Protecting The Little Ones

[poliphilo]

"Will somebody think of the children" usually means "will somebody think of me (because I'm a bigot.)" Small children take most things in their stride. A teacher who used to be a man reappears as a woman. So what? Stranger things happen to Dora the Explorer.

I've never seen the desirability of protecting children from facts about the world. We want them to learn that one and one equals two,  why then conceal from them that some people are trans? It's useful information. Some of them may be trans too and will be glad of the role model. Besides, the sooner they learn about such things- and how ordinary they are- the less chance there is of them growing up to be bigots.

But, then again, if there were no bigots in the world there'd be nobody for Richard Littlejohn to talk to- and that would be sad.

Comments

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

Children are far more adaptable and resilient than ever given credit for. I once taught a student who told me that three people would be coming to see me on parents' evening. It turned out it was Mum, Dad, and Dad's boyfriend. The student was happy, because her parents were happy - Dad had come out, and Mum was much happier not being in a sham relationship. The family was supportive, and in an a very sweet twist, Mum and the boyfriend got on very well.

I assume you're referring to the terrible case of Lucy Meadows, who committed suicide and was subject to vile abuse by the vile Littlejohn. Frankly, I think he should be investigated - what right does anyone have to launch such a personal attack on someone?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My kids grew up with one of their parents in a lesbian relationship. They coped.

Yes, I'm referring to the Meadows case. I believe the Mail has removed Littlejohn's article from its archive. I don't know about prosecuting him (I worry about the implications for free speech) but an apology would be good....

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Children are perfectly happy to take things in their stride as long as the adults around them don't make a big issue of it.

And of course now, instead of having to cope with the not-at-all-upsetting situation of their teacher returning as a woman, these children now have to cope with the very upsetting death their teacher, who from all accounts was much loved.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes.

Hopefully this distressing experience will lead to them growing up inoculated against Littlejohn's brand of bigotry.

Slightly different concept but... about what kids can cope with

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz7_J2D3uw4

Re: Slightly different concept but... about what kids can cope with

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

My kids grew up with a mother who was in a lesbian relationship. They did OK. Yes, they got some ribbing from other kids in secondary school, but who said life would be easy?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Some of them may be trans too and will be glad of the role model.

I agree with all you've said, but I'm particularly glad you brought up this point, since it's not made often enough.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

My nephews and my niece were all born after everything was sorted out but I told them all about it because I wanted them to grow up without bigotry.

They're now aged from 15 to 22 and they would all do anything to prevent their aunt from coming to harm and fight my corner none stop with the more bigoted relatives.

Not rocket science, is it?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's great that you've got them watching your back.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I've got some petition links up!

Please consider signing on and boosting! :o)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

A lot of people seem to think we're doing kids a favour by keeping them "innocent". We're not, were're just denying them knowledge that will help them grow into informed- and hopefully open-minded- adults.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Exactly. :)

[w. lotus (from livejournal.com)]

Brilliant!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I was a lesbian aunt...

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

When I first came out, in my 30s, I was living in the same city as one of my brothers and his wife and three small children. I had been there for them and their kids a lot, and they were there for me (I even lived with them for a few weeks when I first moved to that city, until I found an apartment). The kids adored me.

But when I told my brother and sister-in-law that I had figured out I was a lesbian and was starting to date women, and wanted them to know me as I was, they kind of freaked. They didn't want me to "influence" their children, so I was asked not to introduce the kids to any of my friends or to tell the kids about my sexual orientation until they were young adults.

That had the effect of putting vast distance between their whole nuclear family and me. I saw them rarely for the the next two years until I moved away completely, and then had only occasional correspondence with them over the years the kids were growing up.

Just a few years ago we finally reconciled, and they have apologized profusely to my partner and to me for their previous attitudes. The kids are all in their 20s now, out of college, living their own lives, and each has had contact with me in various ways now that they are adults. And they acknowledge my partner. I guess they know that their parents no longer think I am sinning by loving a woman, and I guess that the kids don't think that either. But I missed most of their growing-up years, and they missed a lot of the benefit of having a caring and creative aunt paying close attention to them during those years.

None of the three kids is married yet, and although I've heard bits of news from time to time that one or the other was dating someone (of the opposite sex), there's not much... I've always wondered if one or more of them will turn out to be gay, and/or progressive in religious beliefs... At least, if they do, they will know one relative they can turn to for support, and they might remember that they thought the world of me when they were 2 and 4 and 5 years old.

I guess all this is to say (besides being just to indulge myself with telling my story) that yes, kids need to have role models of all sorts!

Re: I was a lesbian aunt...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's a shame you were kept from being with those kids during their formative years. I assume religion had a lot to do with it.

The idea that kids will be "influenced" by being around gay adults is ridiculous. Things don't work like that, do they? My kids grew up in a lesbian household and have all of them- one girl, two boys- turned out straight.

"influence"

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

Well, they will be influenced, but probably in the best ways! Influenced to be open-minded and compassionate; influenced to think for themselves; you know, revolutionary stuff like that. ;-)