It’s amazing how many people have wanted to reassure us, over the past ten days, that there is no problem whatsoever in the teaching of gender theory at school. That life would be simple if all these people were right. We could move on. Unfortunately there is a little thing that, in my case, at least, bothers me. Facts. Here are a few.
Nowhere does it say that biological sex does not exist. Fake. The “Unicorn of Gender” is an image promoted by a Quebec government site, the SansStéréotypes Toolbox, intended for “parents and early childhood”. We invite children to determine their gender identity and expression, but also to tell us what sex they were “assigned at birth”. Is it “male”, “female” or “other/intersex”. But what is this “assigned” sex thing? Isn’t sex “observed”? Not according to the Ministry of Education, which has produced a handy glossary in its Guide for schools on diversity issues. It reads: “Sex assigned at birth: the sex assigned to a person at birth based on a limited number of observable physical characteristics, primarily the appearance and structure of the external genitalia. » See, when the doctor says “it’s a girl”, he doesn’t really know what he’s talking about and bases his statement on “a limited number of characteristics”.
We never talk about gender change in primary school. Fake. The Ministry of Education document which guides teachers on sexuality tells them that “children can begin to explore their gender identity between the ages of 3 and 7”. From words to actions, the document refers to a tool financed by the Ministry of Justice and intended for primary school teachers. Hello Sam is the story of a little boy who, like a Russian doll, becomes a girl. Conversely, Sam’s story, viewed a million times, features a little girl becoming a boy. I’m not saying these tools shouldn’t exist. I do not know. But it is wrong to say that they do not exist and are not used.
Those who raise this debate are intolerant. Fake. A recent Angus Reid survey on the issue reveals that 75% of Quebecers would accept and support an 8-year-old child who wishes to change gender, 79% a 12-year-old child, 80% a 16-year-old child. This is the highest rate in Canada. At the same time, 80% of Quebecers believe that parents must be informed by the school if their child wishes to change gender. Currently, schools are required not to inform parents if the child refuses. In short, Quebec parents are massively tolerant AND massively worried. Of course, a minority of parents are transphobic. In these cases, support is required. But secrecy cannot be the general rule.
It’s just a question of tolerance. Fake. There would be no debate, at least among reasonable people, if the new sexuality education simply promoted tolerance. But as I decidedshown in these pages and even more on my blog, the program does not put each of the orientations on an equal footing. The constant criticism of heteronormativity, heterosexism and straight privilege, the laudable desire to deconstruct feminine and masculine stereotypes, but without valorizing masculine and feminine types, coupled with a constant valorization of the queer experience, non-binary and trans, and the organization of celebrations, sometimes obligatory, of LGBTQ+ holidays, cumulatively establish a hierarchy. We are in the presence of the replacement of heteronormativity, which can be criticized, by a queernormativity, which is just as open to criticism. The solution, it seems to me, is to equally respect all orientations, including the heterosexual majority.
Raising doubts stigmatizes trans children. Fake. What if it was to protect them? The entire current approach aims to accept without questioning, then to support the transition. Teachers are advised that resistance on their part may lead to legal sanctions.
Mixed toilets, for inclusion and against aggression. Serious ? The latest data tells us that boys aged 12 to 17 are, by far, the main perpetrators of sexual assault in Quebec. Is it really reasonable to invite them en masse into mixed sinks? The brand new Jean Lumb school in Toronto introduced the concept this year. The disappearance of urinals (obviously, we don’t care if boys take away this convenience) has led to a surprising increase in urine on the toilet seat. (boys ! Sighs!) As for inclusion, a religious problem arises. Little girls wearing headscarves at school (in my opinion this should be prohibited, but that is not the subject) must practice wudu, a purification with water before prayer. This requires them to remove their veil, which they cannot do in front of boys in mixed-gender bathrooms. Welcome, here, to the breaking point of intersectionality.
Jean-François Lisée led the Parti Québécois from 2016 to 2018. He has just published Through the mouth of my pencils, published by Somme tout/Le Devoir. [email protected]