Is gender identity being taught in kindergarden in other places than the US, for example NOrway/EU
Executive summary
Countries like Norway include gender equality, gender awareness and LGBT topics in early-childhood policy and practice, but sources do not show a single, uniform “gender identity curriculum” taught to all kindergartens; Norway’s government strategy and academic studies describe gender‑conscious practices and legal rights (including the ability for children to change legal gender with parental support in past proposals) rather than a standardized classroom syllabus [1] [2] [3]. Reporting and advocacy sources show active parental pushback and debate over diversity lessons in Norwegian schools [4].
1. What official policy in Norway actually says: equality and gender awareness, not a single “identity” class
Norway’s national documents frame kindergarten as a setting for equality work and “gender awareness” rather than a prescriptive lesson plan that teaches children to adopt a particular gender identity. The government’s Strategy for Gender Equality 2025–2030 articulates broad aims to give “everyone, regardless of their gender, more freedom” and to integrate equality across society, including education [1]. Eurydice and other overviews describe kindergartens as taking a holistic approach that includes attention to gender and inclusion but do not present a single mandatory curriculum titled “gender identity” for kindergarten classes [5] [6].
2. Academic research: gender‑conscious practice in Nordic preschools is documented, often framed as reducing stereotyping
Scholars studying Nordic preschools describe active gender‑equality work — called “gender awareness” — aimed at expanding children’s options and reducing stereotyping. An empirical review of Nordic preschools presents gender equality initiatives as organizational processes to develop higher gender awareness among staff and children, showing that such work is common across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland [2]. Ethnographic studies of Norwegian kindergartens document efforts to track and challenge gender patterns in everyday practice rather than deliver ideological instruction [7].
3. Legal and administrative changes: recognition of children’s gender on documents has evolved, feeding the debate
Norway has made legal changes around gender recognition that inform public discussion. Reporting from earlier years covered government proposals to allow young children to change their legal gender with parental support — proposals that Reuters described as permitting children as young as seven to apply for legal change in draft form; subsequent reporting and commentary note children under sixteen may change legal gender under Norwegian rules in later documents [3] [8]. These legal shifts are separate from what is taught in kindergarten, but they have heightened public attention and politicized early‑years practice [8].
4. Ground-level materials and projects: toolboxes, book lists and gender‑conscious toolkits circulated, sometimes EU‑funded
Practical resources for kindergartens exist and have been circulated by NGOs and research centres. For example, a “Toolbox for Gender‑Conscious and Equitable Early Childhood Education Centres” has been distributed in Norway and was funded in part by European programmes; reporting highlighted book suggestions and materials aimed at broadening gender options for children [9]. These resources are used by some centres and form part of the landscape, but they are not the same as a national, centrally mandated “gender identity” lesson plan across every kindergarten [9].
5. Public debate and parental opposition: organized resistance frames the story as “gender education” in schools
There is active parental and public pushback that frames government curriculum changes or diversity lessons as “gender education” or “Pride ideology.” News outlets reported the creation of parent networks and websites intended to “inform, equip and support parents” concerned about what they describe as gender education in Norwegian kindergartens and schools; these groups specifically respond to curriculum reforms that introduce more lessons about diversity [4]. Sources show both the existence of reform and the existence of organized opposition; they do not universally agree on the content or extent of classroom practice [4].
6. What is missing or uncertain in current sources
Available sources document policies, toolkits, research and public debate, but they do not provide a single, detailed national kindergarten lesson plan called “teaching gender identity” that is uniformly implemented in every institution. Specifics about what is taught day‑to‑day in particular kindergartens — which books are read to which age groups, exact lesson wording, or how often staff discuss identity with three‑ to five‑year‑olds — are not fully described in these documents [2] [7] [9]. Local variation and parental choice appear significant [5] [4].
7. Wider European context: policy divergence and medical debates are separate but relevant
Across Europe there is divergence between educational gender‑equality practice and medical/legal approaches to gender‑affirming care for minors. Reporting indicates several European countries have revisited guidelines on gender‑affirming care for minors (mentioning Sweden, Norway and Finland among others), which fuels national debates that spill into schools and early‑years settings [10]. That discussion concerns health and legal frameworks rather than kindergarten curricula, but it shapes how communities interpret equality and inclusion efforts in schools [10].
Conclusion: Norwegian policy and scholarship document deliberate gender‑conscious practices and inclusion work in kindergartens, and legal recognition of youth gender has evolved — but current sources do not support the claim that a uniform curriculum teaching “gender identity” to all kindergarten children exists across Norway; the topic is implemented unevenly and contested in public debate [1] [2] [4].