That thing about the school banning sign language is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I hope they were prosecuted for it.
Sadly not, as they're very good at brainwashing parents by saying 'that's the way it's always been here, accept or leave'. Also they point to their status as being the top school for the deaf in the UK.
That of course is nothing to do with them cherrypicking the top 1% of deaf children in the UK, and spending about twice the average amount per child on them.
Actually, their exam results are absolutely terrible considering that every deaf child there should be getting easily twice the exam score of our average state school.
But I think schools would find it difficult to comprehend a male wearing a skirt. The amount of crap that a transexual male would get from school mates would be unbelievably cruel. I don't know if it would be worth the trouble to be honest. But that's not to say that it is right to stop people having a choice!
Some teenage boys feel driven to cross dress at school. Yes they're very brave. Some come out on top, some are harassed to suicide. I know one teenage deaf boy who cross dresses - fortunately he comes from a well connected deaf family who are accepting, and he's acquired a strong group of teenage girls around him, who protect him and give him social support. Others aren't so lucky.
But the rules given I don't think could be regarded as discriminatory or impinging on one's human rights.
Er? What's not discriminatory about different official rules for boys and girls?
If they were equal but very strict, well that's a different matter, but here, they are plainly different based on gender, without any clear medical reason.
Human rights? At first reading, I'd say no, it's discrimination based on gender, not a breach of human rights. But then I recall:
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http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
Article 21 : Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(this was written in 1948, when gender-neutral language hadn't yet spread)
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We have a situation here where a person, faithfully following the rules on appearance, hair cut etc for the opposite gender, will be denied access to the public service of education.
Pretty clear cut to me. You can find other applicable rights in the document too.
Everyone should read the Universal Declaration of Human rights, it's a fascinating document, has clear language and only take 5 minutes to read
