their own eyes and to go along with gender demands in fear of repercussions. We have collected some of the many testimonials. Add your testimonial by emailing it to info@resistgendereducation.nz Teaching gender ideology as fact. My youngest son is enrolled at a big state co-ed high school. Last year (2020) when he was in year 10, he was kicked out of his Social Studies class by his female long-term reliever teacher for affirming that biological sex is fixed, determined at birth (actually even before, in the womb) and can never be changed and neither can a person’s DNA ever be changed. The teacher told him he was being disrespectful to trans people and that they were whatever gender or sex they wanted to be. He argued with her that this was misleading, and the scientific fact of biological sex was the reality - he’s a bit Asperger’s so will always stick to his guns to make his point. By this stage she was really angry with him, demanded an apology which he wouldn’t give, as he said he was speaking the truth, so she told him to get out of the classroom. After class, she lectured him but he stuck to his guns. He said that she was always bringing up what he called “women’s issues” during class and the whole class hated it because she was so angry and forceful about the issues. He bunked this class a lot after this incident. He is also very annoyed that so many teachers have ‘Rainbow Affiliate’ stickers on their laptops. In his 15 year old mind, he feels that this takes things too far because most of the school do not fit into the rainbow spectrum and are sick of it being crammed down their throats. His current maths teacher tells the class they don’t have to do the problems in their text books that mention boys and girls because it’s not inclusive of the transgender kids (of which there are very few in the entire school). Furthermore, when at the school recently for parent/teacher conferences, going from classroom to classroom as we met with his teachers, we noticed posters with the rainbow colours and talking points around rainbow issues. These were professional made posters not hand drawn.There were also student made posters all over the place advertising a sausage sizzle for the trans/ rainbow affiliate students at a certain place and time the following week. I can only say we were overwhelmed by this in-your-face approach by a small but very vocal minority for issues that involve such a small number of students. Please consider all these points as the grass roots attitude of mainstream NZ. Let the expression of thoughts, opinions and attitudes be carefully taught as just that - the thoughts, opinions and attitudes of some in society but not the majority. It is not appropriate for teachers to push their own agenda to impressionable young people who often aren’t yet mature enough to discern between fact and fiction and half-truths. We should respect all people and be kind, courteous and non-discriminatory but please let truth prevail. More than ever, it’s the time to remember the tale of the Emperor with no Clothes. An exponential increase in children identifying as ‘transgender’ and being affirmed at school After being affirmed at school, my daughter (18) doesn't need anti-depressants or exercise now that she's on T. It has an anti-depressant effect in women. She feels AMAZING. This should last for at least a year, just long enough for the T to cause permanent changes to her voice and her body. Then the anti-depressant effect will likely wear off and the nastier physical side effects will start to kick in. Constant UTIs [urinary tract infections], incontinence etc - the pelvic pain and UTIs have already started. I'm sure a full hysterectomy will fix that. She says with the T she doesn't really feel her feelings anymore. That's one way to fix depression and anxiety I guess. She was a very promising sportswoman until she found trans ideology. It helped her ADHD. Then gave it all up. None of her trans Id'd friends are into sport. Too busy scrolling. Secret name change. Our experience of ROGD occurred after our daughter started High School (a special character school) at the end of year 9. We categorically refused to allow her to change her name on the school roll, however mid 2022 (Year 10) we discovered at the parent / teacher interviews that she had changed her name and started using male pronouns informally as a newly qualified teacher called her another name (we had been aware that she was using this name against our wishes with friends). I asked the teacher directly after the interview if our daughter was using another name and he said no, he had mixed her up with another pupil. We then went to see the personal tutor to raise the issue as we had been lied to directly by a teacher and yet had signed a learning contract based on mutual trust, respect and understanding. The school refused to call our daughter by the name on the roll because that would affect their relationship and encouraged her to see a school counsellor which thankfully she did not. We set fairly strict parameters especially compared to her friend group. We would not consider puberty blockers or chest binders but agreed to buy her sports bras to wear. We have emphasised that we are concerned for her wellbeing and not doing something irreversible that she would later regret. She does not believe that puberty blockers are irreversible because of the information she has been getting from friends and online and won't enter into discussion with us because she believes that we are receiving misinformation and are transphobic bigots. We've tried reasoning that she asks our advice and perspective on many things however we don't seem to get anywhere. We do think that she is looking to "have" something. Her friends have been diagnosed with various conditions and see counsellors. We reiterate that our role as parents is one of safeguarding and trying to be reasonable doesn't always combine very well with teenage hormones. We have since found a counsellor who is not gender affirming and experienced with neurodiversity and gay youth. We made an appointment with the head of the year 9-10s to ask what students were taught about being safe and safeguarding. We hope that this helped to demonstrate that we are not unreasonable ogres. We firmly believe that as parents our responsibility is to equip our children with love and support and the ability to reason however it is not our role to be their best friends and support them in avenues that are likely to cause them harm and long term damage. So, where are we now? We hope that we are making progress. I have eternal hope that she will quietly desist. We're acutely aware that when she turns 16 she may try to get puberty blockers. Our view is that in our house there are rules which include not taking puberty blockers. Her fixation seems to have moved onto other areas -investigating if she has autism and being immersed in playing sport. Anorexia ignored. Our daughter has had long-standing depression and anorexia as a result of sexual assault when she was young. She is also on the autism spectrum. When she was introduced to transgenderism by a classmate at 13, she embraced the ideas as an explanation for her anorexia. The health practitioners we took her to immediately affirmed that she really was a boy and her school changed her name, uniform and pronouns without our knowledge or consent. Our daughter was encouraged by these professionals to see us as her enemy and now at age 16 she has left the family home to live with strangers who treat her as a boy without seeing that she is using the trans identity to mask her anorexia. She has cut off all contact with us, leaving us heartbroken. Transition at school kept secret from parents - read more here My 12-year-old daughter tells me that about half her intermediate class is LGBTQIA+. The other half are straight. I’m not kidding. Everyone has been “coming out” this year. At the beginning of the year, they all told the teacher their pronouns. If they change their mind, they just let the teacher know their new pronouns. She knows about four trans kids. When I was surprised and used one girl’s original name, my daughter said, that’s deadnaming, Mum. The kids are all told about gender and sexuality. She said her best mate was gay because another girl told her she liked her. She told me that choosing to be trans was a much bigger choice than being gay or bi or pansexual (yep) because it involved puberty blockers and surgery. She described to me what puberty blockers were, and she was under the impression you could easily stop taking them. She said in 2019, no one was really talking about this stuff, but now they’re all talking about it. They have a Pride rainbow bridge at the school. They are just kids! So naive and innocent and they’re claiming to be nonbinary! I don’t care if my girls are lesbians or bi or straight, but I want them to learn and grow in private, at their own pace. And I am dreading either of them being drawn into the rainbow trans cult. Dunedin North Intermediate - My friend’s child had his first day on Tuesday and they were taken to the unisex toilets. I don’t know if all the toilets are unisex or just some. Then all the class had to introduce themselves and share their pronouns. The boy didn’t understand what pronouns were and said he didn’t have any. Later at home his big sister said that not knowing his pronouns meant that he was a nothing. I think she probably meant that he was non-binary but that she is confused about it all too. She has just started Year 9 but went to the same intermediate. Her brother got upset at being called a nothing and shouted that he was a boy. My friend said that he told her that 5 children in his class said they were trans. My friend was really angry about it and said that the gender ideology is being treated as extra special and cool so everyone wants to be in the cool, trendy gang to be treated as special and it’s being shoved down kids’ throats. She wants to complain but knows that she will be labelled as a transphobe or homophobe if she does and she holds a public position which really means she can’t speak out about it. The undermining of parental rights by schools teaching transgender ideas without proper consultation 2025 My daughter is one of those with a ‘vivid imagination’. Quirky, highly intelligent, gifted, ADHD and with autistic traits. Completely and apparently quite easily brainwashed to believe she was born in the wrong body at age 14 - post puberty. Never had an issue with her body or femininity before falling in with a group of friends that were into being trans. Patient Zero - the so-called ‘best friend’ - was anorexic. Convenient way to keep punishing your body - behind the veil of Trans. Social contagion in our schools is very real and is being encouraged, affirmed and supported by all these professionals and organisations. I feel completely betrayed by them and successive Governments that have failed to protect my vulnerable young woman. It’s a modern day tragedy. 2023 My young son is being forced to change for swimming in a shared change room with a male-identifying female child. The son is aware that the other child is female and is at an age where he feels self-conscious about nudity in front of members of the opposite sex. Many parents of the same children are unaware that the child is female and no-one has been asked whether they consent to their sons sharing the purported single-sex change room with a female child. No consideration is made for the cultural and religious requirements of the other families, or the privacy and consent rights of the boys. At a recent athletics day, sprints and all other competitions were run with boys and girls together, with students receiving individual score cards rather than being able to compare their abilities with others in their age and in their sex class. There was no prior discussion about this with parents and no request for feedback on the merits or not of this entirely new and debatable approach. No explanation or justification was given. This has led some parents to assume that this was done in order to avoid the need to confront the issue of sex categories in school sports. It is felt that these categories are being abolished by stealth, without robust, open debate about the merits and disadvantages of this. If this is being done in the interests of 'inclusion' for children questioning their gender, then this needs to be balanced with the needs of girls to have access to safe and fair school competitions that allow them to shine in a level playing field within their sex category. (During Pride week) So at our local NZ high school you are to wear pronoun labels of your choice. He or she is not encouraged, however. They or theybe is acceptable. Not kidding. Mine have prior arrangements this week so will be home. At the end of Term 2, 2022, an Auckland intermediate school had a Rainbow Pride mufti day and each child in every classroom had to write down their name and beside it put down what rainbow colour they were wearing so that there would be a wide mix of rainbow colours all over the school on the day. The Year 7 class I observed didn't have a clue about the deeper sex and gender issues involved. They just thought it was cool, fun, and exciting to dress up in bright rainbow colours. This emphasis on rainbow imagery to capture youngsters, seems to be a form of brainwashing and grooming. My friend has requested her 7 year old not participate in any more Pride activities this week. As a result, her daughter was sent to a different class three separate times today. Sarah (not real name) was taught all about pride today, shown the flags and how they represent: boy loving a boy, girl loving a girl, or you may have been born a little girl but actually you think you might be a boy but there is a flag for that too. Then coloured in the flag and put it on a t-shirt. No notification given to parents at all. PS The teacher makes a big show of excluding Sarah from the class every time they do a “diversity” activity. My daughter (aged 10) has a trans girl in her year group. This child did a presentation to the year group. My daughter said it was a slideshow - she thinks it was a children’s book as it looked like proper illustrations. All about a cat that wanted to be pink. At the end the child urged everyone to use the pronouns people prefer. Around that time my daughter went into the principal’s office and she had a box of pronoun badges (they/them, he/she etc) but my daughter says she hasn’t seen any staff member wearing one. I had already asked the school to tell me if my kids were going to be taught that anyone was “born in the wrong body” a year earlier. A few of my daughter’s teachers (year 11) asked at the beginning of the year which pronouns each girl would like to use among themselves (ie with the teacher), and which pronouns when in front of their parents. When I asked my child if she thought there was anything wrong with this separation, she did not think there was anything wrong. I put to her the view that teachers conniving with children to keep secrets from parents on such an important matter is totally out of line with the purpose of a school and what teachers’ responsibilities are (ie education), vi-a-vis the responsibilities and rights and duties of parents. My daughter agreed. Trident High School - This video was shown on 16 June 2021, to over one thousand 13 - 18 year old secondary students. It is propaganda for the unscientific idea that people are born with an innate ‘gender identity’. Range of Gender Identities Here is a poster from Hutt Valley High School (a large coeducational school in the Hutt Valley), inviting students to a regular trans and non-binary student meetup. The unreasonable demands being made on schools, teachers, and students to accommodate gender identity ideology 2023 I am a secondary science teacher. I was forced into a role last year to teach a health unit to a year 10 class and that is where it came to my attention the movement of gender ideology. I used curriculum resources that were given to me to teach the students on "gender identity" which came as a new experience for me when my background is in sciences and I usually teach sciences - biology, chemistry and physics. I also have become exposed to more students expressing the need to use opposite gender pronouns and names. I have been supportive, collegial and accepting throughout this time when working through these new changes, however deep down something has not been sitting right with me. Upon investigation of the world-wide gender ideologies, I have now begun to form a more educated perspective on the situation and it has confirmed the doubts and concerns I had for my role as an educator and for all my students. I have become increasingly uncomfortable in my role as a science teacher and as someone who cares deeply for our tamariki in light of the progression of gender ideologies filtering into our education system. I have felt I have had no guidance or consultation regarding this and in a sense feel 'coerced' to use pronouns and names of a child that is not in alignment with their original. I feel it is causing confusion in our students and staff and I am fearful that this will have long-reaching effects on our students, including the ones who are wanting to transition under the age of 18 and have not gone through puberty yet. I am finding the blurring of truth and also the back-lash of student response when other students do not use the pronouns increasingly hard to manage and my open public apology to a whole assembly when I have misused them as well makes me feel I am walking a dangerous line of falsity. I am wondering what protection is in place for teachers who may be feeling like this because it is leading to a creation of a fear-controlled environment. As a teacher, I am just disappointed that there is no discussion about the impact on teachers and school staff working at the schools who are being forced to deny the truth, deny science, forced to lie and to pay lip service to something they do not believe in - because they have a job that they love doing, earn a salary that they need to support themselves and their families - and they have to live with their own consciences knowing that they are denying science and are lying/not telling the truth every day. I am a NZ school teacher. I also taught for more than two decades overseas. Without a doubt, purportedly "Rainbow" materials are embraced and referenced by the teacher in charge of RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) at my own school. The materials are more about queer theory and gender ideology rather than acceptance of difference. As with all high schools, this aspect of the curriculum is taught by specific teachers and is in the 'black box' of the classroom...what one teacher covers is largely unknown to most others. However, in my own institution, I am fully aware the focus is gender identity and self-identification. This is seen as natural, progressive, and a form of social justice. Personally, I see it as a potentially serious safeguarding issue: through such curricula, we risk students questioning their biological sex, encouraging body dysphoria, and making students believe the axioms of an ideology. The end of such pathways is of course potential use of puberty blockers, hormone treatment and so on. As some may know, those most at risk are young gay and lesbian students and autistic children. It is, deeply ironic that this amounts, therefore, to a type of conversion therapy for some LGB students. InsideOut resources and their incorrect statistics and concepts around self-harm, intersex, and 'innate' gender are embraced without critical questioning. These materials are in our school and the RSE teacher seems to embrace them. Most shocking for me in these materials was the InsideOut (and therefore Ministry of Education endorsed) suggestion that schools might or should actively use new names, pronouns, and identities for students but hide this from parents should the student request it. To me, this is taking a stance of being actively dishonest - as well as not acting in the students' best interests. That is, to have such a policy is to have a policy of dishonesty. I understand the argument that this is for safeguarding itself, but this is based on the ongoing use of incorrect statistics surrounding self-harm. My children have all left school and I am very glad this is the case. I think most parents do not have any idea of the way the gender ideology has become embedded in RSE and schools more generally. As a teacher, just to raise questions on the topic put you in danger of accusations you are transphobic. My own views are that there are strong risks in presenting such materials to young people. It is a form of ideology which has no place in education - except if exploring it as an example of an ideological thought system. That is, it could have a place for careful analysis in high level social sciences classes - or in history classes comparing it to propaganda and authoritarianism. From the mother of a five year old: I’ve recently been into the school loo near my daughter’s classroom. They’re the usual unisex, fully enclosed toilets and I’m not a fan of girls having to share. More than once I found wee all over the seat. Not a little bit – a proper clean-up job. Not altogether surprising as they’re used by young boys. But it got me wondering how often my daughter encounters this, so I asked her, and she confirmed that there is often wee all over the seat. I asked her what she did, and she said she just cleaned it up each time. This makes me quite annoyed really. I never had to deal with that – the odd drop sure – but nothing like the state I’ve encountered in there. How many other schoolgirls are just routinely cleaning up a seat covered in wee? If schools are going to insist that girls share toilet facilities, then they need to ensure girls aren’t cleaning up after the boys. 2022 From a teacher: One Year 11 student at a girls-only school in the Auckland region told me that the girls who want to have any sort of discussion or ask questions about trans and gender ideology, are silenced by being labelled ‘transphobic’. According to her, this whole issue of gender ideology taking hold in her school has only emerged in recent months. She told me that two of the senior girls now maintain they are really male. They insist on being referred to as he/him. When she has unwittingly used the wrong pronouns, she has been verbally abused so she now keeps silent. She is confused because these two girls continue to wear the girls’ uniform, have kept their long hair and still share female only facilities. She is unaware of them wearing breast binders or taking testosterone. She cannot understand why they remain at a girls’ only school if they now identify as male. One of the allegedly transitioning students has attempted self-harm and has ongoing mental health issues. Kaiapoi High School. There is a male student identifying as female who uses the girls changing room and they were made to feel they weren’t allowed to object. Parents were not consulted and are not actually even supposed to know about the student. My granddaughter, who is 13, has just moved from Christchurch to the North Island. Her 1st day of high school has been a shocker. The first thing she was asked by the kids in the class is what pronouns she goes by is she non gender, lesbian, or trans. She had no idea what they were talking about and can't relate to anyone in the class. Rolleston College. The kids are having sex in the unisex toilets. I think all the toilets are unisex. Basically, because everyone can go in together, stalls get used for sex. A child requested to me, (I am a teacher) that she wanted her teachers to not call her a girl and to use ‘they‘, but also said I wasn’t to tell anyone. I pointed out to her that if we couldn’t tell anyone, nobody could comply with the request. Not knowing what to do I convinced the child to talk to her dean. The outcome was that I was told to use a different name for her and the pronoun ‘they’ for a 13 y/o child and not to mention it to said child’s parents yet. I was never given any directions on which cross country group boys/ girls or kapa haka group girls/boys I should direct said child to whenever the school separated for those types of activities. Nope you just get left to flounder with that. Because no one really knows what to do. Imagine the politically correct tangle you’d get into - don’t want to upset Māori community by putting a born female child who identifies as diverse into a traditionally male role within Maoridom , but not wanting to upset a rainbow community by forcing her into the unwanted female role within kapa haka. What a PC nightmare! Perhaps let them sit it out? Now you’ve got singling out a child which might cause them shame and / or teasing. I feel that a teacher’s belief system should be respected too. It's interesting that if a primary school decides to allow religious instruction, the ministry advises it to have an opt-in system and for the topic to be taught by volunteers. In the sense of gender identity, perhaps the same advice should apply? Certainly, there are teachers who might feel uncomfortable about teaching it on the basis of their religion and/or personal beliefs and I feel that maybe you could argue that the NZ Bill Of Rights Act protects their freedom of belief. As a parent, exploring gender identity is something I would much prefer to discuss with my own child and with the timing that is right for them. It's not a subject I would want school to discuss. Especially without informing me as to exactly what was being said and how it was being presented. School board trying to balance rights and interests in sexuality education I am on the board of trustees of a public, co-ed primary school board in the Wellington region. We are finding it difficult to reconcile the rights and interests of parents, with the rights and interests of teachers, within a system that should place child welfare at the centre. Some of these rights and interests are colliding with others. Recently some parents wrote to the board to express their concerns about Navigating the Journey (the sexuality education resource that is informed by the 2020 Ministry of Education RSE guidelines) and its delivery within our school. Their concerns were: That there had been inadequate consultation on the programme (we aren't due to do our two-yearly consultation until next term, so newer families to the school would not have had a chance for consultation yet) That parents had not been notified of upcoming sexuality education topics, thereby depriving them of their right to opt out That material is being shared with students in a way that is not age appropriate. As a board we accept these are valid criticisms. They have come about due to the behaviour of some teaching staff, who have unilaterally decided that placing limits on discussion of sexuality or gender ideology, for the purposes of the school curriculum, interferes with their right to freely express themselves and that this constitutes discrimination against them. They have also used the s51(3) exemption (that teachers have a right to respond to a child's question in the classroom) to skirt around the requirement to ensure that parents can exercise their opt-out rights in respect of the sexuality curriculum. The Human Rights Act allows the provision of separate facilities for each sex (s46), which is particularly important for females. How can we as a board, satisfy that expectation of privacy and sex-segregated facilities, when the Ministry of Education guidance encourages children to use the bathrooms and changing spaces that 'aligns with their gender identity'? Allowing males who identify as female access to female only spaces risks excluding girls from sports and school life. All girls are affected but in particular girls from religious backgrounds such as Muslims, who have strictures against girls sharing private spaces with males. Many of our refugee families come from Muslim countries and policies like these discriminate against and exclude these already marginalised communities. Navigating the Journey also dictates that schools should 'use people's preferred pronouns'. Using different pronouns is effectively a way of signalling to others belief in gender ideology. As such these 'preferred pronouns' policies run afoul of the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and belief, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights Act. As a board we are also concerned that there is no risk assessment that has been done by the Ministry on affirming children in different gender identities as the best therapeutic approach for children suffering gender dysphoria. Studies (including evidence presented in the Keira Bell case https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Bell-v-Tavistock-Judgment.pdf), show that many of the young people presenting at gender identity clinics have co-morbid conditions such as anxiety, depression and autistic spectrum conditions. In addition, a number have histories of past trauma, including sexual abuse, and the reason for their discomfort with their bodies deserves better investigation. In addition, of course, many gender-non-conforming children grow up to be gay. By encouraging affirmation–only approaches, we are, ironically, running the risk of taking part in gay conversion therapy. The lack of clear guidance from the Ministry of Education in these areas makes us worry that these issues can only be resolved through the courts. That would be a waste of school time and resources, that could be better spent educating our rangatahi and encouraging them to accept themselves and each other, as they are.

Under NZ law, parents have a range of rights and responsibilities that they can exercise when raising their children. Human rights for everyone

Positive books for primary students Positive books for primary students Froggy Girl by Pamela Garfield-Jaeger tells the story of a little girl who wished she was a frog and everyone in her life wanted to please her so they agreed with her. But when the girl tried to do all the froggy things, she couldn't do them. When she met a wise turtle who helped her realise that living a lie doesn't make anyone happy, she was able to stop pretending to be someone else and finally feel true happiness. Don’t fall for the Trick by Jennifer Bain. This book criticises sex stereotypes without the underlying Pride influence. Be Exactly Who You Are! by Laura Gehl. Encourages children to accept themselves as they are. Mabel by Rowboat Wilkins. Also encourages self-acceptance. Keith Among the Pigeons by Katie Brosnan. This about a cat that wants to be a pigeon but realises it’s not possible to change who you are. Love your Body by Jessica Sanders. A book that encourages children to value their amazing bodies. A Dog Stays a Dog This is a very appealing new set of online books, designed to provide resilience for preschool to young primary-aged children. The books were written by Dr. Tal Croitoru, a BA in Education, and Phd in Social work and can be downloaded here: https://realitybasedpublishing.com/ Payment is by a method called ‘Danna’. You receive the book first and then choose to donate whatever amount you wish in return. 100% of the proceeds are for charity – the money is a donation for the legal fees and health and rehabilitation costs of a male detransitioner post SRS. My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis The story centres on a boy who likes "pretty things" and prefers to wear tiaras and "girly dresses." The story informs readers about supporting children regardless of their expression. Allie’s Basketball Dream by Barbara Barber (2013) Picture Book. Basketball is Allie's favourite sport. When her dad gives her a new basketball of her own, she hits the neighbourhood courts, full of confidence. Once there, her enthusiasm ebbs as her shots fall short of the basket - at least at first. (Recommended for ages 8 plus). Cycling to Grandma's House by Jac Torres-Gomez (2014) Picture book. Luna has just been assigned a challenging school project: to find the most incredible characteristic about being a girl and then present it to her class. A powerful new children’s book that breaks the taboo around menstruation. (Recommended for ages 9 - 12). Daddy and Dada by Ryan Brockington (2021) Picture book. A young girl describes how families come in all shapes and sizes, and hers has two dads. (Recommended for ages 3 plus). Enough Love? by Maggie Hutchings (2021) Willa’s parents split up and her dad meets Kevin. Girl Stuff (8-12 years old) by Katz Cooke (Revised and updated 2019/20) The essential younger girl's guide to puberty and the pre-teen years – body changes, dealing with friends & bullies, getting confident, first periods, pimples, hair (wherever it is), phones & being online. No mention of being transgender is apparent . Dara’s Clever Trap by Liz Flanagan and Martina Peluso (2014 ) Unlike many fairy tales that culminate in a marriage, this traditional tale from Cambodia begins with one. Princess Dara has a lot more to do than look for Prince Charming. When Dara goes on a trip to search for the white stones she needs to build a beautiful palace for her father, her husband falls victim to a scheme. The princess quickly puts her engineering skills to work to plan her own trap. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10) Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (2017) Picture book. When Jabari arrives at the pool, he announces to his Dad that he’s going to jump off the diving board for the first time. Jabari assures his Dad that he’s not scared at all, but his body language says otherwise. His father sensitively offers Jabari tools to overcome his fear, while also letting him know that it’s okay if he doesn’t want to jump. (Recommended for ages 3 – 7). *Johnny the Walrus by Matt Walsh (2021) Johnny is a little boy with a big imagination. One day he pretends to be a big scary dinosaur, the next day he’s a knight in shining armour or a playful puppy. But when the internet people find out Johnny likes to make-believe, he’s forced to make a decision between the little boy he is and the things he pretends to be — and he’s not allowed to change his mind. (Recommended for ages 8-12) The author is critical of transgender activism and sex reassignment surgery. Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne and Giselle Potter (2000) When Kate climbs the magic beanstalk into the sky, she must overcome even more obstacles than Jack did. The author has the humorous touch of the giantess who is overworked by the giant because he keeps eating her servants. This funny re-telling is full of generosity and heart as Kate works to help others and not just herself. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10). *My Body is Me by Rachel Rooney (2020) An upbeat, rhyming picture book, aimed for 3-6 year olds, written by Rachel Rooney and illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg in consultation with TransgenderTrend. *Not All Princesses Dress in Pink by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple (2010) While none of the active, smart princesses in Yolen’s book wear pink, each one of them does sport a sparkly crown. This playful book gets to one of the reasons so many girls are drawn to princesses: their power. A princess can be a baseball player who “plays in bright red socks that stink.” She can be someone who wears her jewels while she fixes things with power tools. (Recommended for ages 3 – 7). Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa by Niki Daly (2007) This feminist fairy tale is funny and incorporates lots of details from Ghanaian culture. Salma’s grandma tells her not to talk to strangers on her trip to the market, but crafty Mr. Dog is determined to trick her and granny by dressing up. Will granny survive Mr. Dog’s sneak attack? Luckily Salma and her grandpa know just what to do to scare Mr. Dog right out of the house. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8). *Tell Me a Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee and Eliza Wheeler (2016 ) Think tattoos are about being a tough guy? This tender conversation a father has with his young son will change your mind. With tattoos that remind Dad of his favourite childhood book, to the words “be kind” that his own father used to tell him, each tattoo has a meaningful story. While some of the tattoos are elaborate, it’s the simplest one that the little boy loves the most. (Recommended for ages 3 – 7). *The Book of No Worries: A survival Guide for growing up by Lizzie Cox and Tanja Stevanoic (2018) Tips on how to handle growing up, including managing self image how common it is for kids going through puberty to dislike their bodies/themselves etc. (Recommended for ages 10 and up) *The different dragon by Jennifer Bryan 2006 Noah has lesbian parents. He goes for an amazing journey with his cat where he meets a dragon who doesn’t want to be scary and fierce all the time . (Recommended for ages 3 – 7). Thelma the unicorn by Aaron Blabey (2017) Thelma is an ordinary pony who dreams of being a glamorous unicorn. Then in a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma's wish comes true. She rises to instant international stardom, but after a while, Thelma realises that she was happier as her ordinary, sparkle-free self. So she ditches her horn, scrubs off her sparkles, and returns home, where her best friend is waiting for her with a hug. (recommended for ages 3 – 8.) Two Mums and a Menagerie by Carolyn Robertson (2015) Two lesbian mums, their children, and many animals. Plus two great websites: A Mighty Girl This is the world’s largest collection of books, toys, movies, and music for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls and, of course, for girls themselves! https://www.amightygirl.com/ Feminist fairy tales web site https://www.rebekahgienapp.com/feminist-fairy-tales/

In the last few years, schools and teachers have found themselves in a gender minefield without the training or quality guidance they need on how to navigate through the demands being placed upon them by some very confused ideas about sex and gender. The Responsibilities of Boards of Trustees In the last few years, schools and teachers have found themselves in a gender minefield without the training or quality guidance they need on how to navigate through the demands being placed upon them by some very confused ideas about sex and gender. Among other things they are being asked to: teach gender identity beliefs as if they are facts use the pronouns and names chosen by individual students allow students who claim to be the opposite sex to use the toilets of that sex irrespective of any discomfort the other students may feel keep a student’s social transition to another gender a secret from their parents. Why is this a problem for Boards of Trustees? The stewardship role of Boards of trustees involves planning for, and acting in, the interests of the school and its community. Student learning, wellbeing, achievement, and progress are the board's main concern. (Ref Pg 2, ERO School Trustees Booklet 2017). Issues which affect student well-being affect their learning. The sudden rise in the numbers of students expressing gender identity beliefs - the idea that they can change their sex or be non-binary or have no sex at all - has serious implications for schools. When students assert that their feelings about their sex or gender are more important than their physical sexed bodies, and when school policies and practices support those beliefs, the well-being of everyone in the school is affected. The desires of some students should not be met at the expense of other students. School policies and practices need to be respectful of the whole school community and facilities need to meet the needs of all students. In order to navigate the gender minefield, trustees and staff need to become fully informed about the concepts associated with gender identity theory and be aware that these concepts are heavily criticised by a wide range of international experts. This is a complex issue that has the potential for conflict in the community and even litigation against the school. In this video, Stella O'Malley , psychotherapist and Director of Genspect, provides an introduction to the issues for schools. Genspect advocates for a "cautious, gentle, compassionate and understanding approach." Relationship and sexuality education The Relationship and Sexuality Education Guide (RSE Guide) for NZ schools that was published in September 2020 not only accepts but actively promotes controversial gender identity beliefs as if they are fact. Schools are entrusted to educate children about controversial topics by providing students with both sides of a debate presented neutrally and objectively. This trust is being undermined by the MOE’s policies for teaching children that they can choose their sex and that embracing body dysmorphia as part of a trans identity is an easy, joyful, and authentic response to unhappiness. No alternative viewpoint is presented. Guidelines that recommend schools collude with students to keep their gender transition at school a secret from their parents are the ultimate betrayal of trust and are unprofessional in the extreme. Court cases have already been instigated overseas in relation to demands like those placed upon our teachers. Litigation has been brought by parents whose children have been socially transitioned at school without their consent; on behalf of girls who have been sexually assaulted in mixed-sex school facilities; and by teachers whose personal beliefs have been overridden by school policies that enforce gender ideology practices such as using preferred pronouns. The purpose of a school is not to provide a conduit for political or social ideologies. We recommend that Boards of Trustees remove gender politics from schools and focus on respecting the needs of all students and creating an environment of acceptance rather than one of exceptionalism. Concepts that everyone needs to fully understand: What is gender identity theory? Why do some people say it is fact when it is really a belief? What are the new definitions and language of gender theory and are they accurate? What is gender dysphoria and what are the differing explanations for it? Why are there suddenly so many students saying they are trans and what is the best evidence for how to support them? What is gender affirmation and what are the implications for schools when they automatically affirm students in an adopted gender identity? What is social transition and is it a harmful option for children with gender distress? What is the new evidence that puberty blockers are powerful drugs that are being used experimentally to disrupt puberty? Why are mental health outcomes better when children are allowed to mature naturally? What are the flow-on effects in a school when students claim they are the other sex or that they don’t have a sex? Why are transgender rights not an extension of gay rights? What are intersex conditions (DSD – differences in sex development) and what do they have to do with being transgender? For answers to these and other questions go to https://www.resistgendereducation.nz/faqs School Policies and practices School policies need to be based not on ideology but on facts, reality, and evidence. Safety and fairness fo r all students should be paramount and any political or ideological positions should be avoided. Social transition (the adoption of names, pronouns, and clothing of the opposite sex). Social transition is a process that schools do not have the knowledge or expertise to oversee. It can prematurely cement a life-altering decision and make it hard for a student to retract. Unambiguous policies are needed to enable schools to manage any student or parental requests to affirm a child in a chosen identity. Uniforms. It is appropriate for uniforms and hairstyles to be fluid. If students want to wear a different uniform, they should be able to without it being a major statement. Allowing students to express themselves as they choose does not make them the opposite sex. Names. While peers and teachers may choose to use nicknames, legal names should be used for all formal documents. Only when there has been a documented legal change of name should formal school records be altered. Pronouns. The use of ‘preferred pronouns’ is an unworkable concept in schools. Many neurodiverse and learning-disabled students, or those with speech and language difficulties, or with English as a second language, find the concept very confusing and difficult. It is also discriminatory to those who do not adhere to gender identity beliefs. It is not the responsibility of children or teachers to provide opposite sex affirmation to students in their classes. Toilets, changing rooms, and residential stays. Single-sex facilities at school and on residential stays are necessary for the safety and dignity of children of both sexes and should be protected. For the small number of children who find that challenging, separate single-occupancy facilities can be provided. No children should be asked to ignore their own need for privacy and dignity in order to validate another child’s self-perception. Sport. After puberty, for fairness and safety , all sports should be segregated by sex. Where it is safe, separate mixed-sex teams can be formed as optional extras. Birth Certificates. From June 2023 it will be possible for parents to change the sex marker on their child’s birth certificate. Very serious safe-guarding issues are raised if this change is not disclosed to the school. If the correct sex of a child is not known, the possibilities are open-ended for accusations of, or actual, sexual assaults. Keeping secrets provides a ripe environment for all sorts of bullying and emotional blackmail. If teachers do not know the actual sex of the children under their care, they cannot safely provide medical assistance, or plan for residential camps, or offer sex-specific advice. In order to implement the school's policies around gender that have been formed for the benefit of all, the biological sex of every student must be declared upon enrolment. Meaningful consultation By law, schools are required to provide full consultation for parents on sexuality education every two years and to be guided by community input. As parents may want to withdraw their children from particular RSE lessons, the consultation needs to be full and transparent. For parents to make fully-informed decisions, schools need to consult with them in good faith. There should be a consultation period of at least two months. All materials to be used with their children (including worksheets, videos, and graphics) should be readily available for parental assessment, without them having to go into the school. No materials should be withheld for copyright reasons. The school should confirm that all teaching of RSE content will be in dedicated lessons, and that RSE will not be embedded throughout the curriculum as recommended by the MOE . Embedding the content thwarts the parents’ right to withdraw their children from some or all lessons. Education about sex, gender, and sexuality should be age appropriate. Schools and parents should reach a consensus about what topics will be covered at each level at school and which questions will be referred to parents for answering. Examples of good consultation practices, a body positive policy, and a policy about teachers answering questions are on the RGE website. https://www.resistgendereducation.nz/information/get-involved Some points for Principals and Boards to consider: What is the school’s definition of sex and gender identity? Is the school’s definition in keeping with the views of its community? Is the school teaching scientific facts or ideological beliefs about human sexuality, or is it avoiding the subject altogether? How does the school show respect to those who don’t believe in gender theory? How will the school ensure that no-one is pressured to endorse a belief they do not hold? Does the school have robust policies around gender identity? What evidence has been used to support those policies? Is the school gender identity policy consistent with the way it treats other religious or political beliefs? What school policies might need to change, be added, or be removed so that children can be free to explore their identities in a neutral space that neither celebrates nor shames them? How will the school manage requests to ‘affirm’ a student in beliefs that are not supported by scientific evidence and not held by the majority of families or staff? How will the school meet the needs and safety of all students (and staff) in a way that ensures everyone’s values and beliefs are respected ? Schools are required to have an 'Inclusive Education' policy but there can be fishhooks in the nice-sounding words. Read our substack on the subject here . We recommend this policy from a US school: " We believe in parental choice and that we are here to serve families. As we strive to build upon connections with our families, we leave the job of parenting to our parents. They are responsible for imparting morals and values taught in their homes including practiced political, religious, and social viewpoints. We trust that they know what is best for their student as the student grows and develops into an adult.” Useful guidance for schools from Sex Matters, Transgender Trend, and Genspect: Sex and Gender Identity This February 2023 revised and updated guidance for UK schools was jointly produced by Sex Matters and Transgender Trend. Brief Guidance for Schools Produced by Genspect, this guidance advises schools to develop a sex and gender policy and to take a "cautious, least-invasive-first approach" to gender issues. Brief Guidance on Social Transition Also produced by Genspect, the guidance includes several cautions, including one against allowing students to dictate other people's use of pronouns, saying "it is not acceptable to act as though it is an act of hostility to use the biologically correct pronoun." Saying no to school transition . In this article, UK MP Miriam Cates explains why new Education Department policy should ban schools from socially transitioning a child, even with parental consent. “ Not only is a ban the right ethical solution, it is also the only way to protect head teachers from being forced to make high stakes decisions for which they are unqualified.” Conclusion T eachers normally keep their religious and political beliefs to themselves and the same should apply to any beliefs they have about gender identity. It is not possible for humans to change sex and children should not be confused by being taught anything else. We recommend Boards of Trustees remove gender politics from the classroom and ensure schools are not centres of gender activism and children are not being used as foot soldiers for an activist agenda. Gender identity activism is not a school’s purpose and teaching gender identity ideology by disguising it as fact is not education. Further recommended reading: The Transgender Children’s Crusade by Kay S Hymowitz Time to Think by Hannah Barnes (review) Gender dysphoria is rising - and so is professional disagreement (British Medical Journal)

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The Ministry of Education endorses the idea that being transgender is a positive and ‘authentic’ choice for young children to make. As a teacher, what can you do if you disagree and don’t want to teach children that sex is on a spectrum and can be changed at will? Your Rights as a Teacher The teaching of gender identity ideology is a new practice in Aotearoa and raises many questions for teachers who do not subscribe to the belief. Under the NZ Bill of Rights Act, people have the right both to hold and not to hold a belief. In the United Kingdom, The Maya Forstater case upheld the right for people to hold and express gender critical views. Are teachers’ views protected in the same way in Aotearoa? To find out, we asked the Ministry of Education and the Teaching Council a series of questions: What are the rights of teachers or schools to decline to teach gender identity ideology if they don't subscribe to that belief system, even though teaching it is recommended in the Ministry of Education Relationship and Sexuality Guide ? Would it be against the law for a school to teach that sex is binary and cannot be changed but that people can change their gendered behaviour? Do students or staff have the right to ask others to use their preferred opposite sex or neo pronouns (as that is their protected belief) AND is there a matching right for students and staff to decline to do so (as that is their protected belief)? What are the employment rights of staff who decline to participate in social transitioning of both children and adults, for example by not using opposite sex or neo pronouns? How can teachers manage the expectation of the school that they must, at the same time , both keep confidential an adult or child’s gender identity and also affirm it? Would teachers who provided information about the negative consequences of gender transitioning to students be considered to have broken the Conversion Therapy Practices Prohibition Act? How does the Privacy Act fit with the Care of Children Act and the rights of parents to be informed and make decisions about their child’s care and education? Do parents, staff, and students in schools have the right to single-sex toilets and changing rooms that opposite sex people, including those with transgender identities, cannot access? We received only the briefest of answers to these and our other important questions: The Teaching Council The Teaching Council advised: “We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) and I can advise as follows. As we have neither sought or received any legal advice in relation to any of these questions, we must refuse your request under section 18(e) of the OIA - as the information sought does not exist.” The Council continued, “I can, however, advise that the professional expectations we have of teachers to maintain their practising certificates is to meet Our Code, Our Standards. The code sets out principles that are relevant to your questions to help teachers make sound judgements in supporting both children and their whanau.” One of the “sound judgements” expected, according to the Code, is for teachers to use a students’ preferred pronouns. (Our Code: Examples in Practice p13) However, in 2024 in response to a query from the Free Speech Union , the Teaching Council CEO, Lesley Hoskins, agreed that teachers do have the right to decline to use preferred pronouns, as long as they do so in a respectful way. The Ministry of Education The Ministry also does not know the answers to our questions and is unconcerned by them: “The Ministry has not sought any legal advice in relation to the specific questions mentioned in your request therefore your request has been refused under Section 18(e) of the Act, as the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.” Its response continued: “It should be noted that The Education and Training Act 2020 requires a school’s board to provide a safe environment for students and to ensure that their school is inclusive of, and caters for, students with differing needs. This means that we expect school policies and practices to protect and promote the safety and inclusion of all students, including transgender and non-binary students. Schools can do this by: Supporting transgender students to use the facilities (e.g. bathrooms and changing rooms) they feel safe and comfortable using; (That’s a ‘no’ to our last question.) Ensuring transgender and non-binary students are supported to engage in sport and other physical activity in a way that is safe and inclusive; and (Safe and inclusive for the other students as well?) Upholding transgender, intersex and non-binary students’ privacy by confirming the student’s wishes around what name and gender identity they would like used at school and in communication with parents and whānau. (That’s a blanket endorsement of keeping secrets from parents.) The Ministry’s response then became patronising – assuming that our questions were prompted by our not understanding the curriculum or by being prudish about sexuality. We were advised to educate ourselves: The Ministry of Education provides guidance to teachers who may feel uncomfortable with topics in relationship and sexuality education. We suggest that it may be useful for teachers to support each other (or seek extra support from others) if needed to reflect upon teaching practice in relation to feeling uncomfortable or being in conflict with their values, attitudes and beliefs. This will help teachers to think critically about the questions and responses they are providing in class when these feelings arise.” The advice from the Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education is full of double-speak. Although the Council’s Code of Professional Responsibility requires teachers to “respect the diversity of the heritage, language, identity and culture of all learners”, the views and values of those who don’t believe in gender identity theory are officially repudiated. Although the Ministry says about RSE education, “It is good practice to communicate with whanau prior to let them know that the learning is coming up...” it also advises: “Schools do not need to seek permission from parents, caregivers or whanau for akonga to participate in RSE.” Teachers are in a dilemma. The Ministry of Education endorses the idea that being transgender is a positive and ‘authentic’ choice for children to make, even at a very young age. As a teacher, if your own school’s Board of Trustees and principal hold the same ideological view, what can you do if you disagree and don’t want to teach children that sex is on a spectrum and can be changed at will? The choices are stark: 1. Keep your head down and hope you can avoid the topic and that no trans or non-binary students appear in your classes. (This is becoming an increasingly unrealistic hope.) 2. Comply with school policy to the minimum required, trying not to compromise your own values at the same time. 3. Raise the issues you have with gender theory and try to change the school’s gender identity policies. (It is best to collaborate with parents on this.) 4. Resign before you are compelled to leave. (Some NZ teachers have already been forced into this position.) We hope that the fourth option does not become necessary for any more teachers. Instead, we want to support teachers to pursue option three. If you are interested in this option, please email resist@resistgendereducation.nz and ask for the school gender policy information pack that we are currently preparing. Here are some further useful links: Stella O'Malley, psychotherapist and Director of Genspect provides an introduction to the issues for schools here . Genspect advocates for a "cautious, gentle, compassionate and understanding approach." Saying no to school transition . In this article from the Critic, UK MP Miriam Cates, explains why new Education Department policy should ban schools from socially transitioning a child, even with parental consent. “ The need for guidance is indisputable, but anything other than a total ban on schools socially transitioning children will exacerbate [these] tensions. Not only is a ban the right ethical solution, it is also the only way to protect head teachers from being forced to make high stakes decisions for which they are unqualified. ” We recommend this policy from a US school: " We believe in parental choice and that we are here to serve families. As we strive to build upon connections with our families, we leave the job of parenting to our parents. They are responsible for imparting morals and values taught in their homes including practiced political, religious, and social viewpoints. We trust that they know what is best for their student as the student grows and develops into an adult.” The gender affirmative model and social transition in schools (April 2023) Transgender Trend responds to the Department for Education draft transgender guidance proposals for schools in the UK. " The DfE must decide if schools are to follow either an activist approach or an approach in line with normal standards of safeguarding. It can’t be a bit of both." A Teacher’s Guide to Sex and Gender This UK website from Teachers for Evidence-based Education provides guidance and resources to help educational professionals navigate the issue of sex and gender identity in schools. The group believes that “sex matters and that to deny the importance of material reality will lead to inequality and conflict between people with different protected characteristics.” Guidance on supporting trans children in schools This new (Feb 2023) guidance is provided by UK education unions and sector bodies and aims to help schools meet their legal duties while supporting all children. Sex and Gender Identity This February 2023 revised and updated guidance for UK schools was jointly produced by Sex Matters and Transgender Trend. Brief Guidance for Schools Produced by Genspect, this guidance advises schools to develop a sex and gender policy and to take a "cautious, least-invasive- first approach" to gender issues. Brief Guidance on Social Transition Also produced by Genspect, the guidance includes several cautions, including one against allowing students to dictate other people's use of pronouns, saying "it is not acceptable to act as though it is an act of hostility to use the biologically correct pronoun." I’m a teacher and I will not be complicit https://open.substack.com/pub/pitt/p/im-a-teacher-and-i-will-not-be-complicit?r=24091f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web In this article a teacher from Chicago describes the insidious spread since 2015 of gender theory in schools, culminating now in its compulsory inclusion in lesson content. The teacher has resigned, saying: “ I am going to do my best to blow the whistle and restore sanity to my once honorable profession.”

A selection of compelling writing about transgender ideas. Excellent articles can also be found in The Times and The Australian, by subscription. Articles Banning the Blockers . In this Quillette article , Bernard Lane gives an overview of the use of puberty blockers as a routine treatment for gender distress and the resulting medical scandal. It's wrong to lie to children . Stephanie Davies-Arai (founder and director of Transgender Trend) criticises further delay from the UK Department of Education in producing transgender guidelines for schools. " The social transition of children is a key activist aim. It is an ideological approach that supports and compels a belief in “gender identity”, or at least the pretence of a belief, by forcing every other child (and teacher) in the school to pretend that a boy is a girl or a girl is a boy. It is a deception that turns reality on its head and undermines trust in the teacher-child relationship. It is nothing short of a social experiment on a generation of children. Is this what U.K. law really dictates?" "A Terrible Trap" , an article by Charlotte Paul about the dangers of puberty blockers, was published in the December 2023 issue of "North and South". In the article Paul says, "We have taught these girls to think they are really boys and thus to be disturbed by the changes of puberty... The only solution looks to be the suppressing of puberty. We adults have encouraged children to think like this ." Is NZ's transgender medicine guideline an example of regulatory failure? Jan Rivers has published a 20 page report assessing the PATHA (Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa) guideline for transgender care. “Like a lot of gender ideology research, the quality is very poor,” she says. Transition Alley by Andrew Anthony. The Listener May 13 2023. The use of puberty blockers is “a dispute about science, best practice and the protection of young and vulnerable people.” The Transgender Children's Crusade by Kay S Hymowitz. "Gender identity, with its vision of autonomous children in touch with their innermost authentic desires, negates all we know about adolescence, just as it does early childhood… Whether they realize it or not, supporters are showing a wilful ignorance about child nature and endorsing views completely at odds with child psychology and legal and cultural traditions…" Empowering Parents - Young People and Gender Identity . This downloadable PDF provides vital, accurate, information for parents and teachers to help them understand the complex issues affecting their children. Produced by "The Countess", a voluntary, non-partisan human rights group based in Ireland. NHS England Ends the "Gender-Affirmative Care Model" for Youth The NHS has ended “ gender-affirming care ” in England for minors, according to the newly-released draft guidance. Psychotherapy will be the first and - usually - only line of treatment. Puberty blockers will be confined to research settings, and social transition will be discouraged for most. SEGM’s analysis is here . Gender Wars and Sexuality Education in 2021: History and Politics by Sue Middleton published in the New Zealand Journal of educational Studies. The Ministry requires schools to engage in ‘consultation with communities’ on their approach to the ‘sexuality and relationships’ curriculum. Schools have to decide whether to teach, what to teach, when to teach, how to (and how not to teach) sexuality and relationships. Understanding the historical, intellectual, professional and political battles in the ‘gender wars’ should help in these deliberations. Questioning the Gender Bender Agenda by Sue Middleton published in Ipu; Kereru; a blog of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education. Explosion of transgenderism into a social movement - Observations of a Clinical Psychologist by Ellen Kaschak “Transgenderism has become a social movement and no longer only a personal preference or psychological issue… It is destined to affect you personally if it has not already.” No One Is Born in ‘The Wrong Body’ – by W Malone, C Wright & J Robertson This article looks at the normal distribution curve of ‘maleness’ and ‘femaleness’ and concludes that “…telling a child that he or she was born in the wrong body pathologizes ‘gender non-conforming’ behavior and makes gender dysphoria less likely to resolve.”

Letter template for asking about Life Education Trust lessons Life Education Trust query Dear Principal, Would you please make the intended Life Education lesson plans available to parents who request them? I would like to make sure there is no gender ideology in there before I give permission for my children to attend. I think there will be other parents who will appreciate this too. I love the Trust's work in general but I would like to be forewarned if they intend to go into anything around ‘identity’ or ‘inclusivity’ in particular as I don’t trust that they won’t stray into confusing kids about biology in terms of sex and gender. It is very important to our family that our kids are not led up the garden path (or towards physically and psychologically debilitating gender medicalisation and modification) by gender ideologists. Life Education has been dabbling in this so please be wary. Thank you,

Positive books for secondary students Positive books for secondary students You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne. This dystopian novel aims to encourage readers to question the porn-influenced sexual violence that they might think is normal. In this Daily Mail article, Holly describes her harrowing experiences as a former online sex and relationships adviser for young people, and says, “I believe the widespread consumption of hardcore pornography is now a public health emergency.” Always Erin by Erin Brewer (2021) Written for young people with pictures about the author’s journey through gender dysphoria and out the other side. Her dysphoria was the result of a childhood sexual assault and puberty and counselling helped her accept her body. Available from Partners for Ethical Care. https://www.partnersforethicalcare.com/shop-1 Dare Truth and Promise by Paula Boock (1999). (New Zealand) A lesbian teenage love story. Willa and Louie could not be more different. Louie wants to be a lawyer and is an outstanding student. Willa lives in a pub and just wants to get through the year so she can graduate and become a chef. Detransition Booklet. (Detransitioners are people who have adopted an opposite sex identity and later reverted to their birth sex.) Here are gathered written experiences of 75 female and male detransitioners, their wishes, advice and thoughts. The 50-page long booklet has the objective to reach detransitioners and desisters, their relatives and close ones, people who consider a transition and wish for more information, health professional,s such as endocrinologists or therapists, or anyone who wants to learn more about the topic. https://post-trans.com/Detransition-Booklet . Everything Changes by Samantha Hale (2014) Seventeen-year-old Raven Walker has never had a boyfriend. She's never really been interested in boys. But she was always too afraid to examine what that might mean. Until she meets Morgan O'Shea and finds herself inexplicably drawn to her. As their friendship develops, Raven is forced to face the possibility that her interest in Morgan might actually be attraction and that she might be gay. Girl Mans Up by M.E. Girard (2016) Young adult novel about a lesbian girl who struggles with the attitudes and beliefs of her family and friends. Everyone thinks the way Pen looks and acts means she’s trying to be a boy—but she’s not. All she wants is to be the kind of (lesbian) girl she’s always been. So why does everyone have a problem with it? Girl Stuff 13+ by Kaz Cooke (Updated every year) Has everything girls need to know about: friends, body changes, shopping, clothes, make-up, pimples, sizes, hair, earning money, guys, embarrassment, what to eat, moods, smoking, why diets suck, handling love and heartbreak, exercise, school stress, sex, beating bullies and mean girls, drugs, drinking, how to find new friends, cheering up, how to get on with your family, and confidence. My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Kabi Nagata (2017). (Graphic Novel in manga form.) This is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman’s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. My Period by Milli Hill (2021). A positive book about having a period. Gives parents some good language to use to describe intercourse in a way that's factual without being too graphic or too clinical. Sex and Gender: An Introductory Guide by Phoebe Rose www.mybodyisme.com Southernmost by Silas House (2018) A flood has swept away the small town where preacher Asher Sharp lives. When he offers shelter to two gay men he risks losing everything. The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir (2018) When her religious, reality TV famous family discover Essie is pregnant, it’s decided that she should marry, but whom? Essie slyly convinces them that Roarke Richards, captain of the high school baseball team, would be perfect. Roarke is surprised that Essie knows his secret—he is gay—and only reluctantly agrees with her plan, but eventually he becomes a willing and supportive accomplice. The Book of No Worries: a survival guide for growing up by Lizzie Cox and Tanja Stevanoic (2018) Lots of tips about how to handle growing up, including managing self-image, how common it is for kids going through puberty to dislike themselves/their bodies and tips on mental health and relationships The Care and Keeping of You (Books 1 for younger and 2 for older girls) (2012) To introduce and inform daughters about periods and growing up. Lots of info about self care, diet, emotions, friends etc. The Guncle by Steven Rowley (2021) After a parent tragedy Maisie and Grant are looked after by their gay uncle who doesn’t really know what to do. Feminist histories for teens: https://dragoncloudpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR2Zpj1TcctGFyHS4AdZs_kc2P9LVGtjSWVhLq5XDKm5AneBgT2eUWtZ774