The LGBT inclusion group Educate and Celebrate has put a couple of books about some characters questioning their genders, on the nursery and primary schools' reading lists. These stories are said to be read to kids as young as three to educate them about male and female stereotypes that could also lead to questioning their own genders.
The first book, published by Bloomsbury, has a title "Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship." Its character's name is Thomas, who believes he is a "girl teddy and not a boy teddy."
"I wish my name was Tilly, not Thomas," he said. He also told his friend named Errol that he needs to be himself.
Another one is titled "Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?" Its character's name is Tiny, who also questions her identity. At the back of the book, its topics are listed as "Does it matter if Tiny is a boy or a girl?" and "Should Tiny be allowed to play football and dress up as a fairy?"
These stories are also teaching the kids to remove gender stereotypes by encouraging girls to consider a career in firefighting. Boys, on the other hand, are said to cook dinner for their families.
The Educate and Celebrate is a UK-based charity funded by the Department of Education. It has the vision to make the schools and organizations LGBT-friendly by providing training materials, resources, and strategies.
This cause is the group's effort to eliminate homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. In fact, it already sponsored a number of schools to adopt gender-neutral toilets and uniforms.
However, Campaign for Real Education chairman Chris McGovern found the move to make these books read by children a mistake. Although he is not questioning the intentions of using these materials, he believes it is "misguided."
"They are inflicting adult neuroses about gender onto children who are not interested in gender," he said. He also explained that kids do not have gender issues in '99.9 percent of cases,'" adding that grown-ups should understand that children do not see the world the way they do as this could be "damaging and cruel."
