A Glasgow school has been criticised after promoting a coffee morning to raise money to buy chest binders for transgender pupils.
Staff at Bannerman High School were invited via email to the campus event and were told the £2.50 entry fee would be put towards the tight-fitting compression tops.
Chest binders are used to flatten and hide breasts. Some people can experience negative side effects, including back and chest pains, breathing difficulties, and fractured ribs.
Campaign group For Women Scotland branded it a “dangerous practice” and said it “beggars belief that the school would raise money to pay for these incredibly damaging devices”.
Calling for the school to undertake an “urgent review of policy and safeguarding”, a spokesperson for the group added: “It is as dangerous as breast ironing which, rightly, is illegal in the UK.”
Bannerman High School
It is understood the idea to raise money for the binders at the planned event next week was conceived by senior pupils on the school equalities group.
The email was said to have been sent from a staff member, with one teacher telling the Daily Record no consultation had been carried out.
The teacher told the newspaper: “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.
“This is a delicate and sensitive matter and the staff who took it upon themselves to organise this are not specialists in this area.”
Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister Tess White MSP 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.”
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Following concerns raised over a lack of consultation with both parents and staff, a decision has been made to distribute the money raised elsewhere on a range of other things related to equality.
A spokesperson for 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 would urge any teacher or staff member to raise their concerns with the school’s senior management team.”