Swindon Pride

[Ironside]

Hence the "baited" breath I suppose - pauld was right after all.

I meant "bated", you were correct.

Good point well made FB.

Removing section 28 was a good thing in your opinion.  So where does that leave the likes of Fred, amongst others, who abviously feel uncomfortable with things as they are now?

Do they need to be persecuted for their thoughts since they differ from the now acceptable views? Should they harbour feelings of guilt and prejudice for feeling the way that they do?

Thanks posting a sensible reply btw.

[nevillew]

, because the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

No,no,thrice no.   The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

[Fred Elliot]

So where does that leave the likes of Fred, amongst others, who abviously feel uncomfortable with things as they are now?

I feel I must reiterate that I am very comfortable with the situation as it is now, as many of you who know me will testify.

If my daughter wanted to be involved in an occasion such as this then I would be more than happy if she was at an age that she fully understood the situation in it's entirity

[flammableBen]

I feel I must reiterate that I am very comfortable with the situation as it is now, as many of you who know me will testify.

If my daughter wanted to be involved in an occasion such as this then I would be more than happy if she was at an age that she fully understood the situation in it's entirity

Yeah sorry Fred. Not fair to put words in your mouth. Your jollies off to the pink rooms are fairly legendary . You big gay bear.

I meant "bated", you were correct.

Good point well made FB.

Removing section 28 was a good thing in your opinion.  So where does that leave the likes of Fred, amongst others, who abviously feel uncomfortable with things as they are now?

Do they need to be persecuted for their thoughts since they differ from the now acceptable views? Should they harbour feelings of guilt and prejudice for feeling the way that they do?

Thanks posting a sensible reply btw.

Sorry had to do some jobs

Surely with more openness, people who've been bought up with a stimga against homosexuality will see their fears and uncomfortableness are unfounded, in fact you can see it happening now. Anti-gay feeling is much more of a minority now that it was 20 or even only 10 years ago.

Those who don't can put up with it, they can moan of course, but there voices will (and are) become(ing) the minority. Feeling guilt about having an unfounded prejudice against a harmless behaviour, is not the same has feeling guilt about performing the harmless behaviour itself.

On a related note, Leo Abse died today.

[Ironside]

I feel I must reiterate that I am very comfortable with the situation as it is now, as many of you who know me will testify.

If my daughter wanted to be involved in an occasion such as this then I would be more than happy if she was at an age that she fully understood the situation in it's entirity

I wasn't suggesting that you were uncomfortable with Homosexuality, hence the references to S28 (I think its Clause 28 actually).  The fact that you feel uncomfortable with children being involved with this kind of thing when they may not understand what's going on is the issue (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't know about you but sex education at school didn't start until I was in the first year of secondary school, which seems about right to me.  These days they seem to "teaching" it in junior school which, other than the basics (the science bit about reproduction), seems wrong to me.

On the other hand, the fact they may not understand what its all about means it can't hurt them.

Personally, its not the gays that piss me off, its the fucking raving queen types that can be bit over the top and annoying.

[Miss Angry]

If my daughter wanted to be involved in an occasion such as this then I would be more than happy if she was at an age that she fully understood the situation in it's entirity

Surely as parents its our job to help them understand?

Id be comfortable taking Gianluca along, i have a couple of close lesbian friends so he is aware that some ladies love other ladies and some men love men. Thankfully thats as far as we have got. I dread all the other sex questions that he may come out with!

Ironside, i had a letter at the end of term to inform me they will be starting sex education when he goes back in year 5, thats 9 and 10yr olds.
I can ask for him to be excluded from these lessons if i wish.
The thing is i would have said it was way too soon before i had a child at his age... but these things come out in the school playground anyways and are really miss informed so i guess, in my opinion its better he is taught properly.

[flammableBen]

I wasn't suggesting that you were uncomfortable with Homosexuality, hence the references to S28 (I think its Clause 28 actually).  The fact that you feel uncomfortable with children being involved with this kind of thing when they may not understand what's going on is the issue (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't know about you but sex education at school didn't start until I was in the first year of secondary school, which seems about right to me.  These days they seem to "teaching" it in junior school which, other than the basics (the science bit about reproduction), seems wrong to me.

On the other hand, the fact they may not understand what its all about means it can't hurt them.

Personally, its not the gays that piss me off, its the fucking raving queen types that can be bit over the top and annoying.

Accepting Homosexuality is not just about the sexual acts that two people of the same sex might get up to. You can learn about Same-sex relationships as a child in the same way that you learn about Heterosexual relationships. As a 5 year old you might know Uncle Dave has a (or several) girlfriend, which most 5 years olds will accept without having have the full details of male-female intercourse. It's just as possible to introduce to children the idea of Uncle Dave/family friend/dude off the telly having a boyfriend without going into similar details.

[Reg Smeeton]

I don't know about you but sex education at school didn't start until I was in the first year of secondary school, which seems about right to me.  These days they seem to "teaching" it in junior school which, other than the basics (the science bit about reproduction), seems wrong to me.

  Sex education has to start earlier because girls now reach puberty earlier...average about 10.

 It is believed this has come about as a consequence of junk food diet, sedentary lifestyle and family breakdown....can just be one factor or a combination.

[chalkies_shorts]

So is it accepatable for a child to be adopted by two gays?

[flammableBen]

So is it accepatable for a child to be adopted by two gays?

Yep

[Ironside]

So is it accepatable for a child to be adopted by two gays?

no.

Yep

No

[mexico red]

The problem does not seem to be with the children, as far as the children are concerned they couldnt give a monkeys, the only problem seems to be with the parents who have been socialised into holding the opinion that a same sex relationship is a bad thing.

My cousin in australia is a lesbian who has a long term partner, they have 3 little girls by a homosexual couple, the girls are the brightest most secure little kids i have ever met. to them having 2 daddies and 2 mummies is natural. is it right that someones interpretation of a fictional book from thousands of years ago is the law of the land? if we lived lives to said peoples guidelines the world would be a very fucked up place

[Fred Elliot]

Surely as parents its our job to help them understand?

Id be comfortable taking Gianluca along, i have a couple of close lesbian friends so he is aware that some ladies love other ladies and some men love men. Thankfully thats as far as we have got. I dread all the other sex questions that he may come out with!

Ironside, i had a letter at the end of term to inform me they will be starting sex education when he goes back in year 5, thats 9 and 10yr olds.
I can ask for him to be excluded from these lessons if i wish.
The thing is i would have said it was way too soon before i had a child at his age... but these things come out in the school playground anyways and are really miss informed so i guess, in my opinion its better he is taught properly.

I have certainly tried to do my bit in that respect MissA

However there is only so much that I feel I can expand upon to an 11 yr old, but likewise with hetro sexual's - its just this "out and proud" bit sometimes I feel is a bit too much "in your face" for me to be comfortable for a child of that age to be a part of.

However, that is my feelings and I respect others that feel differently.

On a side note, Jenna started her sex education program through school nearly a year ago and I must say they have handled it both sensibly and sensitively.

As a young lady who has started, puberty quite early, she knew a fair bit anyway

[Simon Pieman]

I think as long as the same sex couple are deemed ok (in terms of being able to bring up a child correctly) then I don't see it as a problem at all - makes no difference to the parenting of that child, they can do just as good a job.

I don't think a same sex couple are suddenly going to force their sexual preferences onto a child. After all, homosexuals have had to deal with a lot of prejudice and oppression in the past - to do the same would be hypocritical and I think given their experiences they'd much prefer the kid to make their own mind up as they grew up and got to the stage where sex is on their brain.

[flammableBen]

I think as long as the same sex couple are deemed ok (in terms of being able to bring up a child correctly) then I don't see it as a problem at all - makes no difference to the parenting of that child, they can do just as good a job.

I don't think a same sex couple are suddenly going to force their sexual preferences onto a child. After all, homosexuals have had to deal with a lot of prejudice and oppression in the past - to do the same would be hypocritical and I think given their experiences they'd much prefer the kid to make their own mind up as they grew up and got to the stage where sex is on their brain.

Exactly. The rules for adoption are pretty strict anyway, if they pass all the tests then good luck to them.

I think homosexual couples are less likely to push their sexual preference on a child than straight couples.