Email a copy of '3 Reasons to homeschool your gay child' to a friend
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14replies
Amy says:
I think saying that “The real world is not like school: the real world supports everyone discovering who they are, being true to themselves, and feeling safe as they do it” may be a bit over-exaggerated. There are (unfortunately) plenty of examples of people in the real world being horribly bigoted and bullying and all of that.
That said – it is definitely significantly WORSE in school. There’s a reason that the “It Gets Better” project is aimed primarily at middle/high school gay kids. In the real world you tend to have more options – options to seek out like-minded or open-minded people, options to leave damaging situations. Having options is so huge.
As a socially-awkward straight kid, growing up in public schools was bad enough. I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t escape awful peers or awful teachers. I can’t imagine how much worse it would be if I had been gay, if those kids and those teachers had had more evident reasons to target me.
I loved the Lego version for this site. But that link has so many creative versions of the equal sign. I love that when people get excited about movement they get so creative.
Penelope
mbl says:
Thanks for asking. I was wondering what the squaty 8 meant.
Per PT’s other blog mentioning transgender, the suicide rate is even more staggering.
Enzomiles says:
Marriage is not about individual benefits or rights. Marriage is about bringing up children and investing in them. Feminist philosophy is what is exulting “gay marriage” to the status of marriage because they see marriage as “patriarchy.” Please look at a video on youtube entitled Fempocalypse made by girlwriteswhat to see what the real problem our culture and your sons are facing.
Penelope Trunk says:
If you don’t want marriage to be about financial benefits then maybe you should start your own campaign to change insurance laws and inheritance laws and tax laws – all of which confer financial benefits to married people.
Penelope
christy says:
Penelope, thank you for both of your blog posts today. From the bottom of my soul, thank you. That is all.
mbl says:
Just got an email from our home school association for an upcoming “Queer Prom.”
And saw a notice for a transgender book reading:
Author Finn Enke reads from “With Finn and Wing: Growing Up Amphibious in a Nuclear Age,” a graphic novel written from the perspective of a child sorting out the meaning of gender, bodies that cross categories, war, and survival. Also discussed: the value of stories, the ability of stories to convey perspectives that as yet have no name, works by transgender authors. A Q&A will follow.
And there is a screening for the movie Bully (also on Netflix–I saw it a few days ago.)
I am so very glad that things are changing and kids have more options and opportunities to be themselves. But am so very sad for all of those whose lives could have been so much less painful had things begun shifting earlier.
We had a Queer Prom in our town last year and we heard it was wonderful. Several of my daughter’s friends went and my daughter felt rather left out!
Penelope Trunk says:
That’s amazing. It really reminds me of how rural our town is. That would never happen here. It helps spread open-mindedness by talking about things like this – for people who don’t live where this could happen. Thanks.
Penelope
Jael says:
Re: town being rural. Yes, I was an assistant teacher in our town, which is very small. The gay kids were definitely ostracized. It was so sad. Here’s the thing: you don’t have to agree with someone’s choices in order to show respect for their humanity. The kids don’t seem to get this. Their parents don’t get this. They translate every difference as a stigma. It is very strange. Meanwhile most people aren’t mainstream which means most of those children are walking around with some kind of secret or fear.
Penelope Trunk says:
Jael, I love this line that you wrote:
“Here’s the thing: you don’t have to agree with someone’s choices in order to show respect for their humanity.”
I can’t wait until I have a chance to say this to my kids. It a wonderful way of explaining to kids what’s appropriate and what isn’t.
I think saying that “The real world is not like school: the real world supports everyone discovering who they are, being true to themselves, and feeling safe as they do it” may be a bit over-exaggerated. There are (unfortunately) plenty of examples of people in the real world being horribly bigoted and bullying and all of that.
That said – it is definitely significantly WORSE in school. There’s a reason that the “It Gets Better” project is aimed primarily at middle/high school gay kids. In the real world you tend to have more options – options to seek out like-minded or open-minded people, options to leave damaging situations. Having options is so huge.
As a socially-awkward straight kid, growing up in public schools was bad enough. I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t escape awful peers or awful teachers. I can’t imagine how much worse it would be if I had been gay, if those kids and those teachers had had more evident reasons to target me.
Am I being silly? What is the lego in the second photo? (Is it two penises?)
It is an equal sign. But I like how you’re thinking.
During the Supreme Court hearings about gay marriage, there was a huge movement online to support gay marriage with a red equal sign.
Here’s a post about the millions of people who put the equal sign up online.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/29/red-equal-sign-facebook_n_2980489.html
I loved the Lego version for this site. But that link has so many creative versions of the equal sign. I love that when people get excited about movement they get so creative.
Penelope
Thanks for asking. I was wondering what the squaty 8 meant.
Per PT’s other blog mentioning transgender, the suicide rate is even more staggering.
Marriage is not about individual benefits or rights. Marriage is about bringing up children and investing in them. Feminist philosophy is what is exulting “gay marriage” to the status of marriage because they see marriage as “patriarchy.” Please look at a video on youtube entitled Fempocalypse made by girlwriteswhat to see what the real problem our culture and your sons are facing.
If you don’t want marriage to be about financial benefits then maybe you should start your own campaign to change insurance laws and inheritance laws and tax laws – all of which confer financial benefits to married people.
Penelope
Penelope, thank you for both of your blog posts today. From the bottom of my soul, thank you. That is all.
Just got an email from our home school association for an upcoming “Queer Prom.”
And saw a notice for a transgender book reading:
Author Finn Enke reads from “With Finn and Wing: Growing Up Amphibious in a Nuclear Age,” a graphic novel written from the perspective of a child sorting out the meaning of gender, bodies that cross categories, war, and survival. Also discussed: the value of stories, the ability of stories to convey perspectives that as yet have no name, works by transgender authors. A Q&A will follow.
And there is a screening for the movie Bully (also on Netflix–I saw it a few days ago.)
I am so very glad that things are changing and kids have more options and opportunities to be themselves. But am so very sad for all of those whose lives could have been so much less painful had things begun shifting earlier.
We had a Queer Prom in our town last year and we heard it was wonderful. Several of my daughter’s friends went and my daughter felt rather left out!
That’s amazing. It really reminds me of how rural our town is. That would never happen here. It helps spread open-mindedness by talking about things like this – for people who don’t live where this could happen. Thanks.
Penelope
Re: town being rural. Yes, I was an assistant teacher in our town, which is very small. The gay kids were definitely ostracized. It was so sad. Here’s the thing: you don’t have to agree with someone’s choices in order to show respect for their humanity. The kids don’t seem to get this. Their parents don’t get this. They translate every difference as a stigma. It is very strange. Meanwhile most people aren’t mainstream which means most of those children are walking around with some kind of secret or fear.
Jael, I love this line that you wrote:
“Here’s the thing: you don’t have to agree with someone’s choices in order to show respect for their humanity.”
I can’t wait until I have a chance to say this to my kids. It a wonderful way of explaining to kids what’s appropriate and what isn’t.
Penelope
:) I still need to say it to mine!