Teaching kids about homosexuality

[The Hairminator]

How many of these 'more often than not' cases have you encountered?

Let's see here: me, my sister, my sister's ex girlfriend, and another one of my sister's friends.

That said, I know a few who didn't "switch" either.

 

[Kroxile]

My parents are lesbians, and have always taught me that gay or straight, all that matters is that you are happy with who you are with. Period.

You're lucky then. An ex-GF of mine had a lesbian sister and one day when I was over visiting the sister's girlfriend and her daughter was there. The daughter gave me the nastiest looks and I heard her mom saying that I'm "nasty" and other such rot.

I mean, its fine if you want to teach your kids about your own sexuality first and foremost, but damn; don't go putting prejudices in their heads.

 

[SwagLordYoloson]

No, I do not. I don't think homosexuality should be encouraged, unless it actually comes from the child itself, with as little as external influence as possible.

The same goes for the opposite- The kid will learn soon enough, and probably ask her parents about it- then they should tell her, naturally, as unbiased as they can. If she later finds out she is indeed actually queer, it would be better if she does not have any subconscious issues with it inherited from her parents.

But still, they should not be handled equally, as heterosexuality is still the norm- and the natural way to reproduce. If the children are gay, they will probably find it out themselves. The important thing is to then make sure they are neither ashamed or feel otherwise repressed.

I agree with this 100%.

It all comes down to the parent's decisions though, and they chose to have the child so its their burden and their choice on how to act on these matters. And it really isn't anyone else's business

innocentEX's post is both articulated offensively and utterly ridiculous. You're screwing with your child if you don't give them the talk at an incredibly pre-pubescent age. You're evidently offended by the idea of children being exposed to the idea of homosexuality, something which is bigoted. YOU CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE GAY, YOU ****. PEOPLE ARE BORN GAY. SO WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER WHEN A CHILD IS EXPOSED TO HOMOSEXUALITY?!?!

/end rant.

I was more so agreeing about how he was going to handle telling the child when the child chooses to bring it up. I don't really understand why you are getting so riled up by my opinion. I am sorry I may have offended you and but this is how I will raise my children. The way your post came across is as if you didn't read the whole part in the OP's post that says "it would be better if she does not have any subconscious issues with it inherited from her parents." and "The important thing is to then make sure they are neither ashamed or feel otherwise repressed.".

These two statements support the growth of the child's sexuality whether heterosexual or homosexual.

I also never mentioned that I thought children could catch 'gay', I merely would like to bring up my children thinking that the normal way that humans as a species find love is between a man and a women. As this is the normal. I won't ever pressure this on the child just inform them that this is why most men and women live together. And if my child asks why homosexuals live together I will inform them that they live together for the same reasons that men and women do.

EDIT: I see you edited your post to sound less offensive and all your hate is aimed at the first poster, I guess that kind of makes my rebuttle kinda redundant. Also since when is 7, just before puberty? I thought most girls enter puberty around 10-14 and for guys its 12-14.

 

[DuctTapeJedi]

Word things that they could go either way, like, "Wen two grown-ups love each other..."

 

[D Moness]

"Sometimes two mommies or two daddies fall in love" omg how earth shattering or complex. Although at 7 she might already know from friends, school or tv. What's the hardest question you could get "How do they have babies" "Adopt". Pretty simple it's not like your going to be explaining anal sex and the prostate gland. It's just two people in love.

I go with this one. Although adopt might be a bit hard to explain. Also you have more and more openly gay people on television. If you only teach them about heterosexual love you are not doing society a favor.

 

[Alex Bergan]

Wanna know how i learned about homosexuality?

I was watching the TV with my folx at the age of 6 and 2 guys kissed on the screen.
I was really surprised and turned to my mom and said "Can a man kiss another man?!".
She said "yes" and i said "Oh.. OK!".

I grew up straight, up until recently had a girlfriend and i have no problems with gay people.

The mind of a child is really simple, and often the best way to explain things like these is to just give a short defenite answer.

no reason to explain how it's not normal or anything like that

 

[BonsaiK]

Do you escapists think that children should be told about homosexuality and homosexual relationships at the same time as they're learning about straight relationships?

I wasn't told about any relationships when I was growing up. My parents simply never discussed that stuff with me - ever. I shudder to think what sort of conversation might have transpired had I ever brought the issue up. Luckily I managed to figure everything out more or less on my own thanks to discovering friend's pornographic magazines. There was no Internet porn back in my day, and to be honest I think the Internet makes sex ed on the basic hetero/homo mechanical level kind of redundant.

 

[Latinidiot]

Don't tell her what isn't necessary. Don't go explaining to her the nuances and details of relationships, but tell her what she asks. Birds and bees, that's heterosexual.

When she asks 'mommy? can 2 women cuddle like that too?'
The parent should answer along the lines of 'yes, but you get no babies that way.'

stay neutral. Let your child get his own opinion.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I probably wouldn't. Unless I see statistics to the contrary where half of the male/female population is gay, the child ending up being gay is a unique circumstance IMO. Nothing wrong with it, but it's complicated as it is with out bringing it up, handle it as it comes, I say.

 

[Josdeb]

I totally don't see why not.
Hell, it would've helped me out a bit... (Gay teenager here)

 

[Serenegoose]

I would. Kids are smart. Don't talk to them about something they'll find out about on their own, they might get the idea there was some kind of reason behind that omission. Prejudices form, massive fuckup. Best way to go about it is just to be up front about the fact that love, biology, and all that stuff isn't sacred, it isn't special, and it probably will happen. The idea of childhood innocence is a pervasive evil I'd have no part in maintaining, this idea that somehow knowledge corrupts and should be avoided.

 

[thewaever]

"The talk" is all about educating the kid so that they can keep themselves safe from:
* diseases
* unwanted pregnancies
* sexual bullying
...right?

Even if you strictly confine the conversation to sexual mechanics, even if you are 100% certain that your kid is straight, & for the exact same reasons you would talk about heterosexuality, you NEED to include homosexuality in "the talk."

Straight boys sexually bully other straight boys all the time.
Bullying preys on ignorance & fear. If you wait until the kid comes to you with questions, you're way too late.


Let me put it to you this way, would you rather your kid learn from a responsible adult who knows what (s)he's talking about? Who can help guide the kid to a happy, healthy life?

Or would you rather your kid end up like Asher Brown? ...or become one of the bullies that killed him?

A complete education is the only answer.

 

[the trooper]

i would probably stick to teaching straight first, but i wouldn't rule out teaching homosexual relationships either.