More than 95 per cent of Scottish secondary schools are telling children they can self-identify their gender, an investigation has found.
In a report, For Women Scotland, the campaign group, claimed that an “unscientific contested belief system” had become “deeply embedded” within classrooms as a result of controversial SNP government guidance and the influence of radical activist groups.
In findings based on freedom of information requests from hundreds of schools, the group discovered nine in 10 Scottish secondaries taught pupils that humans have a gender identity that may be different to their biological sex.
At least 95.4 per cent are operating gender self-ID policies, meaning schools consider the gender of the child to be whatever they declare it to be.
The situation means that biological males are being allowed to participate in female sport classes and share toilets and changing rooms with girls in a majority of high schools, the report warns.
The SNP government has kept controversial guidance, which calls on teachers to “be affirming” to children who say they are trans and endorses “social transition”, in place despite the recent findings of the Cass review.
In her landmark report, published in April, Dr Hilary Cass warned of potential risks of social transition – when names and pronouns are changed – saying it could push children down a potentially harmful medical pathway when issues could be resolved in other ways.
Aspects of her findings have been criticised by activist groups such as LGBT Youth Scotland, which runs a widely-adopted charter scheme in Scottish schools and helped draw up the Scottish Government guidance.
The charity, which receives almost £1 million a year in public funding, trains thousands of teachers and promotes highly controversial concepts around sex and gender.
It has produced a list of 17 different genders and a “safe sex” guide for children in which it claims it is possible for lesbians to have a penis.
The report found that only 4 per cent of schools always tell parents when a child discloses feelings of “gender distress” and 89 per cent teach people have a gender identity that may be different to their biological sex.
Trina Budge, a For Women Scotland director, said: “There is a misconception that the occasional headlines in the press about children socially transitioned without parents knowledge or boys causing upset by using the girls’ toilets represent isolated incidents.
“This report conclusively disproves that theory. Schools, by and large, unquestioningly follow [SNP government] advice, even when it is out of date, unlawful and supports an unscientific contested belief system that has more in common with religious studies than it does with biology lessons.”
‘Confuses children’
The investigation was designed to mirror a similar exercise conducted by Policy Exchange, the think tank, in English schools last year.
That report had a significant influence on UK Government policy, with teachers in England now told to always inform parents and to “take a very cautious approach” if pupils want to socially transition.
However, the Scottish guidance states parents should not always be informed and that teachers should immediately ask for a child’s new name and pronouns if they declare they are trans.
It adds that it is possible to “come out” as trans at “any age” and also endorses breast binders despite health risks.
While Policy Exchange found that in England, 40 per cent of schools previously operated a gender self-ID policy, in Scotland the figure was more than 95 per cent.
Before new UK Government guidance was introduced, 28 per cent of English schools said they always informed parents if a child wished to socially transition, while in Scotland it is just 4 per cent.
For Women Scotland made six recommendations, including scrapping and replacing the current Scottish Government guidance, ending the involvement of LGBT Youth Scotland and other activist groups in schools, and allowing parents to view teaching materials.
Meghan Gallacher, the deputy leader of the Scottish Tories, welcomed the report and called on SNP ministers to “consider the recommendations closely”.
“Gender self-ID confuses children and shouldn’t be taught in our classrooms,” she said.
“It is crucial that if a child expresses distress about their gender at school, parents are informed immediately so they can best support their child.
“Now that the Greens – and their extreme gender ideology – have been removed from government, the SNP must put the safety of our children and young people first by backing and implementing the Cass report in full.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
