The Bigots Have It Backwards
Gender dysphoria and trans folks have existed since time immemorial
The Bigots have their cause and effect backwards
We use pronouns from the day a baby is born, calling people “he” or “she” before they’ve even formed an identity for themselves. Of course I want children exposed to all different kinds of relationships and families from a very young age. That’s what helps to reduce bigotry and prejudices like those being expressed.
Teaching kids that some people have two mommies, two daddies, or parents who are non-binary isn’t “taking away their innocence”, that is a homophobic statement in itself.
The bigots have it backwards: gender dysphoria, non-binary, and trans folks have existed from time, but in the (quite recent) past they were sent away or beaten into pretending to be cis.
Now it’s a little bit safer to explore one’s identity, and our youth need safe places and safe people to do so.
Children form sexual identities from extremely young — usually between 4 and 5 years of age. That’s not the same as sexuality in terms of intercourse or puberty, but in terms of gender identity: seeing oneself as male, female, non-binary, trans, gay, bi, lesbian, etc.
Instruction about the existence of masturbation and having sex with those of the same gender is normalizing diverse expressions of sexuality, and is important. Saying educating people about safe sex aside from heterosexual sex is completely homophobic.
If LGBTQIA2s+ youth don’t have safe spaces to learn about safe sex and healthy relationships, then we’re putting them more at risk. That is what is “wrong”; not the provision of inclusive and comprehensive education.
The bigots are regurgitating third- and fourth-hand information, harmful rhetoric, and misinformation that’s been spread without verification. They simply believe what their like-minded friends tell them and pass it on, without any effort at self-reflection or critical thinking.
These issues only serve to further highlight how desperately we need this type of academic instruction in school, to prevent the current generations of children from growing up to be willfully ignorant, gullible bigots.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
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References
Martin, C. L., & Ruble, D. N. (2010). Patterns of gender development. Annual review of psychology, 61, 353–381. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100511