Students have spoken out about why they believe trans students should be allowed to attend Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) schools.
Last week, the ECHO reported on two schools in Merseyside that were no longer accepting transgender girls as pupils.
Belvedere Academy, in Toxteth, and Birkenhead High School Academy, in Birkenhead, will only be admitting pupils based on their "legal sex" rather than their gender identity.
READ MORE: Two Merseyside schools will no longer accept transgender girls
Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO of the GDST, which runs 25 schools in England and Wales, said the trust was taking action to protect all their schools' history of single-sex statuses.
They said both of the schools were unable to provide individual responses..
In the UK, trans men and women can only correct their legal sex on their birth certificate once they are over the age of 18.
The new GDST policy states that cases of transgender boys and non-binary students wanting to join the schools will be treated on a "case-by-case".
The GDST's decision prompted the creation of a petition named "Let transgender girls go to GDST schools".
The petition has already amassed nearly 5,000 signatures.
Showing their support, on behalf of LCR Pride Foundation Board of Directors, Lewis Collins, said: “We are shocked and concerned by the statement made last week by The Girls' Day School Trust.
“The statement says that the decision has been made to protect the Trust’s history of single-sex status but stresses that ‘young people exploring their gender identity need space and time to make decisions, free of pressure’.
“However, its decision has done the exact opposite. It has created a dangerous and hostile situation for both students who identify as Trans and Non-Binary currently and those who may not yet be sure and are questioning their gender identity.
“It also ‘others’ the Trans and Non-Binary community, sending a message to students that being Trans is not something they can choose to support, when they should be educated and supported to be allies.
“LCR Pride Foundation will continue to work with schools in the city region to help them to understand how to better support students and create inclusive and safe spaces for Trans and Non-Binary young people, as well as those questioning their gender identity.”
Others showed their support for the petition by taking to the comments section and social media to offer their opinions on why they believe trans students should be allowed to attend GDST schools.
One supporter commented: “Essentially, it boils down to this. Since transgender girls are girls, why can’t they attend a girls’ school?”
Another said: “Any kind of girl is a girl! Since I started at a GDST school, I have seen way more people come out because they feel like they are in a safe environment and they know that the people around them aren’t going to judge. GDST schools say that they are a safe environment, so why are they making it unsafe?”
Another person said: “Trans girls are girls. Of course they should be allowed to go to Girls' Day School trust schools if they wish! Having said that, now GDST has shown so much discrimination, it beats me why any parent would put their child into such schools! GDST is on the wrong side of history on this issue.”
One commenter said: “Why shouldn't they be allowed? Everyone deserves the right to education regardless of gender. I don’t think transgender girls should be excluded from going to a top school for girls. Trans girls are girls”
LCR Pride foundation urged affected children and families to reach out to organisations such as Mermaids , GYRO LGBTQ+ Youth and Brook Wirral for support.
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