Should children be told about LGBT people?

I think they should.

 

I think it's necessary for children to know that no matter who they like or what someone else may feel for others, it is natural and fine. There is nothing to be confused about. Love is love. Attraction is attraction. It would only become unnecessary if there was no more homophobia/transphobia/phobia of anything of that sort in general. Children should know about LGBT+ so that they don't get confused. That they will feel loved and accepted no matter what spectrum or area they fall under. So many youth today get confused over their feelings when they aren't straight. That, to me, says that the matter should be brought to light and properly explained. It would certainly make things easier for them.

Just my two cents, anyways.

 

I don't think a conversation with them about LGBT people should be forced. However, parents should explain it to them when they are introduced to something LGBT related. My parents never really explained LGBT to me when I was little, so I was pretty confused about what any of it even was.

I saw a lesbian couple marry on the news when I was 5 or 6 (probably in Massachusetts when it first became legal), and I honestly would of liked for someone to explain that same-sex couples can love each other just as opposite sex couples can. It's not hard at all to explain, and it saves the child the trouble of growing up ignorant about other people's differences.

 

I'd say yes. It's not harmful, and they wouldn't be too confused if they were told soon enough. That way they would hopefully not grow to hate and judge LGBTQIA and would understand if maybe they felt they were LGBTQIA. Couldn't hurt! So what if they go around talking about it? It's not weird. Just refrain from adult content and they'll be fine I think.
Just my opinion.

 

Of course they should learn about LGBT people. Kids will only be confused if it's not explained to them, and early education is one of the main factors that contribute for the maintenance or removal of society's prejudices.

I'm already doing the """brainwashing""" on my siblings

 

I imagine it would go something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETwl1BUHcXs&t=1m13s

 

Yes!! I always felt abnormal as a kid because I got those "feelings" from kids the same sex as me and never really understood why. Pretty much everyone would ask "you have any crushes on girls at school?" And it made me feel even worse because I didn't.

 

Yes, I think they should. It doesn't have to be sexual, just tell them that sometimes people of the same gender love each other and get married, that kind of thing. Sometimes kids have two dads instead of a mom and dad. I don't see what the big harm would be.

 

Yeah. It would kill anxiety and/or homophobia before it started in earnest and probably make the world a much nicer place.

"Some boys like to kiss other boys and some girls like to kiss other girls." It doesn't have to be a lot more in-depth than that, and should probably come at around 9-12, after the age where they might try it because they assume that's them (if it isn't) and before they'd get a lot of problems trying to understand it from classmates.

 

Yes, but at an appropiate age...Also, just about love, not sex...They'll fnd that out on their own...

 

A good start would be dialing down the implied hetero-ness in most stories (and the princess falls in love with the charming prince bla bla bla) kids are told even before going to school. And stop talking to them assuming they're straight. Leave room for other possibilities in every day language. Something along the lines of "When you grow up and start dating a nice girl... or a nice guy, it does happen".

 

If we're going to make it more normal and a little less taboo, absolutely. Hiding it from them makes it seem like a bad thing.

 

Of course.

 

Insert any other demographic of a minority and you will see how messed up the thought that kids should not be taught about LGBTQ people is.

 

I don't think it would be hard to explain.

Typical romance: "boys can grow up and like girls, girls can grow up and like boys."
Typical gender: "if you grow up in that male body you are a boy. if you grow up in that female body you are a girl."

LGB: "boys can grow up and like boys. girls can grow up and like girls. both can grow up and like both."
T: "you can grow up in your body, but feel that body is not all there is to who you are. as you grow up you may get a better understanding of who you'd like to be called."

You don't even need to get into the "gritty specifics" with children; just let them know that love and identity can be so much bigger.

 

Abso-fucking-lutely. All Children need to understand that different is not bad. Different is different.

I think the thought that if children learn about queer they will become queer is totally nuts.

 

We exist. I'm a gay child. That much was clear since I started developing emotional attachment to people.

If you wouldn't question it about straight and cisgender people, you mustn't criticise the same openness about queer people. There is really no argument against that that doesn't boil down to:

1) Gender roles must be kept strictly traditional so that children do not question social structures (cue disgusting sexism)
2) A more delicate and falsely progressive reiteration of 1.

 

I just think they should know that they can be whoever they want to be and love whoever they want to be! Not even really "informed" about LGBT people, but taught through the way their parents act to accept them. And not be told about this separate group of people that are "different" than everyone else. It should kinda be like an unspoken thing, just simple thing like "aw look at that little girl with her dads." Something kinda like that...idk

 

Re: Should children be told about LGBT people

They should. What if they are any letter in LGBTQA? What would they do? If the don't know what that is, that may scar them for life. People hate being ignored and left out. CHILDREN ARE PEOPLE TOO!