‘A satanic guide’: Sex-ed classes in Belgian schools unites Catholics and Muslims in protest
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Transcript
00:00 Since the start of the school year, these five letters have ignited tensions in Belgium.
00:06 EVRAS, the French acronym meaning Education in Relational, Emotional and Sexual Life,
00:10 is an educational workshop proposed to be given in schools that's provoked the anger
00:15 of these demonstrators.
00:16 Muslims, fundamentalist Catholics and conspiracy theorists have joined together to demand the
00:21 suppression of these workshops.
00:23 "They teach our children, if you're a boy, but believe in your head that you're a girl,
00:28 you can become a girl."
00:30 Concerns are so strong that several schools have been set on fire in Belgium over the
00:34 past weeks.
00:35 This father disapproves of such vandalism, but he says as a Muslim he doesn't want his
00:40 children to receive this teaching.
00:42 "It's a big problem to be forced to accept something that we cannot accept.
00:50 It doesn't just concern the Arab and Muslim diaspora.
00:55 In the last demonstration, there were also many Europeans."
01:00 The tools used in schools come from family planning programs.
01:04 Their director has agreed to show us the equipment used.
01:07 "Here I have a booklet that allows you to talk about the issue of periods."
01:13 It's a way for her to counter the misinformation about these workshops, especially on the question
01:18 of gender.
01:19 "There's a lot of confusion.
01:21 Whether we talk about gender, there's already the question of gender stereotypes.
01:25 That's important to address when it comes to equality.
01:28 Now on transition issues, obviously no one is going to encourage a child to transition."
01:34 The controversy has been closely followed by the Belgian authorities.
01:38 This specialist says that part of this anti-Everest movement has had the same motivations for a
01:43 long time.
01:44 "Some of these Muslim religious actors are linked to Islamism, and Islamism's strategy
01:49 is to regulate the education of Muslims in Europe.
01:53 When they demonstrate, in reality, they refuse this national education plan, but behind it
01:58 they also refuse a model of society."
02:01 More than a month after the start of the school year, the controversy doesn't seem to be calming
02:05 down.
02:06 The demonstrators threaten to challenge the Everest system in court.
02:09 [BLANK_AUDIO]