...do you think it's age appropriate to start discussing homosexuality?
Doing my daily reads on the interwebs, I came across the following youtube clip in the news:
I wasn't sure how to react to this video. The first reaction leaned towards thinking that the parent was grossly overreacting to the situation. I can understand and agree the school's efforts to be inclusive of the communities that make San Francisco the diverse city that it is.
Does one have to equate actual sex when discussing sexuality? Can you have one without the other. Sometimes, being gay just isn't about the sex. It's a mindset and a culture, a rather unique perspective that takes some understanding and compassion to truly understand when you are an outsider.
It starts with curiosity and fear. Just like the primary video discusses, many individuals will realize from an relatively early age what their sexuality is about. Sometimes, the lines aren't quite so clear cut for everyone. Maybe this is where the whole "phase" thing comes from. But, it's all part of the natural order of things to reach out and mimic and relate to other identities. Like trying on clothes, we try to find something that fits and that we are comfortable in. Is it all learned or is some of it innate? That, I do not really know. I'm one of those believers that it takes both and that the overall experiences help build that character and personality.
A key focus on experience. When these feelings first come into practice, it is hard to stand out against the grain of common practical moires and traditions. Family stresses, social pressures and expectations and other fears compound against the self. These things can affect the overall self-image and self-esteem. Add to this the common bullying many perceived gay youths endure at an early age and you have a whole set of universals that bind the gay community.
So, touring the Castro district isn't going to automatically teach your kids about sex, it is important to start discussing the topic of two people of the same sex sharing lives together. The counter question to this would be at what age do you start talking about husband/wife roles with your children?
Children are very perceptive. While we may choose to hide much from them from our own perceived phobias that we do not think they can handle and process, it is important that we teach them from an early age. Ignorance is one thing. To expect them to learn from their peers is another.
Teach them. They are our future. If they fail, it is because we, as adults, have failed them.
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