A school allegedly hid an autistic teenager’s use of gender-swapping hormones from her parents who said they were put in an impossible position. They had met the headteacher of the secondary in southeast England, making it clear they did not approve of their child using a boy’s name and male pronouns.
But they reportedly found out staff at the school, which has not been named, had been calling their 16-year-old daughter by a boy’s name.
They hired lawyers who demanded to see the school’s records which showed some staff knew the youngster was taking hormones to make her body appear more masculine and using a chest binder to flatten her breasts.
She was reportedly also given advice on gender identity by a youth project which organises sessions in schools.
Her father told The Sunday Times that the situation is a safeguarding issue.
He said: “We feel our daughter’s mental and physical health is being put at risk and we have been shut out from any discussion.
“When we met the headteacher we agreed there would be no social transition at school.
“There were teachers who disregarded that. We feel we are living in a Franz Kafka novel.”
Social transitioning means a person is treated as a gender different to their biological sex, but they do not undergo any medical intervention.
The father, who has also not been named, told the same publication the institutions have put both parents in an impossible situation.
He added: “We have only ever sought to act in the best interests of our daughter.
“We believe some of the professionals whose job it is to safeguard children may have acted in her worst interests by enabling, encouraging and facilitating life-changing medicalisation with irreversible consequences.”
The school has denied failing in its safeguarding duties, adding the pupil has a right to privacy over her medical information.
It said reminders had been sent to staff not to use her preferred name.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is bringing forward new guidance expected to back pupils socially transitioning by changing their pronouns.
She has insisted the move will depend on support from children’s families who will be at the heart of new rules for England.
There are signs of disquiet in Government and on the Conservative backbenches over the position taken.
Some claim such a move will cause chaos in schools and have a negative impact on children.
