"I want to suggest that public schools play an important role in helping build a new democratic, multicultural community, one in which sexual identity (like markers of difference including class, gender and race) is recognized, in which inequities are challenged, and where dialogue across difference replaces silencing and invisibilty practices". I agree that in today's schooling children should learn about gayness as early as they can understand the basic concepts. I think by doing this will help normalize gayness. The earlier a child learns about things such as this the better off they are understanding it. It also allows them to form their own ideas instead of listening to society and their parents. This relates to the movie we watched in class; these children were much smarter than I thought and they also asked very good questions. One thing i remember from the movie is when a little boy asked why people do not treat gay people equally and why they cannot get married. I remembering him saying something like "they are people too just like us". This young makes a good point gay people are normal people and diserve the same treatment as everyone else. Someone in our class made a good point that you dont have to like everyone just dont say anything. That reminds me of the saying "if you have nothing nice to say...dont say it at all". I fully agree with this quote because I try to treat everyone as fair as possible.
Another problem I have is when people especially parents think that a child can turn gay. I think this is a false statement one is born gay and does not turn gay, it just might take some people longer to figure it out. It irritates me to no end when fathers put their sons in manly sports so they will not "turn" gay. For instance, my dance teachers son dances and his father puts him in a numerous amount of masculine sports so dance does not turn him gay. This is dumb especially if the child likes to dance and doesnt like to play other sports. A parent should also love their child no matter what their sexual orientation.
Also, in class we discussed the terms like gay, fag and so on and I must confess to using these slang terms every now and then. After discussing where the word "fagit" comes from I am disgusted to say that Ive used that word sometimes. But i can honestly say that after discussing these topics I will make a conscious effort and try not to say these terms because of where they came from and how they make people feel.
I agree with you. I also think that children should be taught and become aware of homosexuals at an early age. Parents want their children to understand love, expecially as they grow older, and in order to do that shouldn't their children understand all types of love.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you have to say. I also agree with Sam. I think that parents should let children become aware os homesexuals at a early age. I think they can do this is many ways such as reading the book about having two mommy's. I have three cousins and I remember having my mom tell me briefly when I was younger about them. My parents told me about the different kind of loves there are. I think that if parents do that it will make their children aware of all the different types and then they will better understand them as they get older.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you on the fact that children should be aware of homosexuality at an early age. I think first of all it gives them something to look at as they grow older because I can remember my best friend wondering if she was "normal" at a very early age. She didn't know what was going on with her. I think if children are more aware of it than they will accept it as they grow older and there won't be as much resistance to it as there is now.
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