4 year olds able to change gender in Scotland

Kids at that age pick their arses, nose and ears, believe in Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy, can't count past 20, have zero idea where babies come from. Oh but they're somehow capable of identifying with a specific gender and should be taken 100% seriously.

So if my nephew (2 1/2 yrs old) says to me "I'm a girl now", I've to bring it to my sister-in-law and begin assisting in his transition? No, I'd be saying "are ya now? so am I!" wrap a big towel over my waist and start dancing like an eejit just to make him piss himself laughing, because I'm the mad uncle who knows how to humour a child. Because he's being ridiculous, because of course he fúcking is, because he's a toddler.

I pissed my trousers at the age of 4 all the time. I carried a blanket around with me everywhere. I drank tea out of a baby bottle and stole my sister's rusks.

Children don't know anything rational at that age. When I went to L'Estartit with my parents on holiday (I was 6) I thought I was gonna see my dead dog from outside the plane window. Every beach I looked at going forward, I thought it was Spain. Oh but gender identification is something I would've definitely been able to comprehend. Away ye go.

As a Scot, this story is embarrassing.

Your assessment of children's knowledge is not very nuances. Cherry Pick some things they are not good at from an adult perspective as evidence that they are dumb.

We can do the opposite. For example, children have the ability to learn a language in a very short space of time without even trying. Yet adult learner's desperate to learn a language will never match the ability of a child in this. Does this mean adults are DB and shouldn't be paid attention to? Obviously not.

We should be realistic about what kids know and don't know instead of just portraying them as dummies with no minds.

And they are very aware of gender and can have strong opinions on it. No they're not going to be taking part in internet debates about trans rights but that doesn't mean if a child says it's a girl and you think it's a boy that it.can all be solved with a funny dance. That's spectacularly naive.

Also, it should be pointed out (though I'm sure it will be ignored) that there is nothing to suggest there will be education around these issues. Posters keep claiming 4 year olds will be taught about gender. All the article says is that a child will be referred to by pronouns they ask for and be able.to use the toilets they want. No curriculum changes. But hey why let the truth get in the way of a good nonsensical rant.

Yep it does.

Im aware though of an all girls school run by the Loreto Nuns that accomodated a young trans male quite well though. So it can be done and many schools are already handling this situation very well.

If a 5 year old identified as the opposite gender then there should in my opinion be non directive support (emphasising emotional support regardless of what happens) which looks at the context - is this a throwaway once off comment or is it continued insistence, are there other behaviours the child is displaying e.g. do they seem suddenly over introverted or overly angry or distressed, is the childs behaviour causing a lot of distress for the whole family and then looks at what professional supports are available for the child e.g. child psychologist

I never suggested pushing adult concerns into children. Can you quote something I've said where you believe that to be the case?

Or are you still IMAGINING that the Scottish guidance provides for 4 year olds to be educated about trans issues. It doesn't. Maybe try reading the article?

Exactly. You can't point to where I supported pushing adult.concerns on kids. Because I didn't.

The guidance is all about kids concerns. They want to be referred to in a certain way. The teacher respects their wishes. That's it.

Doesn't matter if it's a small number or a lot. Now there is guidance in place to make sure the right approach is taken to them at school.

I am happy for the policy to be introduced.

I've no idea of the statistical evidence. If you'd like to provide some if be happy to comment on it.

But all I've seen so far from you is an ASSUMPTION that the numbers must be so small to not fit what YOU BELIEVE is the required numbers before guidance is given.

I look forward to you providing the necessary statistics which I'm sure you have.

Children are aware of gender from a very young age. They do not need an adult to tell them these things. I agree their understanding of it is limited but having a PhD level understanding of sex and gender in modern society is not a prerequisite to a child forming their own ideas about gender.

There have been children declaring their gender looong before the vast vast majority of parents would have even known it was a possibility. Do you think parents in the 80s were encouraging their kids to be gender non-conforming?