Lucy Meadows

Yes, nanaej her sex chromosomes would be XY and male, but her gender female. Many of the population don't have the straightforward XX or XY set of 23 chromosomes and aren't aware of it - it doesn't always fall naturally into us being male or female, even if we do have 'ordinary' chromosomes. Gender expression and sexual identity are on a continuum, not either/or in a lot of cases.

I disagree with you jessM. Children wouldn't even notice if their teacher was gay or otherwise. They definitely would notice a sudden change from man to woman. And it would most likely worry some of them

If just one child at that school was upset by this, that is one child too many. And as a teacher Lucy should have realised that. And probably at the end did.

She should have had more help.

I was talking about teenagers. They do notice. But they are more broad minded these days than many of their elders. If people did not buy newspapers when they publish this poison then it would not have a market.

I understand that it wasn't a sudden change. She had been dressing in a more feminine way and had begun to live openly as a woman. The biggest change when the children went back to school after Christmas was her name change.

SumOfUs petition to the Daily Mail, if anyone would like to sign it

action.sumofus.org/a/daily-mail-littlejohn-lucy-meadows/?akid=1447.495536.BUzFfM&rd=1&sub=fwd&t=1

Sorry, left my name on it - it can easily be changed

Done. Your name wasn't on it, when.

Done

Done.
I have just discussed this with my daughter and she agrees that children can accept things very easily. She had a lesbian friend and her wife to stay with them when the children were quite young and they simply accepted that Auntie A and Auntie B were partners who loved each other.
Jingle, I think you may have changed your position slightly, which shows you are open to reasoned argument. Well done!

Err - no Greatnan. I have not changed my opinion in the slightest bit. I think you have probably not read my posts carefully enough.

#anddontpatroniseme

Have signed the petition and shared it on Facebook.

Jingle - how can it be patronising to give somebody genuine praise? I am sure you have taken on board everything that has been posted.

What is the point of that hash tag thing which does not seem to be on this old PC? Why not put everything clearly into your post?

It's a meaningless affectation, Greatnan.

Oh, come on! #justabitoffun

I know it's not as serious as the OP but do you remember the fuss when children's BBC TV began using the feme presenter with half her arm missing? Mothers wrote in saying it was giving children nightmares - well she's still there and the nations children seem to have survived - it's all about how adults deal with issues. Not the children

Female even

bluebell my grandchildren (4.1/2) are accustomed to seeing her on TV. one of them said to me (whilst noisily sucking a lollipop) 'that lady's got an elbow, nana!'

I don't for one minute our GC who have watched her think their arms are going to fall off

I don't for one minute our GC who have watched her think their arms are going to fall off

My DGD2 explained to me that 'Her arm didn't grow when she was in her mummy's tummy but she is a mummy now like my mummy!' All very matter of fact. Children are curious and respond well to age appropriate truth.

But it's not the same is it? The children have never seen that woman with two arms. It's hardly like a male teacher suddenly turning into a woman.

The man did not turn into a woman overnight. his appearance gradually changed, she wore different styles of clothes, and as a woman she probably wore trousers, not suddenly breaking out into pink frilly skirts and a neckline plunging to a lack of cleavage. I have seen plenty of people in trousers and tops who could be either male or female.

I still wonder why we have not heard from Mary XYX on this subject. She is keeping very quiet. I hope she is OK. What was her occupation? Please don't tell me she was a teacher.

I think Mary is further along in her life than this sad person.
I also think that people who think children will be traumatised by stuff like this (transgender teachers, amputated limbs etc) are being overly dramatic. Children are traumatised and damaged by physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, prolonged bullying in school - that kind of thing.
They can also get over all kinds of serious things. My father died a month after my 4th birthday and it did not, I think, give me any major psychological problems.

bluebell I was thinking exactly the same thing - about the CBBC presenter. Some parents were saying "why can't she cover the arm up", etc., etc. It's like saying "what you are/the way you look is horrible and should not be seen".

I feel children would be more likely to be damaged by the feeling that something is being hidden from them or not being explained to them. I think it's despicable that the supposed protection of children was used to justify a cheap, spiteful newspaper column.