How old were you when you learnt about homosexuality?

ferny · Sep 23, 2004

A strange question to ask, so let me give a little background to my question. I work at a school (which some of you may know) and the age group is 7-11. Yesterday I was told about two girls. One was sitting at a picnic table, but the wrong way around and with her head on the table. Another girl was kneeling on the seat and kissing her. When they were asked what they were doing and why they replied "we're playing gay".

Now, doesn't that seem a bit young to you? Not just to know about "gay" but kissing like that? I didn't see them doing it but I saw them, they couldn't have been older than nine. Or am I making myself look really old? I knew about sex, how to do it etc at that age. But I don't think that I'd sit in the playground kissing like that.

terri · Sep 23, 2004

I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. Children often engage in sex play, much to the distress of adults who don't want to think of kids as sexual beings. To answer the question, I can't name an age, but it was certainly something I'd "heard about", whether from other kids, TV or whatever. It's out there, so kids will hear about it, and discuss it as excitedly at that age as they would about kissing a member of the opposite sex, or even holding hands with someone they think is "cute". It's all new and mysterious at that age.

Scurra · Sep 23, 2004

I knew about from a very young age, but then that might have something to do with the fact that one of my god parents is gay.

voodoocat · Sep 23, 2004

I was sheltered and told that gays were bad. It was my first year of high school where I found out that homosexuals were people too.

I wouldn't worry about the girls. Gay has been in style lately with media and such.

Corry · Sep 23, 2004

Yeah, Voodoo has a good point. All ya gotta do anymore is turn on the TV they'll see it. I can't remember how old I was, but I see kids younger and younger that know about that kinda thing.

molested_cow · Sep 23, 2004

They know these things at a younger age, but do they really KNOW what it's about?

I bet they get the image from media like MTV where they make it look hot for 2 girls to be kissing each other( yeah it actually does). However the real homosexuality isn't about the physical part, which MTV basically skipped it all.

Same for me, I learnt about it pretty young, thought I knew what it was about, but not quite.
It was more like something to laugh about back then.

Karalee · Sep 23, 2004

I knew there were "gay people" when I was about 11, but when your 11, you pretend you know what people are talking about, even if you dont really know.

I went to an all girl high school, so once I got there, it really started to open my eyes, cos usually all you hear is "those nasty men" but, turns out my best friend in high school was gay the whole time.

ferny · Sep 23, 2004

We were talking about it today. There is a program based around lesbians on TV apparently so we think they got it from there. Or perhaps they just fancy each other.

On other school related stuff. Yesterday I helped out three kids who were crying and some that were fighting. Well, kicking each other then complaining about it as kids do. And today I helped out one kid who was crying and another boy jumped the fence and then jumped back into school. He's a "problem child". I hate that sort of term. And if he doesn't sort himself out, he's going to be expelled.

There seems to be loads of kids who are on drugs at this school. Children are no longer responsible for their actions it seems. Just load them up with drugs and forget about them. Although I have got one kid in my class who has real problems. When ever he feels he's being singled out his brain flips and he goes mad. There have been a few instances already with him. But I (as yet) haven't had a problem. I've had to be stern with him a few times and he's done as he's told. Maybe he only listens to men?
Working in a school really opens your eyes.

Corry · Sep 23, 2004

Yeah, I don't work with kids nearly as much as you do, but I work at a domestic violence shelter every Thursday night...I facilitate childrens group. The kids in my group range from newborn to 18, and they come from families with domestic abuse problems. I have some great kids...I love em all...but there are those kids who come through that are really tough subjects...13 year old boys who are perpatrators themselves....little girls who cut themselves...It can get definatly opens your eyes. I came from a family with domestic abuse problems (hence the reason I work with kids at a domestic violence shelter now

) and a lot of times I feel I had the good life. Anyway, I don't know where I'm going with this...ferny just got me thinking about this stuff. Plus it's Thursday and group night was tonight, so it's fresh in my mind. I love those kids.