This is a subject that I think needs discussing a little bit more. In primary school we weren’t really taught about LGBTQ+, it mainly just centred around straight couples. When we were taught about puberty in year 6 (ages 10-11) we were only really told “you may start to develop feelings towards the opposite gender”. Not much was taught about same sex couples and anything on being transgender or non binary was just something that was never discussed. So for quite a while when hearing more about these same sex couples, it all seemed to be against the norm. Which obviously isn’t true, but if LGBTQ+ was taught in Primary school, do you think it could reduce homophobia?
Not even just reducing homophobia though, it could also help kids not be confused about their own feelings. So what do you think?
I think they should teach about it tbh, even if not specifically they should perhaps say how non hetero couples have sex? I mean we have to read this cartoon about straight couples doing it so why not non hetero couples? they not good enough or something?!
I don’t know if I think that Primary school kids should be taught about the sex side of things but they should definitely be taught that it is okay to have feelings for the same gender.
Honestly I am gonna say no to like specific classes only about LGBTQ or something like that which they did in my primary school and which was extremely awkward… Also a big part of kids never thought about their sexuality in primary school or are still doubting. Like most people I know didn’t know they were LGBTQ till they were like 13 or even later… However I feel representing it naturally as if it’s something normal would definitely be a good idea, like when in your example puberty is discussed, say it could lead to developing crushes, just leave gender out of it. Also this should happen in school books as well, like just show LGBTQ in a subtle way but don’t put focus on it too much and don’t treat it as a separate subject. If you do that you make it sound like it’s something special and I remember how mad that made me, like if you aren’t cis and straight you are not normal and should be treated differently than others…
Yeah I agree the whole point of it being taught in Primary school would be to stop kids being sheltered from it. But specific classes on it would be a bit ridiculous. Parents should also teach their kids about this stuff.
Yeah exactly, to make them realize it’s something that’s normal and you don’t reach that if you put too much focus on it. Ohh, gosh, don’t get me started on parents and LGBTQ, I think there is a long way too go. Most parents, without realizing have such a heteronormative thanks for teaching me that word a long time ago @ChaoticDeluge way of raising their kids and don’t even think about the chance their kid might be LGBTQ, yeah home is definitely a place where LGBTQ should be taught as in showing your children there are different kind of families and relationships and that they are okay
Even when we did social dancing in primary school, we were put in dancing partners of boy+girl. So it was kind of assumed that you could only date boys and vice versa.
Maybe that families come in all shapes and sizes, two moms, two dads, mom and a dad, just a mom, just a dad, etc etc?
Because the family model is sorta how kids imagine their lives in the future, so teaching them that families can have same sex parents in a loving relationship could help kids who question their sexuality later?
I think it’s not just school, but books and tv shows and movies that would help reinforce the normality of all of it and help kids relate.
I don’t know to be honest… Kids at that age usually don’t discriminate others for being different from the norm (or at least we didn’t). Most kids at that age don’t even know what homophobia is…
I think that most kids at that age don’t think about that kind of feelings yet, so I don’t know if it would make sense… It was confusing enough for us to learn about hetero couples having s** when we were 9/10/11…
But I think that it would be important to tell kids that straight relationships aren’t the only kind of relationship that can exist.
What our school did last year seemed nice. They invited some people who represent the LGBTQ community in our city and they prepared some information and answered our questions. We all felt comfortable with it, so maybe that could be a good approach
I don’t mean stop Primary School homophobia, I mean start to just introduce it to them as not being something to bully somebody for. Because yes at that age in general they don’t discriminate based off sexual identities. Although I doubt you know this but kids especially in my area of around ages 7 and 8 are already using the term “gay” as an insult. So maybe just showing it as something you shouldn’t treat somebody differently for could reduce homophobia. Because tbh relying on parents to teach that doesn’t always work.
By kids I mean when they start to reach puberty and do start to develop feelings. Puberty is actually starting earlier in many kids so I do think thay teaching them little things about this would help. I’m not saying give them a sex talk because quite frankly I’m 18 and still waiting for mine, I’m just saying show same sex couples sometimes and subtly show them that it is a thing which doesn’t go against the laws of nature.
Although I do feel the need to point out that this thread is not about teaching Primary school kids about having sex whether it be straight or LGBTQ+
That is an entirely different concept to what I am trying to say.
In Primary school we were given a puberty talk where we learn about our period (we get put in a different room to the boys) we also find out about romantic feelings.
We were not taught about sex of any kind and that is not what this thread is for.
I mean we have to read this cartoon about straight couples doing it so why not non hetero couples? 
they not good enough or something?!
