The new language in 5th grade health class: in pursuit of “gender literacy,” curriculum revisions now say “a person with a penis” and “a person with a vulva”

Several Baltimore County parents of 5th graders contacted Parents Defending Education with concerns about recent changes to the health curriculum that came about, at least in part, due to health education legislation. One parent reports that their child, who has never talked about gender identity before, is now fixated on the topic.

The full video of the meeting where curriculum revisions were announced and discussed is embedded at the bottom of this post. The screenshots are from the video itself. At one point, the presenter speaks about the new emphasis on physiology rather than gender—the revisions now say “a person with a penis” and “a person with a vulva” rather than attaching a gender with a body part.

To watch the video starting at the discussion of gender identity, go to the 29 minute mark.