A Connecticut elementary school recently showed kids an informational LGBTQ+ Pride video and sent them home with puberty kits. Conservative parents are fuming.
Students Were 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders
Conservative parents in Connecticut were left fuming after learning their 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade kids were shown a video discussing gender identity before being sent home with puberty kits. Allegedly, children waved Pride flags – a very common occurrence in a multitude of Western nations that value education over hatred.
The Video Celebrated Pride Month
According to one conservative parent – a parent who believes their kid is too young to learn about gender identity – a child said: “Pride means you should be able to be free. All my life, I never really felt like a boy and I don’t really feel like a girl. So I’d rather be both.”
Boys Can Play With Dolls
The video allegedly features several children labeled with their pronouns. One child in the video, Jasper, uses they/them pronouns and says that Pride means “nobody can tell you what to do.” They go on to say: “I love my dolls. Boys can play with dolls too.”
The Video Teaches Kids About Different Family Dynamics
Conservatives often oppose LGBTQ+ education because they believe their children are being taught about sex – but that couldn’t be more wrong. LGBTQ+ education is about teaching kids that experiences outside of their own exit which, in turn, prevents bigoted worldviews from forming. It’s also about letting LGBTQ+ kids, who often realize they’re not straight or cisgender while they’re in elementary school, know that they’re not broken. In the video, a kid called Mavis – “she/her” – talks about her “two moms.” She explains that she calls them “mommy” and “momma.”
The Puberty Kit
One parent claimed their son received a puberty kit filled with pantiliners and maxi pads, which is, again, an entirely normal thing in many Western nations. Kyle Reyes, another parent, went as far as to pull his children out of the school district. He said: “These are conversations that if anyone is going to have with their kids, it should be the parents having with their kids.”
The Problem With Kyle’s Suggestion
It’s no secret that bigotry is rife in the United States. The problem with leaving LGBTQ+ education to parents is that homophobic and transphobic individuals teach their children anti-gay and anti-trans rhetoric. Moreover, LGBTQ+ children exit and it is absolutely fundamental to their well-being that they know it’s okay to be themselves.
Online Commenters Were Divided
The story was shared across social media and commenters were divided. “Great move to prepare the [children] for upcoming changes. Smart move,” one person wrote on the subject of puberty, which can begin as young as age 8. Another said: “What’s wrong with kids of this age learning about what is about to happen to them? Most parents don’t talk about this to their children. And what’s wrong with teaching children about inclusion, tolerance, and real life? [Right-wingers are] out of their minds.”
Other Commenters Disagreed
Not all commenters were as understanding as the aforementioned two. “Why do they need this? Why has the school deemed [itself a] sex educator?” one person asked. “They need this because teachers are often the first ones to explain to an 8-year-old why they are bleeding,” another hit back. “I received a puberty kit at [age] 10 or 11 – 5th grade. Puberty started the following year. Unfortunately, puberty is occurring sooner and sooner in children. Yes, girls as young as 9 are sometimes going through the change now,” a third added.
Others Accused Teachers of Having an Agenda
Some online commenters accused teachers of having an agenda other than teaching. “Teachers are merely agents of the government and their job is to get between the parent and the child,” one person wrote. “Teachers are sometimes the only ones to explain to a girl why she is suddenly bleeding,” another hit back.
Puberty: More Than Just Matters of Intimacy
One commenter thought that parents should be talking to their kids about puberty – but they acknowledged that teachers need to too. One person wrote: “Yes, the parents should be having those conversations with their kids but the sad fact is many don’t. Teachers have to deal with hysterical girls not understanding what’s going on when they go to the bathroom [and are bleeding]. Teachers have to deal with stinky kids who don’t wear deodorant.”
International Commenters Were Shocked
International commenters were shocked by the response from conservative Americans. One person wrote: “What is wrong with America? I’m 35 and I was taught these things at school when I was about 8. We discussed puberty. We discussed LGBT people and families and love and inclusivity. Then, when I was 10, we covered it all again but this time we were shown condoms and educational videos about sex and STDs. It wasn’t new to me because, by that point, I knew what sex was and I knew what condoms were. I didn’t, however, know about the dangers of STDs. It was invaluable information. It’s completely normal stuff for kids to learn at school and it’s important it happens at school so kids can learn the truth about it all, rather than lies from homophobic and conservative parents. I’m beyond shocked by all these comments.”
These Lessons Are Normal
According to one 68-year-old American, these lessons are entirely normal and have been for a very long time. She wrote: “I’m a 68-year-old. I went to Roman Catholic schools. I received a puberty kit in third grade. I was 8 years old. Puberty arrived that same year as I turned 9.”
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