Primary school children taught about the 300 flags of Pride

Telegraph

19 hours ago

Schoolchildren are being taught about 300 different LGBT pride flags and the sexualities and gender identities behind each of them.
Leaflets handed out at primary schools by the charity Swindon and Wiltshire Pride claim there are more flags representing sexuality and gender identity than there are for countries.
The material, signposted by the local council on social media, goes into detail about a 'small selection' of 29 varieties.
It says: 'While some might think [300] is too many, it's all part of a drive to be more inclusive of the expansive breadth of identity within the community'.
Along with the rainbow LGBT Pride flag are a variety of offshoots, from the 'intersex-inclusive Pride flag' to the 'polyamory Pride flag' and even a black and white 'heterosexual flag' for straight people, which it says can include transgender people.
The materials make up part of a free annual support guide produced by the charity, which also points to websites providing advice on controversial practices such as wearing a 'binder to reduce apparent size of breasts', the use of cross-sex hormones in under-18s, and information on 'fetish spectrums'.
Parents of children at the primary schools told The Telegraph their concerns had been ignored by the local Labour council.
The three double-page spreads about Pride flags describe the identity each is meant to represent, what the colours mean and when the flag was created, if known.
For example, beneath the pink, purple and green 'trigender Pride flag', the charity explains that 'trigender is a gender identity in which a person switches between or among several genders, including a third gender', which may change depending 'on the individual's mood or environment'.
The 'omnisexual' flag explainer says the term refers to someone attracted to all genders and sexualities, and that it was created in 2015, but that the creator 'never explained the exact meaning of the colours'.
The polyamory flag, which represents people who engage in multiple romantic and sexual relationships at once, is described as being comprised of 'blue for openness and honesty, magenta for desire, love, and attraction; purple represents a united non-monogamous community. Gold represents the energy and perseverance and the white represents possibility'.
One mother, a former teacher, said the guide being given out in primary schools was 'really concerning'.
'Obviously the polyamory one, encouraging children to have multiple sex partners, they shouldn't be sexualising children,' she said. 'In the guide itself, under education, it states it is 'for schools, teachers, and students'.
'A couple of sentences down, for example, it says 'raise awareness of the lesser known identities across the fetish spectrum',' she added, saying that was 'inappropriate'.
Among the other Pride flags are 'genderqueer', 'demiboy' and 'demigirl', 'pangender', 'abrosexual' and the 'straight ally flag', which places the rainbow colours in the shape of an 'A' on top of the black and white heterosexual flag.
Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, said the flags 'draw children in' and 'suggest that children need to find themselves on the list'.
'They recruit children into the world of sexual orientation and gender identity, which is inappropriate and unnecessary. Encouraging very young children to wonder about their gender or sexual orientation in this reckless way creates safeguarding risks,' she added.
'Some of these flags promote the false belief that a child can be born in the wrong body, which is deeply unsettling for young people. They should be protected from such misguided and harmful ideas, but instead, adult concepts are being pushed at them, disguised as harmless fun.'
The controversial material has been the subject of complaints for ignoring the Cass Review, which has resulted in changes to the NHS's treatment of gender-questioning children, but schools have not been bound by the same rules.
Despite being published almost a year after Baroness Cass, a paediatrician, published her final recommendations and raised concerns about the use of cross-sex drugs in children, the guide continues to point towards resources promoting them.
The guide also includes a page on 'top tips for gender equality in the classroom' with advice on mixing up he/she/they pronouns in books, jumbling up toys so all genders have an equal opportunity' to play with them, and allowing children to change their gender identity in class.
'Be inclusive of a child who identifies as another gender to the one they were assigned at birth,' it says. 'Refer to the child in the gender they prefer. Your modelling of how this child is included and referred to will be paramount to the attitudes of the other children and their families.'
It also says: 'Use gender-neutral language when referring to children, e.g. instead of saying 'Choose a boy', say 'Choose a friend'.'
Another page has a diagram of the 'genderbread person', a gingerbread figure, which says: 'Gender is one of those things everyone thinks they understand, but most people don't. Gender isn't binary. It's not either/or. In many cases it's both/and. A bit of this, a dash of that,' it reads.
Under identity, it tells children that identity 'is how you, in your head, experience and define your gender, based on how much you align (or don't align) with what you understand the options for gender to be.'
The mother and former teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed her concerns had been waved away by Jim Robbins, the council's chairman.
She said she had also met local MP, Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, who has made enquiries to the council and is awaiting a response.
The mother said: 'My question was, why are schools and public health not in line with the Cass Review? How can school policy be so divorced?
'She [Ms Alexander] said I was 'the only person in my constituency that has raised these issues',' the mother said. 'I know there are more, but even if [it was just me], we are talking about child safeguarding, child safety needs to be investigated.'
A spokesman for Swindon and Wiltshire Pride said: 'We believe in 'Pride 365': a year-round commitment to celebrating identity, raising awareness, and supporting LGBTQIA+ people in our community. Throughout the year, we engage with a wide range of local events, organisations, and educational settings to build understanding and foster inclusion.
'During this Pride Month, we were invited into a small number of local schools to support their curriculum-led work around diversity and LGBTQIA+ relationships. Our support guide includes helpful information, links to support organisations, and content written for all audiences – it contains no sexual content whatsoever.
'It is disheartening, though sadly not surprising, to face unfounded attacks or misrepresentations of our work. As a visible LGBTQIA+ charity, we know that some individuals may seek to undermine the progress we are making in fostering a more compassionate, inclusive society.
'We remain proud of our mission and grateful to the many people, schools, and communities who continue to stand with us.'