Teachers will not be compelled to use pupils’ preferred pronouns or accept a child’s request to socially transition, the government’s long-awaited transgender guidance for schools has said.
The draft document, from the Department for Education, states that children, teachers or staff at schools in England should “not be required to adopt the use of preferred pronouns”.
But Rishi Sunak is facing a backlash from Tory right-wingers angry that it does not bring in a complete ban on social transitioning – the process when pupils change their names, pronouns and clothing.
Former Tory prime minister Liz Truss said it “doesn’t go far enough” and will let trans rights activists “exploit loopholes in the guidance … to pursue their agenda”.
A government source fired back at Ms Truss for “shameful political grandstanding” – arguing that Tory MPs undermining the guidance would leave schools at “mercy of activist groups like Stonewall”.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman also attacked the “serious weakness” in the guidance that “enables social transitioning to take place in schools”.
The right-winger also condemned the “disappointing” decision to allow pupils to use “preferred pronouns in some circumstances”. In a series of tweets on X, Ms Braverman said that “much more needs to be done before we can be confident that children are protected”.
A leading campaign group welcomed the guidance and said though the guidance is imperfect, it represents a major step forward for schools and teachers.
