Under the new data protection laws (GDPR), I've asked my old school to stop sending me its literature about reunions, appeals for money and other such stuff. The school was rotten and I don't want these reminders of a bad time any more.
Those who want to know some of the nasty details of life at school can read these two previous posts:
Historic Child Abuse - a new hope?
Historic Child Abuse Update
I did wonder if there were any other trans girls at my school. I can't have been the only one, I thought. Ironically, the newsletter I got earlier this month that mentioned GDPR also mentioned an 'old boy' who has transitioned and now lives a full female life. So there's my answer. Of course there must have been another! I just never new if there was anyone with the guts to say so.
There's also a footnote saying how the school is much more alert to LGBT issues and provides suitable help. As it's still a school just for boys, and I am unconvinced about its attempts to reform its culture, I have some doubts that trans girls will really get much help. Maybe I'm too cynical after my experiences there, but I would hope that those struggling with their gender might be able to go to a mixed local school instead. After all, why is splitting the sexes / genders up deemed to improve their education in any case?
I'll be emailing my new-found fellow old girl just to say hi. Who knows, something good might come from the whole experience.
Sue x
Ah, single sex schools. You leave with little clue about the mysterious other form of humanity. Was it also a grammar, BTW?
ReplyDeleteHi Lynn. No, it wasn't a grammar school, but nor was it (shudder) a new-fangled 'academy'. It was basically a day-borstal with exams. I'm glad, though, that another transwoman was able to survive it and thrive in later life as her real self rather than just conforming to the macho mould they wanted for her. Sue x
DeleteI found out the answer to that one when long ago searching for news of the one real friend I had at school. Not knowing the "year" I was supposed to be in, not how we thought back then, I took a guess on the school former pupils site of an all "boys" school and there in the year before mine was a picture of a gorgeous girl! One who had better luck with the system and was able to change early.
ReplyDeleteThe damn school had been running for 666 years and one of the first things they taught me was that they had no idea that someone like me existed! somehow some years ago they tracked down my address and sent invitation to reunion and begging letter for support. They got a fulsome description of the absolute misery and hell they had put me through.
Cruelest part of all was that from that school but separated by two spiked iron fences and a river was the girls grammar school where I should have been and may have been able to have a life and make a positive contribution to society and government coffers.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Caroline, and I'm very sorry that you had such a bad time. It's frustrating when there's the girls' half of the school just a short distance away. That was the situation at my school, too. It does seem that schools are becoming more aware of LGBT issues, at last, and maybe a new generation of pupils won't have such a bad time. Best wishes, Sue x
Delete