Michael Rosen, queering children’s literature

He's acting naive about the free speech aspect too - so he should be reminded that a boy was expelled from school in Scotland for saying there are only 2 genders.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3627656-The-kid-who-argued-that-there-are-only-two-genders-permanently-expelled?pg=2

It is a bit mystifying that as someone regularly on SM and attached to Goldsmiths, that this whole thing has passed him by.
Surely he heard about the JKR thing?

Sorry - And telling kids that their relationship with sexist gender stereotypes is responsible for their identity as male or female promotes and entrenches sexism, too. That's also what is happening, and it is wrong.

@sunkisses all kids have social, emotional and sex ed. That's a good thing. All kids should understand that some adults love people of the same sex, because they will encounter gay families, and so ensuring they respect that is important. You don't need to get into the mechanics of it all to think that a broad understanding of diversity is important. It's not different to ensuring they understand different cultures. Education increases tolerance. And as they get older, it will reassure kids that if they are attracted to either sex or both (or indeed none) then that's all okay, too.

That's a very, very long way from thinking the Haywood Gallery 'Kiss My Genders' exhibition, for example, which was a queer-theory-based exploration of sexuality was ideal for primary school kids. That's a blatant and fundamental safeguarding failure. It's an interesting and challenging exhibit for adults, which is what art should be for - to make us think. But it's grotesque that they saw no problem with primary school trips. I'd have flipped if they'd taken one of mine to it.

And telling kids that their relationship with sexist gender stereotypes are responsible for their identifying as male or female are based around solid concerns that they promote and entrench sexism, too. That's also what is happening, and it is wrong.

Yeah - I think we need to be very clear here - this is NOT about children's literature featuring diverse families - which most people approve of.

Queering the classroom is something far darker. Check out Peter Tatchell's plans for just what this means - teaching children masturbation. Not about masturbation - but how to masturbate. I mean really? Adults teaching children to masturbate? I thought there was a word for that - child sexual abuse. Consider this, together with Tatchell's views of the legal age of consent.

And check out the good doctor Christian's recommendation that children be shown porn in PSHE lessons. Something he claims to 'stand by' - despite considerable criticism - because, again, adults showing children porn is considered child sexual abuse. Then check out Dr Christian's rather sympathetic view of child brides too.

And check out Dr Em's research on the links between paedophilia and queer theory. It's pretty disturbing.

I hope Michael Rosen does start some deeper thinking about this - and doesn't just go down the close-minded "la la la you're just a load of bigots" route.

On a side note, my DD won a poetry reading competition with his "Oh Dear" poem - so we've always been fans of his.

Thanks OP

The term ‘queering’ might be tone deaf, but using words like ‘agenda’ when you’re referring to normalising homosexual relationships and discouraging prejudice is just as bad @Sunkisses

I've long had a low opinion of Michael Rosen*. If he looks at both sides properly and realises that there's a potential problem here I will have to reassess that. But I'd be very surprised for that to happen.

• I'm sure he thinks I'm terrific.

Gah, I wish I was on Twatter now.

But I'm too scared 😟 > patiently awaits updates

Woot woot Rachel!!!

Woah, its kicking off on twitter isn't it.

Rachel Rooney tweeted him.

I fear he'll take the easy route out of here...

@KnickerBockerAndrew this is about queer theory, not homosexuality. Different concepts.

If this were about gay parenting, I'd be absolutely with you.

Thanks Janes.
Apologies if crap wording in my other post offended anyone, that wasn't my intention.

Apologies, as ever my choice of word and my articulation is clumsy. Basically Novina said it as I imagined it in my head

'Queering' = queer theory.

'Qu**r" = a slur for L, B or G people, sometimes reclaimed, often avoided.

Of course our kids should know that families have different parent set ups, some hetero, some gay some lesbian. Anyone who has an issue with that has a problem.

But why is it now being badged as "queer"? We all know this word has been hijacked to cover things that people do when having sex/pleasuring themselves and is no longer used just to indicate "gay".

This is really dangerous. Or have I misunderstood?

Oh, for clarity, when I say people with male bodies are a risk to women, and social transition doesn't change that, I don't mean transition increases that risk in any way whatsoever, either. I've seen GC women accused so often of saying all trans people are perverts when we raise male statistical risk, and that's bullshit. It's the male risk that's the issue. I don't care what someone's gender identity is in that context - transmen aren't an issue, because the biology remains female.

I am so fed up with the way women pointing out male-pattern violence, and its prevalence and the need for single sex spaces on that basis, are being silenced by screams of transphobia. MRAs must be watching in breathless admiration. It's not transphobic to acknowledge that people with male bodies pose a risk to people with female bodies, and the gender identity in any direction does not affect that risk.

Shame he can't have a chat with Rachel Rooney.

I'm not holding my breath.

Maybe he’ll stand up for free speech if he won’t stand up for women? mobile.twitter.com/MichaelRosenYes/status/1217368788238315520

Proponents of gender identity and queer theory really need to stop riding on the coat tails of the LBG.

the representation of homosexuality in children's literature

is not the name of the event Rosen is attending.

If it was, I would be quite interested to attend myself.

If you think that discussing the representation of homosexuality in children's literature is "abuse", if you think it's all about sex, you have a massive fucking problem imo. You'd never think the same about a kids' book with a mother and father. Blatant homophobia, and therefore anti-feminist.

He hasn't healed my heart.

A hundred bucks he 'learns' that women with concerns can rightfully be dismissed as transphobes. Very few men are prepared to stand with women.