How do I teach my kids it's ok to be gay?

Idn if there is A way to do it right. Maybe just explain them that two persons of the same sex can love each other, be together , that it's okay no matter what other people say.

 

We were always open about the fact that some couples are men and women, some are two men and some are two women. I don't know that we even said much, other than it was all OK. I think a few people have been surprised, though--my youngest brought home a book from the school library once about two male penguins who were clearly gay and loved each other, and thought nothing of it. but the school principal found out she had gotten the book and called us to apologize if we were offended. We both were amazed that anyone would have a problem, and told her so. Our daughter couldn't have cared less. We also ran into a lesbian couple I know at the state fair, and after they left, one of the girls asked "Are they a couple?" I replied yes, and she mused, "I thought so".

Basically, if you bring it up in a casual way and don't get freaked out yourself, they won't either.

 

I would bring it up in the context of something they have seen or heard already--friends at school with gay parents, TV, movies, etc. Another thought would be to discuss the Supreme Court's ruling on DOMA or the California ruling on proposition 8; these are both really important and recent events that your kids might have heard about.

 

I talked to the president of my old school's GSA about this. She said her parents would sometimes talk about LGBT actors with her, like Sir Ian McKellan, so that she would know even famous/popular people can be gay.

 

I'm kinda amazed how much it's been coming up with my daughter. (She's 14). She's actually been bringing it up a lot. I.e. rainbow flags, DOMA, etc. I'm wondering if she suspects something and she's trying to let me know it's ok. Plus, there's TONS of gay characters on tv now. Let it be natural.

 

The best way to teach kids that it's OK to be gay is to show them how much you love your partner; to model the caring, respect, responsiveness and joy that comes with that love and to definitely show them that you are comfortable with it and that you are happy; probably happier than you have ever been in their presence (and certainly happier than they have ever seen you be).

All of this rests, of course, on finding the right partner. But if that is taken care of, they'll know soon enough that it's OK...more OK than they ever thought possible.

 

I agree with the poster above and I was raised by lesbians so I was used to homosexulaty

 

Watch Modern Family together

 

My daughter at about age 16 mentioned that one of her childhood friends since age 3 had come out as lesbian. She seemed to know what the term meant already, so no explanation was required. She is a very bright young lady, National Merit Scholar, 4.0 GPA upon graduation etc. She also didn't seem to be hung up about it or use any derogatory language or references about her friend, so I left well-enough alone. I think that the kids are alright, at last the ones with reasonable smarts, it's just some of the adults from our generation that are really screwed up because of the poisonous homophobic environment at large when we grew up and some lingering negative inputs from certain religions and politicians. In general, it has gotten better here, if not in Russia.

 

you can teach them there is nothing wrong with being gay it should be easy for you since they are so young they will still listen to their mother. I have a 2 year old and I think its really important to teach them history, and show them that sometimes people do things that are wrong. And that they should think for themselves, and not believe what they hear people say, or what they see on TV because there is so much that is wrong in the world, and sometimes people dont speak up about it.

 

The above advice is good stuff. It might not be a bad idea to just have a casual talk with your kids. Maybe they just watched a disney movie where the princess falls in love with a prince and they live happily ever after, then you just say that that's really great when a guy and a girl fall in love, but did they know that sometimes it's not a guy and a girl but a girl and another girl or a guy and another guy? And that that love is just as awesome and special and right as when it's a guy and a girl, but that sometimes people don't agree with that. Those people just don't understand that even people who are different are just as much deserving of love and respect. ETC.

I would also say that when they are a bit older, if you're talking about romantic relationships, specifically mention that they could be with anyone of any gender. When talking about safe, consensual sex with your kids, don't just limit what you tell them to only what applies to heterosexual sex, etc.

Honestly, just the fact that you're asking is a sign that you'll probably do just fine letting your kids know that being any sexual orientation or none is just fine

 

I think part of it is having to understand and realize to not assume anything about people's orientation weather it be gender specific or sexual specific, not pressuring them to be something their not is part of it.

Another thing is to show your acceptance of it all; do you have any gay friends? If so; I recommend that you expose your kids to them as much as possible and show them that they are normal people like the rest of us; the human side of it all.

That is all my opinion and some may differ which is okay but I do think these two are KEY to helping them understand there is nothing wrong with it.

 

We need to remember that prejudice is just that: prejudice. It doesn't make any difference whether it is homophobia, sexism, racism, ageism, etc. It all has the same mechanism. Someone is being despised, discounted and discriminated against because of some factor over which they have no control. The construct of homophobia is not different. When you look at prejuice in the larger context, I think it is easier to make the point.

 

The same way you taught your kids its ok to be straight.