LGBT-inclusive education is ‘child abuse’, Christian charity claims
A Christian charity has claimed it is “child abuse” to teach children about gender at school.
The comments come amid a debate about whether sex and relationship education (SRE) should be made mandatory in schools in England and Wales.
The Daily Mail this week attacked ‘Can I Tell You About Gender Diversity?’, a book created by LGBT+ inclusion charity Educate and Celebrate to “start conversations about gender diversity in the classroom or at home”. The book is routinely used by schools as an SRE resource to teach about transgender people.
TalkRADIO host Paul Ross, the brother of TV presenter Jonathan Ross, invited Tim Dieppe from anti-LGBT group Christian Concern to discuss the story.
Mr Dieppe claimed: “This is a sociological experiment that is trying to impose a political agenda onto children.
“It’s a form of child abuse, actually – saying we want to confuse you about your gender. I feel sorry for people who do have these conditions, but we don’t want more people confused in this way.”
Mr Ross appeared to get confused while discussing a boycott of anti-LGBT laws in North Carolina, suggesting Bruce Springsteen was boycotting the state because he wanted “gender neutral bathrooms”.
As well as banning transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, North Carolina’s law also voided all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, and permitting businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.
He added: “I don’t have a dog in this fight… I was born a bloke and I’ve felt reasonably comfortable with that my whole life. For me it’s not been an issue. I respect the sensitivity of the issue and respect people who’ve crossed the gender barrier.”
Former Tory party chairman Lord Tebbit recently claimed materials created for LGBT-inclusive sex and relationship education will “damage” and confuse children.
Lord Tebbit insisted: “I think it is damaging to children to introduce uncertainty into their minds.”
