Language used for genitals in PGSE

[pickyourbrain]

My DSd was telling me yesterday how she'd been sent out of class for laughing when her PGSE teacher used the word 'willy' I was quite shocked and naturally asked what word they used for Vagina... she said 'fanny'

I don't agree at all with A, dumbing these things down. But B, using what i would class as fairly sexist language...

But i can't really explain why I find it sexist... is it?

[NulliusInVerba]

Umm....no, I wouldnt think so.

But innapropriate yes, why not use their proper names? I thought thats what teachers were meant to do.

[pickyourbrain]

It is sexist right? Can someone with better intellect on the matter explain why please?

The teacher is quite young, I think they're trying to be cool.

[SybilBeddows]

fanny isn't really a term that women use themselves, is it? so it evokes men talking about women (frequently in a pretty unpleasant way). Whereas 'willy' is a word used by men themselves as well as with young children. I might be wrong but I don't think many families use 'fanny' with their little girls, do they?

[LynetteScavo]

I wouldn't say these terms are sexist, but they are not appropriate to be used by a teacher in a school. I would definitely bring this up with the school.

Fanny and willy are not cool unless you are 18 and trying to be retro.

[pickyourbrain]

Sorry for confusion, this is a PHSE lesson... she is in year 7.

[meditrina]

Agree with BeerTricks about the likelihood of this being a deliberate slang exercise. If DSD was sent out, then she may genuinely have missed the part about the proper names and their use from then on.

Also agree it is very unusual to be sent out; perhaps there is more she needs to tell you.

(PS: disagree about "fanny" - it's a term I'd use when a euphemism is indicated).

[SueSylvesterforPM]

Oh this beings back memories my PSE teacher was not shy at all she was taling about female mastrbation in a mixed class and said give 'yourself a good wank I do it' ...this boy chirped up 'Why do you need to do that you have a husband?' and he got sent of

in contrast she seems probably too embarassed for the job.

[ilythia]

Wow, I am doing a PGCE and we have had seminars on PSE sex education. Rule one was to use correct terminology all the time.
We were also told never to ask for suggestions of other 'slang' names as being career suicide (what if one child declares 'cunt' and another goes home repeating it...kind of fun to explain!)

[tougholdbird]

What is correct term please? I taught DD (5) to use vagina but she gets very shocked looks from other mums - not that she says it very often but it has been known

So....I now call it 'giny' . Should it be vulva and if we use that will it still shock everyone?

[AnnieBesant]

PSHE teachers are usually just ordinary subject teachers doing a lesson a week. Some are very uncomfortable with sex ed. Me, I'm a biology teacher and just get stuck in, but lots find it quite difficult. Very surprised at "fanny" though.

[ilythia]

Good point Annie, I am not a scientist, but when I needed to do PSE on this sort of thing I go to the science dept and ask for tips. It's a bit more embarrasing for you if it's not your subject I think but 'fanny'?

[BertieBotts]

At school it was always referred to as penis and vagina/vulva.

Tough, vagina isn't strictly correct since that refers only to the inside part, whereas the vulva is the whole thing.

I don't think that willy and fanny are that bad - it's what we used to call them as teenagers if we didn't want to be embarrassed about it. Doesn't the mumsnet-favoured "fanjo" come from fanny anyway? Either way it's not a term I find offensive, personally.