France is telling students that trans people are just ‘cross-dressers’ in its schools guidance on dealing with homophobia.

The pamphlets, issued by the Ministry of Education, is ‘hoping’ to give college and high school students and teachers the tools to fight back against discrimination against LGBTI individuals.

It has failed to make the grade, with one trans rights group calling it ‘transphobic’, ‘insulting’ and ‘ignorant’.

According to Association Nationale Transgenre (ANT), the 28-page document – ‘Fighting Against Homophobia: The Struggle For All And For All’ – contains little to no accurate facts about trans people.

The little trans-related content there is misrepresentative and misleading, and they want it withdrawn immediately. The document was put together by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with its ‘preferred partner’, Inter-LGBT.

The document begins with the suggestion a ‘trans person may be a transvestite (they have not changed their biological sex, but dress in clothes more usual to the opposite sex) or transsexual’.

The focus is immediately on cross-dressing, stating ‘there is currently no biological or psychological recognized basis for trans identity’, before going on to consider trans exclusively in terms of sexuality.

ANT has condemned the Ministry of Education’s use of the term ‘transsexual’, which is widely rejected by France’s trans community for linking trans identity to sexuality.

They also question the document’s obsession with ‘changing biological sex’. This reflects the French state’s requirement of compulsory surgical sterilization, before it will recognize the rights of trans individuals, and is a policy that has been denounced several times by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

ANT are also concerned at the lack of positive proposals for supporting trans persons within the education system: where, they ask, is any suggestion that schools and universities should put in place policies that respect trans identity? Even simple measures, such as allowing trans persons to use their preferred first name are ignored.

In consequence, ANT is demanding that the Ministry of Education recognize its own transphobia and take real action to support the rights of trans people.

That includes withdrawing this ‘insulting and destructive’ document with immediate effect, and replacing it with one that uses language that is not directly associated with trans-haters – and focusing less on pathologisation of trans people, more on practical steps that educational establishments can take to support them.

Delphine Ravisé-Giard, the president of the ANT, said: ‘The ANT is increasingly disturbed by the inaction of the government on transgender rights.

‘We ask the Ministry of Education to take all necessary measures to respect the gender identity of transgender students throughout their schools, to take all necessary measures to respect the gender identity of transgender teachers, and the outright withdrawal of this insulting, transphobic document.’