Promotion of homosexuality in schools

[tectime]

Hi

I have children in junior school, and one is due to undertake a sex education class (too young in my opinion), but I am concerned if the subject of homosexualty is broached. Is this broached in senior schools, or does it happen in junior schools too.

I apologise for any offence. I need to be circumspect and will try to be more openminded. One again, I apologise to all.

Well, I'm with the op. You know how easily influenced kids are. One mention of the word gay and the girls will be shaving their heads, piercing their toes and donning witch craft symbols. And as for the boys, well, it doesn't bear thinking about. All those pink shirts and naicely arranged flowers around the school. Disgusting.

OP I can recommend a super book by Bundy Landcroft called "Am I A Bigot?", particularly the chapter entitled "Yes You Are"

Its important for children to be taught about sex in the context of human relationships, rather than just as a vehicle for reporduction.

As far as I remember, I think that i was felt that the high teenage pregnancy rates in the UK compared to other european countries were in part due to a history of teaching about sexual intercourse as a physical act without contextualising it.

Surely the fact that some people may be homosexual shouldnt come as a shock to children? OP, if you have gay friends than presumably your children have already spotted that sometimes it can happen?

In mystified as to why anyone would think that the fact that some people are homosexual should be hidden from children.

Ok, ok, the op has apologised and will hopefully do some research now into the damage that ignorance and unsubstantiated bigotry and believing everything you -read in the -DM can do.

I wonder if we've 'turned' him/her with our eloquent arguments? Hope so!

If schools were to start promoting homosexuality, maybe ds would get extra house points for knowing Uncle Gary, Uncle Gary's partner, their co-parents and delightful children?

Apologise for pigs ear attempt at crossing out

Ooh, and could ds get extra points for having been into my office recently? If only I'd told him about the private lives of my boss and half a dozen of my colleagues...

Since I'm gay, my dcs have been "taught" homosexuality. I do remember a parent, when a friend asked dd about her two mummies and dd repeated what we had told her over the years with great gusto, complaining about us "promoting gay to the children for our own agenda". I was quite pleased that dd had "promoted gay" because otherwise this poor child would grow up with her bigoted parents' views.

And homosexuality is often not covered at all in sex ed, but in RE and PHSCE. My gay friends' dd, when doing sex ed in year 5, asked her teacher why they were not taught about gay people. Her teacher took her out of the class and told her that it was not appropriate to tell her friends about that yet. If anything, we need to improve the gay sex ed in our primary schools.

In DSs year there is a boy who it was clear to everybody from about year 3 is gay. Even his mum recognises it.
How INCREDIBLY lucky for him that he can be honest with himself and those around him as he grows up.

Let alone the EXTRAORDINARILY camp teacher they have at school - he positively minces around and the kids adore him for it. They take the mick but he's happy and that's cool.

It is like race and religion All types of sexuality should be represented in teh curriculum so that everyone feels included and there is no one feeling they don't recognise themselves in the teaching YAB so U its not true

My sister and her (female) DP went to their sons' head teacher's civil ceremony The groom and groom wore matching tuxes and sang Me and My Shadow together.

And the day before, the head told all the kids that he was very happy because he was going to be marrying the person he loved. Which IMO was terrific.

Just nipping in in a slightly norty way to link to this guidance for parents about SRE at primary level. Endorsed by your local parenting website.

Thanks
MNHQ

It was Section 28 that was, thankfully, scrapped.....but yes, it still longers on.
As a lesbian mum of 3 kids, I find the mumsnet response to the OP heartwarming. There will always be bigots, but its nice to see there are many more people willing to stand up and shout them down! Thanks

If I try to answer the question that the OP might have asked, a lot of sex education at primary schools is teaching children about the variety of relationships that will result in a sexual relationship, as well as the physical and emotional changes that will be happening over the course of the next few years for them. If you are a child of the 70s/80s then you will probably find that subjects are covered 2-3 years earlier than they might have been back in your day. Your school will almost certainly give you the opportunity to see the material being used, and it is worth doing so imo. Certainly sex ed is no longer primarily based on teaching about reproduction, though reproduction and contraception may be covered (didn't see anything on contraception in our junior program, though wanking is covered).

I literally don't believe that anyone would really give a shiny shit that their child was taught that different people lead different lives, and that respect for all was the way to go

Thank you to Ladymuck for being the only (or one of few) to attempt to answer what appears to be a sincere question clearly and with sensitivity.

I think Mumsnet should delete this entire string of abusive and inappropriate replies.

Why do you think the thread should be deleted? Personally, I find it heartening that so many people are taking a stand against thinly-veiled homophobia.

what agentprovocteur said.

And TBH kudos to the OP for coming back in spite of getting bashed.

I'd agree with that, FeckArse. Good on the OP for listening.

posadas, nothing said on this thread has been as 'inappropriate' as what the OP said.

I'm with AgentProvocateur.

posadas Ladymuck only answered what she said the OP might have asked.

Agent -- I don't think there is "thinly veiled homophobia" in OP's question. The title was poorly phrased and the OP has apologized for it, but the question seems legitimate and I'm sure OP isn't alone in wondering how various topics are covered in primary schools. The correct way to respond is with information, not with snide questions about religious beliefs and insults.