Outrage forces Stonewall LGBTQ charity to backtrack on claims children as young as 2 could be transgender
LGBT charity Stonewall was forced to issue a clarification after tweeting over the weekend that children as young as two can recognize themselves as transgender. UK MPs from both sides of the political aisle condemned the charity on Saturday, July 23, over the controversial tweet, which suggested nurseries weren't doing enough to help children "recognize their trans identity" while sharing a Metro article about a "non-conforming" four-year-old whose nursery didn't approve of their conduct.
MPs are now preparing to block Sheldon Mills, the chairman of Stonewall, from securing a leadership position with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following a row over the competition watchdog's affiliation with the pro-trans group.
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"Research suggests that children as young as 2 recognize their trans identity," Stonewall tweeted on Friday, July 22. "Yet, many nurseries and schools teach a binary understanding of pre-assigned gender. LGBTQ-inclusive and affirming education is crucial for the wellbeing of all young people!"
Research suggests that children as young as 2 recognise their trans identity. Yet, many nurseries and schools teach a binary understanding of pre-assigned gender.
— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) July 22, 2022
LGBTQ-inclusive and affirming education is crucial for the wellbeing of all young people! 🌈https://t.co/RKDwnzZMfe
The tweet sparked quite the backlash, with many criticizing Stonewall's apparent "extreme ideological belief" that biological sex doesn't matter. "This statement is consistent with @stonewalluk's modus operandi," Jewish Chronicle editor-at-large Stephen Pollard tweeted. "It has no interest in objective facts. It simply asserts. And expects those assertions to be acted on. This is what they tweeted. It's unambiguous. They now say it says something different. It doesn't."
"This is utterly indefensible, dangerous & wrong," Alba party MP Neale Hanvey wrote. "This ideology has run out of road, Stonewall are clearly unfit for any purpose. @ChtyCommission please take action and investigate," he added.
"I hope my 2-year-old little one's nursery will teach her to use a potty, eat loads, nap loads, not bite, play till knackered, etc. Gender ID is not on my list of things or what parents are discussing at the door, this is nonsense," Labor MP Feryal Clark chimed in.
"If u are a company or institution you need very seriously to revisit your links to stonewall!" Olympic medalist Sharron Davies tweeted. "Any organization suggesting 2yr olds are gender non-conforming (whatever the hell that is anyway - I spent all my youth with short hair, up a tree playing with lads) is to be questioned."
"If this doesn’t help the world see the regressiveness of gender identity ideology - and its dangers for children - I’m not sure anything will," columnist Sonia Sodha offered
This statement is consistent with @stonewalluk 's modus operandi. It has no interest in objective facts. It simply asserts. And expects those assertions to be acted on.
— Stephen Pollard (@stephenpollard) July 25, 2022
This is what they tweeted. It's unambiguous. They now say it says something different. It doesn't. https://t.co/CxWfoIMsIT pic.twitter.com/JgE2xrlnhK
This is utterly indefensible, dangerous & wrong.
— Neale Hanvey MP ❤️🏴✊ (@JNHanvey) July 23, 2022
This ideology has run out of road, Stonewall are clearly unfit for any purpose. @ChtyCommission please take action and investigate https://t.co/nsTXV3wcn4
I hope my 2 year old little ones nursery will teach her to use a potty, eat loads, nap loads, not bite, play till knackered etc gender ID is not on my list of things or what parents are discussing at the door, this is nonesene
— Feryal Clark MP (@FeryalClark) July 24, 2022
If u are a company or institution you need very seriously to revisit your links to stonewall! Any organisation suggesting 2yr olds are gender non conforming (whatever the hell that is anyway
— Sharron Davies MBE (@sharrond62) July 25, 2022
- I spent all my youth with short hair, up a tree playing with lads) is to be questioned
If this doesn’t help the world see the regressiveness of gender identity ideology - and its dangers for children - I’m not sure anything will
— Sonia Sodha (@soniasodha) July 23, 2022
The outrage forced Stonewall to put out a statement clarifying its original tweet. "We were commenting on an article written by a parent reflecting on how their child was being cared for at nursery The parent was worried that their child was being pressured to fit in with stereotypes about boys and girls," the group said. "While we don’t actively work on nursery education, we believe that young children should be able to play, explore and learn about who they are, and the world around them, without having adults’ ideas imposed upon them. We support existing provisions to ensure primary and secondary school pupils learn about LGBTQ+ identities in an age-appropriate and timely manner."
On Friday we put out a tweet that was unclear, relating to gender stereotypes and nursery age children, leading some supporters to ask us what we meant.
— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) July 25, 2022
Read our statement: https://t.co/lxE2jACrF2
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This came as public institutions in the UK pulled out of Stonewall's Diversity Champions scheme to promote workplace equality. Several MPs and Cabinet ministers have raised an alarm about the group's pro-trans agenda as its chairman, Mills, is a frontrunner to become head of markets commission at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). As mentioned, however, he is facing strong opposition among ministers, who are required to sign off on his appointment to the £195,000-a-year (~$234,230) position, The Telegraph reported.