Here is what I wrote in my notes a few days ago when everyone was arguing about gay rights and gay marriage:
Well, on the gay question and children — I think it’s fine to talk to children in an age-appropriate way about gay relationships, in the same way one would explain heterosexual relationships. No need to bring sex into it. I mean, when a four-year-old asks, “Where do babies come from?” most parents don’t go into some graphic explanation of sex.
Gay people are here and they have rights, including marriage rights. Pretending they don’t exist or not mentioning that women can marry women and men can marry men seems counterproductive in this day and age.
My son just turned seven, and his best friend is a girl who has two moms. (She also has two dads who live in another state. I’m kind of jealous that she has four parents and a ton of grandparents, haha.) At his age, he has never asked me about it or found it weird. It just is.
Last year at this time (it’s Pride month here), I read to him the infamous “Heather Has Two Mommies,” since he is best friends with the aforementioned girl. He said nothing. I didn’t turn to him and ask, “DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?” to prompt him into finding it weird. To him, it was just another book we read.
I know, I live in San Francisco, so it’s a bit different here. But he does see men holding hands on the street all the time. He doesn’t mention it, because he is also at the age where it is still acceptable to hold hands with his friends, male or female, so he doesn’t find it strange. He doesn’t have a concept of sex or even romance yet.
I’ll deal with it when it, as in sex, does come up, though, and be honest about it!
But I also am not a fan of leaving the teaching of sex and “morality” to the State. Teaching the basics of sex in health class is fine with me, though. (Years ago I would have felt differently. I did support the State teaching sex as well as morality.) I do think parents have a right to teach their kids about this stuff without State interference, especially since public education is compulsory, and parents don’t have a choice unless they have the money to pay for private schools.
I am still open to people telling me I am full of shit and do better.
PS This was earlier in the thread and I felt DB did okay with his answers.