Caroline ffiske was a Conservative Councillor for Eight Years.

Over the weekend, Sarah Vine, writing for the Daily Mail, reminded readers of the now notorious, BBC '100 genders' clip. This piece of programming, funded by taxpayers, produced and promoted by the BBC, is aimed at our 9 - 12 year olds. It's intention? To promote gender ideology to children. 

In the clip, which forms part of the BBC Teach 'Relationship and Sex Education' material, a child asks: ‘What is the difference between sex and gender?’ A teacher responds: ‘Sex would be the body parts that you are born with. Gender would be who you are on the inside.’ Just like that: our bodies as mere 'parts'; there is some sort of gendered 'true self' inside.

In the clip, a boy asks: ‘What are the different gender identities?’ An adult responds: ‘D’you know, that’s a really really exciting question to ask!’ Just like that - if you are a kid and want to be regarded as exciting and interesting, navel-gaze about your gendered identity. (Call your friends 'transphobic' if they look bored or confused. Later, you can medicalise for life and render yourself sterile attempting to align your body and 'true self'.)

In the clip, an adult says: 'You know, there are so many gender identities . . . we’ve got male and female . . . but there are over 100, if not more, gender identities!’ Remember this is in an educational programme, where kids are meant to be able to trust the adults; assume that they are passing on science, knowledge, truth. But the so-called 100 gender identities? They're made up, on the fly, by someone, somewhere, out there on the internet. This is how bad they are; meet absorgender.  Imagine wanting to introduce this world to kids.

The Times newspaper first drew the public's attention to the BBC's unashamed promotion of gender ideology well over a year ago.  But the clip is still sitting there for our kids to access. The Keira Bell case has highlighted the harm done to vulnerable children by the 'inner gender' narrative. But the BBC still promotes the ideology.

What makes it worse is that the Government has now made it explicity clear that gender ideology should not be promoted to school children via schools or school materials. The full relevant paragraph from the Department of Education's Relationship and Sex Education Guidance is here:

'We are aware that topics involving gender and biological sex can be complex and sensitive matters to navigate. You should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests or the clothes they prefer to wear. Resources used in teaching about this topic must always be age-appropriate and evidence based. Materials which suggest that non-conformity to gender stereotypes should be seen as synonymous with having a different gender identity should not be used and you should not work with external agencies or organisations that produce such material. While teachers should not suggest to a child that their non-compliance with gender stereotypes means that either their personality or their body is wrong and in need of changing, teachers should always seek to treat individual students with sympathy and support.'

Note these words from the Department of Education: 'you should not work with external agencies or organisations that produce such material'. It's an extraordinary world where our Government has to instruct our schools not to work with the BBC. Yet how can this be interpreted otherwise? (And why should we keep on paying?)

The risk now, during Covid, is that more children might access this material directly. The children most susceptible to the narrative that they may have been born in the wrong body are often the most vulnerable. They might be same-sex attracted. They might be autistic-spectrum. They might be in other ways vulnerable - perhaps hating puberty and feeling isolated, fearful, seeking escape. Gender ideology offers a world of both specialness and magical cure. All will be well when you recognise your 'true self'. It is extraordinary that in none of the material aimed at kids do you ever see the reality of puberty suppressants, hormone injections, surgery, medical complications, sexual dysfunction, sterilisation, regret, pain...   

Enough is enough. Write again to your MP to complain. Complain again to the BBC.  Follow the lead of TransgenderTrend and write directly to the Director of BBC Children’s & Education.    Copy in Tim Davie, the Director General. Follow the lead of Baroness Nicholson and write also to Oliver Dowden, the relevant Secretary of State. 

It shouldn't be this hard should it? But for as long as it is this hard, we must keep on objecting. Nobody should be pushing harmful pseudo-science at our children. Least of all, our national broadcaster, the BBC.