Prepare to do away with the designations “male” and “female,” as well as “other,” that clumsy catchall meant to cover everyone in between. The newest theory, to become part of the sex ed curriculum for Grades 7 through 12 at Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools, is that an individual’s sexual identity can be plotted at some point along a spectrum with indefinitely many “shades.” A person’s sexuality, moreover, is fluid, changing throughout his (its?) lifetime. In other words, sometimes you feel like you have nuts, sometimes you don’t.
The curriculum framework is based on ideas developed by an outfit called Gender Spectrum. According to its website, the group provides “consultation, training and events designed to help families, educators, professionals, and organizations understand and address the concepts of Gender identity and expression. Our accessible, practical approach is based on research and experience, enabling our clients to gain a deeper understanding of gender all along the spectrum.”
So how will all of this play out once Fairfax County implements the curriculum, due to happen this coming week? Todd Starnes of Fox News quotes portions of a nebulous document that one presumes he received from the school district. A couple of highlights suffice to give the flavor of the lesson plans:
“Individual identity will also be described as having four parts – biological gender, gender identity (includes transgender), gender role, and sexual orientation (includes heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual).”
[…]
“Emphasis will be placed on an understanding that there is a broader, boundless, and fluid spectrum of sexuality that is developed throughout a lifetime,” the document states. “Sexual orientation and gender identity terms will be discussed with focus on appreciation for individual differences.”
There appears to be some confusion at this point over whether parents will be able to opt their sons and daughters (and others) out. A spokesman for the school board is quoted as saying they will, while an advocate for traditional family values is quoted as saying they won’t.
Related Articles
- College faculty warned not only of multiplicity of genders but that a person’s gender may change over time
- Rutgers student gov’t wants to diversify mascot to include black, female, ‘third gender’ flavors
- Berkeley students decorating campus with fake urine to protest lack of gender-neutral restrooms
- Parents angry: K-3 classes read story about transgender child without their permission
- Find out what a CA bike shop did to ‘empower’ women (and other female genders)
- Obama calls for end to efforts to ‘straighten out’ gay, transgender children
- Another student, oppressed by a genderist dress code
