Show script:
Almost two years ago I was alerted by another teacher to a charitable organisation called The Education Hub.
According to their website
The Education Hub was launched in 2017 with a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice in education in order to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for children and young people. Our work is focused on providing early childhood and school teachers and leaders with access to high quality, reliable, and practical evidence from both research and practice to support them to enact meaningful change in their contexts of practice.
Now to be fair, The Education Hub does some good research and professional development around positive eating, visual arts, nature play and music,
Although I did notice a page entitled “social justice in early childhood education” which is classic Critical Theory 101.
Including statements like
“Early childhood is a critical time for children to begin understanding and exploring gender. As children navigate gender and their gendered lives, it is important to examine discourses around gender. There remains a persistent tendency in early years settings for gender to be binarised in everyday and subtle ways… Teachers can engage in anti-bias and gender-expansive practices which acknowledge the gendered nature of early childhood and seek to address gendered issues in meaningful ways. This can include challenging assumptions which stem from a binary and conventional view of gender…”
Don’t you dare say “boys and girls”.
There’s also comments about
“Decolonisation of education spaces, which focuses on acknowledging colonisation and its continued impacts, while seeking to disrupt and reconceptualise colonial understandings…”
Did I tell you this is for pre-school facilities and kindergartens?
If you want to read more about why critical theory in our education system, read our Fact Sheet which is available at criticaltheory.nz
There’s even this important stuff for your 3 year old
“Climate change and sustainability, which are matters of critical concern where children deserve a voice and can make a difference – for example, by exploring ‘weathering-with’ pedagogies (go-G) which foreground connectedness between children, weather, and the world”
No wonder our toddlers need an afternoon nap. I feel like a nap after reading this.
But… I’ve been distracted. Back to the topic of this McBlog.
As part of professional development for early childhood teachers, there’s a section on…..
Talking about gender non-conformity in early childhood education
In the training webinar, a Professor Mara Sapon-Shevin (Syracuse University, USA) a Professor of Inclusive Education focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion and how we teach children, how we prepare teachers, and how we help adults become active allies in resisting oppressive language and behaviour (ok – so there’s a massive bunch of woke buzz words there – and her website is full of red flags for parents) discussed how early childhood teachers can approach gender non-conformity. As well as dealing with gender stereotypes like ‘girls can’t be doctors’, it’s also about teaching very young children (pre-schoolers) about gender diversity.
On her website, she says
Gender expression can be quite fluid, and just because a child chooses to express themselves in one way now does not mean that they have to remain with that gender identity for the rest of their lives.
No – that’s not gender identity. That’s personality. That’s expressing your likes and dislikes. Girls can be more masculine-like. Boys can be more feminine-like. Girls can be doctors. Boys can be nurses. But that’s nothing to do with choosing your gender, chemicalising and castrating healthy bodies, and ignoring biology.
But she also wants ECE teachers to become activists – saying
Children usually embrace… ideas about trans-gender identities, and the shift in pronouns readily when these are positively modelled. Most resistance comes from adults, with young children usually demonstrating very little resistance.
Ah – pesky parents eh
She says
Families of children may not always be comfortable with teachers’ support for a range of gender identities. Teachers may find it helpful to have a specific policy on their approach to teaching about diversity,
So basically if parents object to their little children being indoctrinated, the pre-school teacher just says “well it’s a specific policy of this place”. There seems to be no acknowledgement of engaging with the community to find out what they want. You know – what parents actually want for their children.
It goes on…
There are many useful resources to support teachers to learn about the experiences and preferences of those who identify as trans-gender and non-binary, or who are gender non-conforming. Finding out about and using people’s preferences for pronouns is important. ‘They’ can be used to replace ‘he/she’ and can make using language much simpler… Understanding that every small step towards dismantling oppression and stereotypes is a step, and that no one can do it all, can help reduce feelings of overwhelm. Not to do anything, however, reinforces dominant stereotypes and injustices for people who are non-conforming.
But then there’s this book – where the gender ideology indoctrination comes in full steam – remember, for pre-schoolers
What are your Words? A Book about Pronouns by Katherine Locke.
Let’s have a look at some of the pages
My uncle lior is coming to visit today. I can’t wait to show them around my neighbourhood. And I can’t wait for all my neighbours to meet them.
Um – I can guarantee that the little children are gonna say – meet “them”. You said it was just uncle. Is aunty coming as well. Some smart kid will say “that doesn’t make sense, miss”
They have many colourful hats. They are a biologist…
I learn a lot from uncle lior, like that people can be described by more than what they look like or what they do. In fact, there are lots of words to say who people are and how they feel. Some of those words are pronouns. Pronouns are words that can take the place of your name, like I, me, you, she, he or they.
Based on qualities – which seems to be stereotyping – which is slightly ironic.
Sometimes I just use one set of pronouns. Sometimes I change my pronouns. Sometimes I use all the pronouns I can think of.
So it’s pretty clear that there’s a strong indoctrination of gender ideology going on here with this key book recommendation for preschoolers
And then there’s songs that pre-schoolers will love – the Trans and Nonbinary Kids’ Mix,
but you probably won’t if you have a little child at these institutions.
and one thing that this site also talks about neo-pronouns. Heard of them? You have now!
Neopronouns are also pronouns, and include those pronouns besides the ones most commonly used in a particular language. As one’s pronouns are ultimately a reflection of their personal identity, the number and types of (neo)pronouns a person may use is limitless. Examples of neopronoun sets include: xe/xir/xirs, ze/zir/zirs and fae/faer/faers.
Yep pre-schoolers really need to know all that eh
So I probably wasn’t surprised when someone sent me the latest ECE magazine – the winter edition of The Space Magazine which apparently is sent to every ECE and kindy and preschool.
And here’s the latest edition
Lovely cover. And the feature story – Beyond the Binary.
So let’s have a look inside the magazine. For preschool teachers. Who are teaching preschoolers.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows
Rainbow Families – Families that are constructed with parents who are part of the LGBTOIA+ and takatapui community. This includes blended, single. and extended family compositions.
Yes I bet you never knew that blended families, even single parent families, are part of the LGBTQIA+ group. That’s what the + means – anyone we can imply might belong to our group.
LGBTQIA+, Queer, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual,
Sex – A biological term that refers to the physiological sex characteristics, like genitalia and chromosome composition. that differ between female, male, and intersex people.
If it’s based on chromosomes and genitalia, then you’d think they could define what a woman is eh. But they can’t.
Gender – A social, psychological and cultural term that refers to individual identities constructed through the process of socialisation which influences our expression, expectations of norms and rotes, and behaviours.
Cisgender, transgender, intersex,
Non-binary I This umbrella term describes people who do not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. This could mean feeling like both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or somewhere completely outside the typical gender binary. This term encompasses identities like agender, genderqueer and gender-fluid.
Then the article – by a Canadian who came to indoctrinate – uh sorry – teach pre-schoolers.
Is this what you call an imported culture war. I better tell Chloe.
She tells us that she’s “marrying” her same sex partner
As Emily and I are both teachers at Childspace, we were excited to tell the children about our news, which had me reflecting on just how ingrained our societal heteronormative narrative is when some children would ask us, “But when does the husband come?” Our response of, “Well. .. he doesn’t come. She is going to be my wife, and I’ll be her wife, and there won’t be a husband” was met with bewilderment (as I’m sure you can imagine!).
Yes I can!
Other children seemed to just take it as it was, “So Emily will be your wife?” “Yes” “Okay can I come to the wedding and when are we going to have afternoon tea because I’m hungry in my puku.”
It’s interesting how children really aren’t interested in your sexuality and your gender identity.
The way families are made up has changed remarkably over the last 30 years, meaning a wider range of families are now attending ECE services. Thus, we need more inclusive teaching pedagogies, but there is an absence of content around rainbow families during teacher training. While diversity is a hot topic in ECE (like diverse cultural identities, support for children with diverse needs, etc.), rainbow inclusion often gets left out of the conversation altogether. This is partly because LGBTQIA+ content is still seen as “taboo” or “inappropriate” for young children.
Correct. Let kids be kids – as they say.
…most conversations about rainbow families in ECE settings are reactive rather than proactive. Teachers respond when a child says something homophobic or speak up when gender norms are reinforced (“You can’t wear that dress because you’re a BOY!”) however, we rarely start the conversation ourselves proactively. This means that despite all the amazing diversity in the communities we serve, many ECE services are unintentionally upholding heteronormativity, or the idea that heterosexuality is the only ‘normal’ or expected identity. The formation of both our identities and our definitions and expectations of gender and relationships begin in early childhood. We create what is ‘normal’ as we grow; kaiako [teachers] have the power to normalise all kinds of families, relationships, and identities through intentional teaching.
Teachers have the power to indoctrinate, is what I think they’re meaning to say…..
ECE teachers need to recognise the massive role we play in shaping children’s understanding of diversity. It’s not just about having a “Be Kind” poster on the wall with a token rainbow flag. It’s about the stories we choose to read, the conversations we’re willing to have, and the family structures we choose to represent- or ignore… We include books where children have two dads or two mums, not just the ones that are about having same-sex parents, but ones where they just happen to feature as a natural part of the narrative..
…Children are not yet prejudiced and are receptive to an inclusive perspective that promotes social cohesion.
Not correct. Theyre receptive to what’s for lunch, who they play with, and will mum or dad ór maybe even grandma pick them up soon!
.. By opening children’s eyes to different family structures, ways of being, and ways to love, we are not telling them they need to go be and/or do these things. We are simply saying they exist, in the hopes that they can develop an inclusive worldview of acceptance, understanding, and respect. And then, maybe one day when my partner and I have a baby, children can take that as it is and not feel the need to ask where the dad is.
Actually that’s the exact question we’ll ask. And it’s the question the child will one day ask also. Where’s my dad.
Then the recommended books to indoctrinate the pre schoolers.
“Kapaemahu” – provides a beautiful and captivating story of gender through an indigenous perspective. The art is so moving and portrays the Mahll people, a traditional Hawaiian and Tahitian gender identity,
“My Shadow is Purple” is a favourite pukapuka at Childspace Wilton, all about gender diverse identities. It details the nuances of gender identity, making space for non-binary people, while also taking into account the diverse nature of gender.
“Julian is a Mermaid” is written with aroha about a tamaiti who is exploring gender as a form of play
“Being You” is part of the ‘First Conversations’ series for younger tamariki, introducing the idea of gender to them. The language is very simple and factual. like “Some people are girls. Some people are boys. Some people are neither. Some people are both.”
“Things in the sea are touching me!” is a story about two mothers and their daughter at the beach.
Remember this is for 2-4 year olds – maybe younger.
Then on to the cover page story – Beyond the Binary: Kaiako Views of the Gender Spectrum in Early Childhood Education – From Binary Views to Embracing Fluidity
I am an early childhood kaiako, parent, and researcher who has been thinking a lot about gender recently. Years ago, as a kindergarten kaiako, I remember thinking gender and, specifically, supporting gender equality, was “done.” I felt that, as a sector, we had done a good job of ensuring girls and boys had opportunities to explore the whole curriculum and we knew not to give meaningless gendered praise like, “Good girl,” or “Good boy.” I did not realise that the way I was approaching gender was limited through the gender binary and there was a more expansive way to view gender diversity and inclusion.
…As part of my research, 431 early childhood Kaiako responded to my survey which asked questions about their beliefs, perspectives and practices related to supporting gender diversity and inclusion.
Now this is where it gets concerning. 430 ECE teachers responding to a survey.
Do ECE teachers understand biology and truth?
… When asked structured questions about gender concepts in the questionnaire, most kaiako (69%) distinguished between gender and biological sex as separate concepts, while 31% viewed them as the same concept.
Okay – that is disturbing. Almost 70% of the respondents are confused about biology and have brought into gender theory.
If this reflects the ECE workforce, and I was a parent of preschoolers, I wouldn’t be letting them anywhere near one of these centres.
Or maybe – based on the questions being asked – only the activist teachers responded.
I actually googled how many ECE teachers there are. In the 2018 census, there were more than 30,000. So this response of 430 is very very small – and hopefully irrelevant.
…The majority of kaiako (78%) indicated gender develops and/or may change across a lifespan aligned post structuralist gender views. A smaller group (22%) believed gender remains permanent throughout a lifespan aligned with biological gender views.
Just 22% understand biological truth.
… As I step back and consider the survey findings, I am heartened that the majority of ECE kaiako wanted to be supportive of gender diversity and foster inclusion in their settings. I am also not surprised there is a smaller proportion of kaiako who are not there yet. I am not surprised because of the way gender diversity is viewed in wider society and because there is a lack of support for kaiako on this topic.
“the way gender diversity is viewed in wider society” – apparently you and I and midwives and pediatricians have got it all wrong!
… When kaiako are actively inclusive of gender diversity there are many benefits to children’s wellbeing and learning. We can normalise differences, support children to be openminded and inclusive of minority genders, provide representation, and create opportunities for children to explore their ideas about gender in healthy and non-stereotypical ways
Remember this is 2-4 year olds.
…While we don’t know the exact numbers of young children who identify as nonbinary or gender diverse due to a lack of data, we are beginning to gather better information. The Growing up in New Zealand study recently asked 4500 Aotearoa 12-year-olds questions about their gender identities (Neumann et al., 2023). While most children gave answers to suggest their gender aligned with their biological sex, almost 10% gave answers that their gender did not align with their biological sex.
Yes I’ve actually done a McBlog on that study and that particular question. I wouldn’t be quoting that finding if you want to quote credible objective research.
… Being inclusive of gender diversity is not about introducing adult ideas in ECE. Gender inclusivity is about supporting children to dismantle gender stereotypes, be accepting of gender differences, and view gender beyond binary limitations.
And then – Extra Resources and Further Reading – lnsideOUT !!!
Not finished just yet. Another article by EC-Menz – “a nationwide network supporting and celebrating gender diversity in early childhood education here in Aotearoa.”
I think it’s for men – but given that they probably can’t define what a man is – or a woman – I’d say that anyone can join the group.
‘Together we are helping to create the society of tomorrow, a society that is just and respectful, peaceful and caring. A big part of this is that the kaiako who are with our tamariki each day should reflect the society in which they live, with caring and compassionate adults of different skin colours, who speak a variety of languages, and of course represent a variety of genders. This is especially true as our shared understanding of gender has grown to a place where we see gender as both fluid and non-binary, and as a social construct which allows individuals unprecedented opportunities to be the person they really want to be …
This change in perception has been mirrored in research showing that children’s understanding of gender differences can start as young as 18 months old. Toddlers are already beginning to understand and define gender before they reach the age of two.
OK – do you still want these men near your kids?
EC-Menz as an organisation is at a crossroads. While the many benefits of having good male role models in the lives of young children are well-established and well-known, ….
Yep – fathers matter! Men matter. The complementarity of the sexes matters a lot. That’s why it takes a male and a female to create a child.
…the place of non-binary and gender-fluid kaiako in our sector is less well defined. As our understanding of gender has evolved, so our kaupapa as an organisation must evolve, from advocating and supporting men in ECE to advocating for the chance for all people to be able to follow their own path and forge their own destiny.
So now they have to come up with a new name – because you definitely can’t have “men” in your name eh. What is a man?!
So suggestions include ECEQUALITY, ECENGENDER, ECE+, ECE SPECTRUM, ECE DIVERSE, ECE ALLIES
ECEs, pre-schools and kindergartens should stick to allowing children to be children – and not polluting their minds with confusing and radical sexual and gender ideology.
But as you can now see, the gender and sexuality ideology is starting way earlier than you possibly thought. As some people have commented, they’re coming for your kids.
Maybe it’s time to check on your local pre-school or kindy just to make sure that they aren’t serving up the woke cool-aid, and still understand biology and truth and respect your role as the parent.
Your children and grandchildren deserve it.
