Jen Thomas
Non-binary or trans teachers can now be addressed as 'Mx' rather than 'Miss', 'Mrs', 'Ms' or 'Mr'.
Bridget Phillipson, the UK’s Education Secretary, has confirmed the news while speaking on LBC.
Mx is regarded as a gender-neutral prefix, as opposed to the gendered Ms/Mrs and Mr.
Phillipson added: "But of course, what we’ll be looking at is making sure that people are able to exercise their views on this topic too.
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"This has been the subject of various legal cases as well about people’s rights in terms of how they approach questions of gender identity.
"We'll consider all areas of the practical guidance that schools need and responding to the challenges that they tell us they've faced.”
The news comes as many are waiting for the release of research and guidance for schools about trans and gender-questioning children.
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott told The Sun: “The guidance for schools on gender-questioning children is ready to go."
"It will give schools the clarity they need, end the confusion and help safeguard children. No more excuses from the Education Secretary, she just needs to get on with it.”
Phillipson was asked by presenter Nick Ferrari whether teachers can be referred to as 'Mx', and she replied: "I think teachers can make that request."
A spokesperson later clarified her comments, saying: "While teachers can make such requests, the Education Secretary was clear it’s not something that they can insist on."
Phillipson added: "Schools, as employers, have responsibilities for managing this, in that they have a responsibility to ensure that staff are treated with respect, but also that people with a range of viewpoints are also able to express their views and are treated with respect as well."
Ferrari then asked Phillipson whether she would address someone as Mx: “I think that’s a hypothetical situation. I’ve never been asked to do that.
“As a matter of principle, on a wider point, I would usually seek to respond to someone in a way that they would prefer, but there is no obligation for people to do that."
The Education Secretary explained the long-awaited guidance about trans and gender-questioning children is still being worked on, a year after the election, but could not give a date when it would be released, saying she 'can’t put a timescale' on it.
"So the last government were consulting on this at the point of the election," she said.
"That consultation concluded and we had to look at all of those responses. But also what happened subsequently was Dr. Hilary Cass published her final review around gender questioning children.
"So I think it is important, given the sensitivity of this area, that we make sure that the guidance we publish is aligned fully with Dr. Kass's recommendations. And I do think it's important we take the time to get this right.
“It’s important that we ensure that the two are aligned. Look, this is an important area. This is about children's wellbeing. It's about making sure they've got the support they need and schools have got the clarity of the guidance too."