Young Greens of Aotearoa New Zealand are dismayed at the decision by National Party MP Jo Hayes to accept a petition calling for the removal of “transgender teaching” from New Zealand Schools.
Education around trans and gender diverse identities is incredibly important, and the 40,000 who signed the petition would benefit from further such education. For a National Party MP to accept a transphobic and hateful petition shows that they misunderstand the issue.
The petition implies that the identities and lives of trans people are irrelevant to the learning of students. It implies that the lives and human rights of trans people should not be acknowledged, further alienating them from our education system and society in general.
Our education system rests on evidence, facts, and science; this petition request contradicts those principles in every way.
Inclusive sexuality education provides vital insight to students on issues often misunderstood and misrepresented by wider society. More importantly, it can provide clarity and validation to students who are questioning their own gender identity, putting them at lower risk of negative mental health outcomes. We know that trans people are overrepresented in statistics around poor mental health and suicide. Education that affirms and accepts their identities is a crucial part of preventing that.
The teaching of issues related to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) in New Zealand is inconsistent across the board, and often woefully inadequate. The New Zealand Education System needs to better equip schools and teachers to provide this accurate and affirming education across the board, not do the opposite.
We call on Jo Hayes MP to reconsider her acceptance of this petition. We also call on the Education Select Committee to strengthen the importance of SOGIESC education in schools across the country and reject any such proposal that would try to ignore the existence of our transgender whānau.
Young Greens of Aotearoa New Zealand
young.greens
@greens.org.nz
