Transgender children - Where is the compassion?

Last night, I saw a "so called" Christian on the news, ranting about the Church of England instructing schools to allow children to dress as they feel comfortable. They are seeking to stop bullying and marginalisation of such children. I cannot possibly see how anyone would want to see any child be bullied, least of all in the name of Jesus, who as I understand it, came to preach compassion and tolerance.

I have little experience of the Trans community, but bullying is bullying and trying to spare the vulnerable this mental torture seems to me to be eminently sensible and compassionate. I have one small experience of gender re-assignment. Back in 1983, I was in the Beehive pub in Edgware with my ex. A large, hairy biker came over and started chatting to us. Paul was a really nice bloke and a good laugh. It soon became clear that he knew my ex of old and was a very close friend. We had a pleasant evening, and I thought no more of it.

When we got home, the Ex said to me "The'res something you should know about Paul". I enquired. She then said "At school he was my best mate". I wasn't particularly surprised. It was clear they were good friends. Then she said "When we started, he was a girl called Heather. We became mates from the first day. One day he disappeared and six months later came back as Paul. His genitals had not properly emerged and he'd been incorrectly labelled a girl". This did surprise me. I asked her "How did you take this? How did the school deal with it" She said "The school simply explained he'd had to have an operation, because a mistake had been made and everyone got on with it". I then asked "How did you feel?". She said "I was terrified". I asked why. She said "I didn't want to lose my best friend". She then said "Once he was back, we stayed best friends, it wasn't a problem".

And that is the hub of the matter. Why on earth should it be a problem. I don't suppose anyone will say anything about Paul, because it was a "medical error". Why should that be any different whatever the circumstances? A person is a person and deserves to be treated equally and fairly. (I've changed somenames for this blog. )