Should parents or schools lead the way in teaching children about homosexuality?

Schools

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by Marie Borrazzo

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Opinions versus genetics, ignorance versus education

Opinions are like noses, everybody has one and the truth is that we are all entitled to our opinions. However, science is exact and rational and thus serious life issues such as sexuality and the entire spectrum of issues relating to sexuality should be explained using facts not opinions or religious dogma, especially when educating children. Our opinions are largely influenced by our perception and reaction to the issue(s) at hand. However, that does not serve as grounds to make our opinion absolute truth.

When society grows tired of violence and evil in our world especially when our children are hurt or hurt themselves we as parents ask, why is this something we must endure?' The next typical behavioral choice is to blame someone or some group or thing. We must demonize someone or other entity to somehow erroneously immaculate ourselves as not associated with that population or concept and of course, to displace blame and not accept responsibility for our choices and actions.

Comments and opinions such as: The world is in shambles because of immorality; Keep homosexuals away from our kids; Homosexuality is weakening America; Gays in the militaryoh no those uniforms! Misconceptions exist because of ignorance and misinformed individuals spewing their opinions without scientific facts.

As a child of the 70's growing up in a strict Roman Catholic religious household I recall arguing with one of the priests who was commenting erroneously that there were no signs of sexual diversity among any animal phylum. When I corrected him of his error, as did a few of the other children in my class, his response was to throw us out of the church and later discipline us as if we had done something wrong by correcting him and presenting facts.

I mean how dare we speak openly about facts relating to sexuality. How dare we train and let alone allow trained and formally educated professionals to constructively discuss issues relating to sexuality and divergent sexuality with our children?

Parents with little or no formal education or even those who are formally educated but not informed of the topic of discussion merely share their opinion with their child and do so with their right to parent but too often share unbalanced viewpoints relating to said topics.

Most parents want to exert control over their children and their choices, especially when it comes to sexual orientation. This state of fear is at the root of the ignorance prolific throughout history and is perpetuated by archaic institutions whose interests are rooted in economics and social-politics, not humanity.

The question I challenge you to ask yourself is whether your opinions relating to sexuality are backed by facts or opinions and religious dogma. Consider that ignorance relating to serious life issues such as sexuality impact us both on a personal and globally level given threats of over population, scarcity of resources, violence, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Here is where I think God is laughing at humanity, because we have no control over the physiological and genetic composition of our child other than participating in the process. We can however teach children to be loving, accepting, humane, and moral people and even then, we cannot predict how they will react in the future. Instead most parents will argue and prefer that their children not be gay and in doing so indirectly teach their children not only self-hatred but hatred toward others meantime God is still laughing.

Ignorant opinions relating to sex education include that sex education promotes promiscuity and increases in the occurrence of teenage pregnancy. This is where ignorance and poor parenting become most evident. Parents blaming everyone for their children's poor choices and forgetting that if they were truly effective parents that their children would have been properly supervised and thus issues such as the latter example would not be as prolific. In response we promote doctrine that supports political and socio-economics and thus cause a rift in our humane fabric undermining respect for human diversity.

Arguments relating to sexual orientation and whether mate selection is a lifestyle choice or that is based on morality are ongoing as society continues to convey their opinions.
The misconception that one's "lifestyle choice" rooted in the sexual preference is one that through history continues to baffle the misinformed. This remains the case because science is only now catching up as we learn about the role of genetics and human development. Because of our ignorance and fear we do not openly teach and discuss sexuality and thus sexuality retains a taboo status.

In the article, Genetics and Sexuality: The Gay Gene (2006) Bocklandt, researchers
looked at 97 mothers of gay sons and 103 mothers without gay sons to see if there was any difference in how they handled their X chromosomes. The findings appeared in the February 2006 issue of the journal Human Genetics. Research "confirms that there is a strong genetic basis for sexual orientation, and that for some gay men, genes on the X chromosome are involved," said study co-author Sven Bocklandt, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California at Los Angeles.

One can agree that for many individuals sexual orientation is largely beyond conscious control and therefore morally neutral (West, 2001). Some however, believe otherwise. Divergent sexual behavior, homosexual or bisexual behavior is not in itself directly harmful to the participants or to third parties so on justification on pragmatic, secular grounds for criminalizing the behavior or discriminating against is hard to find (West, 2001). Yet, global respect for human development, humanity, and nature seem minimized as science presents information to support views relating to genetics and physiology only to be contradicted by individuals with little knowledge or regard for the value of empirical research.

When researchers Bocklandt and Sandovici are asked what does this all mean? The researchers believe they are moving closer to understanding the origins of sexual orientation. They are trying to understand one of the most critical human traits: the ability to love and be attracted to others (Sandovici, 2001). I hope you noticed key words in the latter sentence, to be loved and be attracted to others'. Nowhere in the sexual selection process is the presence of hatred or violence, judgment, bashing or bullying. The latter characteristics describe the actions of homophobic, self-righteous, ignorant bigotry, the burden future generations will continue to contend with should the course of reason and direction of our humanity does not improve.

For the most part it seems apparent that regardless of our opinions, assuming we are projecting our thoughts from our hearts with love and respect for all of God's creatures (assuming one believes in God) that we merely wish to enhance and improve humanity and the world for future generations. My point is that we should stick to facts not fiction and grasp the bigger picture. An overpopulated world is not an ideal future nor is a world riddled with violence and hatred based on ignorance and an inability to accept human diversity. Our unspoken words are as harmful as our fists; words whether spoken or unspoken, may not directly break bones, however they indirectly break a persons spirit; In my opinion there is nothing more criminal than breaking a child's heart.

Resources:

Bocklandt, S. ; Horvath, S.; Vilain, E.; Hamer. D.H. ; Sandovici, I. (2006) Extreme skewing of X chromosome inactivation in mothers of homosexual men. Human Genetics, 118(6): 691-694.

West, D.J. (2001). Parental Selection of Children's Sexual Orientation: A Commentary. Archives of Sexual Behavior. Vol.30 (4).

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