School criticised over chest binder fundraiser for trans pupils
Bannerman High School in Glasgow backed down on coffee morning to raise money for breast-flattening garments after backlash from staff
The Times
Bannerman High School responded to criticism by saying money raised by the coffee morning event would now be distributed to other causes
GETTY
A Scottish school has been criticised after promoting a teacher coffee morning to raise money to fund chest “binders” for transgender pupils.
Bannerman High School sent an email to about 100 staff that encouraged them to attend the event with a £2.50 entry fee.
The idea to raise money for “trans binders” was conceived by students who are members of the school equalities group and a senior pastoral care teacher, it is understood.
Chest binders are tight fitting garments that are used to flatten breasts with constrictive materials to make a person more male-presenting.
Teachers at the Glasgow school were furious when they received the fundraiser email and were worried about the parents’ reaction, according to a staff member who spoke to the Daily Record.
“Staff were sent the email to the whole school, of more than 100 staff. There was no consultation and while staff support LGBT initiatives in the school, this is a step too far,” the anonymous teacher said.
The staff member said the decision to provide “breast binders to young girls (who may not even have had any professional advice from a specialist)” was “not appropriate”.
Expressing their fears about parents’ reactions, they added: “Staff would be paying money to raise funds to buy breast binders for young girls and we have no idea if parents are in agreement with this.”
The same staff member acknowledged that the teacher and students who had set up the fundraiser were “not specialists in this area”.
The teacher said: “The email was sent by a promoted member of staff who knew exactly what was in the e-mail. It was not sent by pupils.”
The original email sent to staff, seen by the Record, said: “Teacher Coffee Morning! Pay £2.50 (or more!) to come along and have some coffee, tea, biscuits and sandwiches to raise money for trans binders for trans pupils! On 19 November during break!”
After several teachers made their feelings known about the lack of consultation with both parents and staff, the decision was made to distribute the money raised to other causes and a revised email was sent out.
In 2022 Kirsty Buchan, 33, at teacher at Bannerman High School, was forced to leave her job when it was discovered she was posting explicit pictures on the adult site OnlyFans. In the same year, teachers at the school went on strike for 12 days due to their concerns over violent and abusive pupil behaviour.
A spokeswoman from the For Women Scotland group said: “Breast binding is a dangerous practice which carries health risks from infection, broken ribs to an increased risk of cancer: surveys show that over 97% of girls using these contraptions reported negative impacts.
“It is as dangerous as breast ironing which, rightly, is illegal in the UK.”
The spokeswoman said the school needed an “urgent review of policy and safeguarding”.
Tess White, the Scottish Conservative MSP and shadow equalities minister, said: “We know chest binders have dangerous side effects for young women, which is why it is totally inappropriate for schools to be fundraising for these controversial devices.
“It’s especially concerning that parents may have been bypassed over the decision to launch this fundraiser.
“It is not the place of schools to fundraise for interventions like this, especially when they can have serious health implications.”
Glasgow city council said: “This is an annual fundraiser organised by the school’s equalities group. The senior pupils will work with school staff to decide the best way to use any funds raised.
“Bannerman is proud to be an LGBTQ+ Gold charter school. We’d urge any teacher or staff member to raise their concerns with the school’s management team.”
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