Omnisexual 11 year old

Ds has mentioned that there is a trans boy and a trans girl in his year. That one friend has a boyfriend and some girls are so annoying often gets mentioned that’s about it

He knows the labels but has never said he identifies with them

I think some children will always want an identification marker and others do not need one it’s a confusing time but for some more so than others

Omnisexual as in attracted to everyone? I'd be pointing out that covers paedophilia and animals tbh and suggest they land elsewhere for a while.

I seem to remember being the same as my dd around that age. Like my friends and I would talk about who in west life we fancied the most, but no talk of real life type of stuff/what’s your sexuality. It was all very hypothetical to me at age 10/11.

And as for gender. Fitting in with narrow heavily enforced gender norms.

That's also completely normal and nothing new. Now it's been turned into a million labels. And we all know the issues.

For most children it is the current thing. Choosing labels is the new are you goth rock dance indie etc.

For the vast vast majority that's all there is to it!

The labels are new but fancying people, and feeling uncomfy with expectations due to sex is standard and most definitely not new.

Why the determination to assume the worst?

Anyone feel like trying to explain? I genuinely don't get it.

And yes some children know they are straight/ bi/ gay lesbian at that age.

I certainly knew which sex I fancied at that age albeit only nebulous and innocent. I had crushes on various male pop stars at that age. Hardly unusual.

Loads of girls are really developed 11. Boys not so many but some.

Heterosexual people it's the norm so probably not really thought about. Bi/gay/lesbian confusing as know feel different to others.

You must know this.
Bay city rollers?
Beatles?
Baywatch v popular with boys.

It's not about having sex fgs. Wanting sex. It's about fancying people.

11 year old and already sexual? And bisexual at that?

[shakes head]

Like a virgin! Autocarrot.

In the early 80s girls across the country were singing 'I'm a virgin' and trying to dance like Madonna.

Just saying.

Didn't mean they actually understood the lyrics as more than just words.

Fashion/ media/ tribes. Children/ teens haven't changed. Declaring/ showing which tribe you're in is very important. Doing and saying things because it's the thing to do or seems cool.

Of course through school children get to grips with sexuality. Also loads strugglebwith narrow gender roles that's been going on for yonks (forever). Some may be dysphoric. In a bad way MH. Etc.

Most children it doesn't mean anything at all.

How have we got 11 year olds who are so immersed in the language of sex and sexuality?!

I agree, and find it quite sad really. I agree with a pp who said there are no tribes any more, and this seems to be what they have been replaced by. We had ways of dressing, different music etc. that said who we were but things have changed and this seems to be what defines them now. When I think back to myself at 11 I couldn't have imagined a world like this.

I do think that it’s possible for 11 year olds to understand their own sexuality, however infantile.

However, sometimes I wonder whether this longing for ‘community’ comes from the lack of real community in real life (e.g. the times where everyone knew the post man type thing). I’m not a dinosaur, I’m in my early 20s and I grew up in a city, it was popular for some groups to be ‘EMO’/bisexual (even if they weren’t) when I was a teen but now it seems mainstream. I think a lot of very young tween/teen groups get exposed to these topics without the maturity or real life experience to explore them, hence why we are seeing this explosion in identity politics among such young people who have been using social media since they could just about spell.

The best thing that anyone can do is to be supportive, musing, if you like. Wait for it to pass or progress. The worst thing is probably to oppose it as it will cause unnecessary rebellion. Every generation goes through another so-called revolution, let themselves call themselves hat they want- it probably isn’t very significant in terms of being detrimental to their wellbeing.

Why assume it's from home?

Neglectful parents
Woke parents
Unrestricted internet

I don't understand why blame the parents is so often the answer to everything!

Dunno if you read my posts.

They talk to each other at school! It's the current 'thing'. Tribal. Show you're an alternative type.
It's all over BBC, in a lot of schools.

It's a youth culture thing.

And for the vast majority that's all it is.

Why on earth are 11 (or even and especially 8) year olds thinking about who they want to shag?

I'm assuming this child has very woke parents and she/they are attempting to express tolerance/acceptance That wouldn't be my first assumption. I would assume the child doesn't feel heard or seen on an emotionally neglectful level and is looking for attention.

I do wonder if this will pass in schools. Any guesses of what comes next once all the gender tribe interest has died down?

I'm thinking of a wider neutrality tribe, i.e the opposite of labels, selection of names like water or earth, no rainbows, drag looks or overdone looks.

Friends 10yo changed their name and pronouns. 10!!! At 10 I wanted to be a pony .

Storminamu

Just checking is that for info or is it something you know a lot about? If the latter would you be able to answer a couple quick questions if you feel they are reasonable ones?

Many girls will be well on the way.

Boys not so much.

Saying label this label that is a thing. It doesn't mean that they know anything past pick a label.

Thus say that's nice what do you want for tea. If otherwise cheerful etc.

My thoughts exactly. How the hell can an 11yr old know what sexuality they are? The vast majority won't have finished going through puberty yet! Their hormones won't be flowing in full force just yet.

It's an extension of pokemon

I’d be happier going along with the harmless tribes theory if there weren’t whole bloody armies of plastic surgeons and drugs companies making money out of those kids for whom the label becomes so much part of their psyche that they feel the need / take the chance to mutilate themselves and / or render themselves infertile.

That clears that up then Storminamu

On the point of previous teen sub cultures somr might enjoy this: punks, goths and mods on irish tv 1983