Lucy Meadows

Some parents at that school might have been able to put it across to a five year old in such a way that it avoided any upset or wrong understanding, but tbh I don't think all of them could. Some wouldn't even try.

But all sorts of changes happen with people's appearances, Jingle. Dramatic weight loss after operations and sickness absence, baby bumps disappearing, new hairstyles and shaved heads. I understand Nathan Upton had been gradually changing his appearance in readiness for transitioning, so the change would not have been that dramatic, and the general advice for work is not to be overly feminine in appearance at first, in order to make the change easier for everyone.

No other change of appearance, and what it obviously means, is going to worry little boys as much as this one when.

I think the gradual approach could be even more confusing!

Crikey Jingle neither sudden nor gradual changes are acceptable to you? I think we'll have to agree to disagree

What a dreadful, and unnecessary waste of a life! What sort of world do we live in where our press is allowed to publish such cruelty? I despair!

Why should little boys worry (or little girls, for that matter)? If they feel "like a woman" later in their lives and have seen that it's OK to say this and effect an obvious change, they're less likely to worry about it than if they know nothing about it.

Seeing it happen and the person and everyone around them just getting on with their lives as before is going to reduce anxiety, not increase it.

Young children are very accepting as long as no one makes a hoo ha about it. Society is becoming more accepting slowly of diversity issues.
The journalist has put open mindedness back a few years and destroyed a life in the process.

It must take courage to go back to school as someone who seems so different. So very sad that she was forced to take her life through prejudice.

I also despair hummingbird.

Any gradual or otherwise changes are acceptable to me.

I was talking about confusion arising in the minds of a five year old. And did you not notice the

We've not heard from MaryXYX on this.

Why did she not take the easier route and change schools?

And can you imagine how those "intrusive" questions would soon become sily giggly ones with seven year olds when. It was never going to work and, sadly, I think she realised it.

I think Lucy might have neded help in other ways somehow, to have taken her own life.

Yes, noticed the grin, but couldn't see why it was there on that particular post Jingle. My little grandsons are not far off five, and are full of curiosity, as I imagine are the majority of children that age. They have been swimming and holidaying from infancy, and have seen every shape, size and sort of person in various states of undress. The most dramatic change that they wanted to know a LOT about was the appearance of mum's best friend on the beach, with her 32FF 'boobies' after her op last August. That was the topic of conversation for a couple of days, then they got used to seeing the change (took me a bit longer!) Most children will regard gender transition in the same way - the schoolchildren would certainly not have been seeing the intimate physical changes in their teacher's appearance.

Why should she take what you call the easier route, jings? Why shouldn't people who think she should have taken the 'easier' route not accept that she needn't take any route except the one she wants, instead? What she did harmed nobody, and wouldn't harm anybody. The fears for children that you are expressing are your fears, not theirs.

Though why you have such fears is beyond me. Maybe you just don't things that aren't easily categorised and labelled.

The story of her re-assignment would have followed her to a new school, but covertly and with sniggers behind the bike sheds. In the school where she was known, the matter was handled openly and evidently with tact. i know which way I'd prefer.

I saw a talk recently by someone who supports other transgender people. She has quite a high profile and was involved in the Olympics etc. Rather impressive. She said that making the transition is incredibly difficult and there is a high rate of suicide.
I would have no problem at all about a teacher making this transition in a school or any kind. Kids are pretty laid back these days. In the school where I was governor there were several gay women and at one stage a very obviously gay young male teacher. I don't think any of them had any problems with the students or parents.

Why should children have a problem with a young gay male teacher?

Nothing unusual with being young, or male, or gay, or a teacher.

or a gay woman?

or all of those things together of course.

It was a cruel and unnecessary article.

I don't pretend to begin to understand the desire to change gender as it is far outside my experience. But I do not think anyone should be treated in a cruel way - there is no excuse for this - and what can the editor be thinking of allowing this to be printed?

I am sure that the children would treat the change as a 5 minute wonder and just carry on. Their concern would be whether the teacher was fun!

What a sad loss of life.

Yes, mishap If they had a good relationship with the teacher to start with it would have survived the change. They would be on the teacher's side. On the other hand, if they had disliked the teacher, it would have been added to the things that caused the dislike. We are all already prejudiced to accept things in someone we like which we might condemn in those we dislike.

It sounds as though the whole thing was being well managed and on its way to success before someone felt they had to put the knife in.

No more or less a problem they would have with sir becoming miss , I think, jo8

This is about a young person who has been hounded by the press and, for whatever reason, is now dead - and is still being hounded by the press. It makes me feel sick that no obvious lessons have been learned from the Leveson Inquiry and that we are all fair game if publication of our stories will sell more papers. Think about something intensely personal and private to you and your family and then imagine it as front page news tomorrow.
www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/03/22/comment-how-the-press-hounded-lucy-meadows

She did not change gender that is the point! She always was female but had the physical attributes of a man.

If young children are told that when a (transgender) baby was growing it got muddled and although it was a girl it looked like a boy (or vice versa) and the doctors were able to fix the mix up what's the issue? More reassuring that it could be fixed!

The younger the children the more they take it all in their stride.

Friends once had a piano tuner who was transgender and explained that next time the piano needed tuning a woman would be coming. Their kids were primary age but they were fine with it!

Littlejohn is a vicious and unpleasant journalist.