An Adelaide schoolgirl has spoken out after an 11-year-old transgender student, who was born a boy, was allowed to use the girls’ toilets at her Catholic school and compete in girls’ sport – sparking a petition signed by dozens of classmates.
Ava said she was so outraged and uncomfortable about the situation that she launched a petition demanding action.
‘About 12 months ago, a child transitioned to female at our school. The school didn’t let anyone know – it kind of went stealth,’ Ava’s mum, Zoe, said.
‘Now we’re seeing a biological boy using the female toilets, and girls are feeling really unsafe and vulnerable in that space.
‘We’re also seeing girls miss out on sports and similar things where a biological boy is taking that spot. It’s quite detrimental for all these kids, all these girls, and they’re feeling very isolated.’
Fellow female students are so distressed that they now avoid using the bathrooms altogether, and refuse to drink water at school, despite being told they could use the disabled toilets if they didn’t want to share the girls’ facilities.
‘We got a bit uncomfortable that a boy is in our female bathroom, so we got a petition,’ Ava told activist and law professor Dr Joanna Howe on The Dr Jo Show.
‘Some people didn’t want to write their names down because they didn’t want to get into trouble, but some did.
‘We got over 40 names and we gave it to the principal, but they did nothing about it.
‘Some of them aren’t even drinking water because they don’t want to share a bathroom with a boy.’
Ava spoke out about an 11-year-old biological boy being able to use the same school toilets after they identified as a girl
Ava’s mother Zoe is concerned that it will create a precedent for men to enter into women’s spaces
Zoe fears the case sets a dangerous precedent.
‘That’s the big picture I’m seeing,’ she said.
She also claimed that Ava’s meetings with the principal of the unnamed school about the concerns fell on deaf ears.
‘I know Ava has spoken to the principal face-to-face and hasn’t got anywhere. Instead, I just got a phone call saying her behaviour was inappropriate,’ Zoe said.
But the transgender child at the centre of the storm previously told The Advertiser the backlash had been crushing and that she had been bullied because of her transition.
‘Some kids have been kind, but some have been cruel. No one really ever says hello. It just creates this awkward situation where no one really wants to go near me. I never really want to go to school at the moment,’ the student, now identifying as Katie, said.
She also spoke about the joy of finally being able to compete as a woman in sporting events.
‘My favourite part of running is how it’s an event where you can try your hardest. I did feel very proud, and I felt happy that I won, being me.’
Activist and law professor Dr Joanna Howe described the situation as ‘insane’
Her mother insisted her daughter’s identity ‘wasn’t a choice.’
‘I know that if I didn’t allow her to have some authority over how she feels and who she is, then she wouldn’t be sitting here today,’ she said.
She argued that there was a misconception that Katie had an unfair advantage in school sports.
‘I completely understand the argument once children have gone through puberty, but this is a very different situation,’ she said.
Dr Howe did not hold back, calling the situation ‘insane.’
‘When the little girls say that they’re upset about this or they’re feeling uncomfortable, they’re told that the problem is with them and that they need to use the disabled bathroom – even though they’re not disabled.
‘There’s a reason why we have segregated sports. You can’t have boys in girls’ sport.
‘Serena Williams, who’s arguably the greatest female player of all time, potentially the GOAT in tennis, once played the 200th ranked man on the men’s tour and lost 6-0 6-0.
The transgender child at the centre of the storm told The Advertiser the backlash had been crushing and that she had been bullied because of her transition.
‘It shows there’s a definite biological advantage men have in sport. Even at cross-country level, in all the pre-puberty races the boys are running faster than the girls.
‘The girls wouldn’t even place in the boys’ race. And after puberty, the gap only widens – boys actually run about a kilometre more, purely because of how they’re biologically built.’
Catholic Education South Australia said that the school followed the laws.
‘Catholic Education South Australia is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment for every student,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail on Monday.
‘Our decisions follow professional medical advice, government policy and legislation while balancing the wellbeing of our students and perspectives of all involved.
‘It’s our priority to work closely with students and their families and we encourage any parents with concerns to speak with us so we can best support them.’
Department of Education policy states that ‘a gender-diverse child or young person should have access to facilities that match their gender identity.’
Meanwhile, Women’s Forum Australia has launched a fresh petition calling on Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian government to guarantee single-sex facilities, accommodation, and sports for girls.
‘Girls in South Australian schools are being forced to sacrifice their privacy, safety, and fairness,’ it reads.
‘Under current Department of Education policy, male students who identify as female can access girls’ toilets and changerooms, share overnight accommodation, and compete in female sporting events.
‘Already, girls have been told to use disabled toilets if they feel uncomfortable sharing bathrooms with boys, and a male student has broken multiple girls’ school sporting records. These examples show how the policy is already undermining girls’ rights and opportunities.’
