Is there room for sexuality in children´s books?

[BrownEyedBoy]

I just read about J.K. Rowling letting Dumbledore out of the closet and I am very displeased. I don´t think there was a need to add these things to the book just like there´s no need to mention that Hagrid would be into s&m and Snape into bondage. You know? There´s just no room for it and children don´t need to know about those things.

 

[coemgen]

I agree. If it's not part of the story, why mention it outside of the book? Especially when it's a kids' book?

 

[Irvine511]

what about the heterosexuality of all the main characters. after all, they all got married at the end and had so much sex with each other that they had lots of children. and how do we get children? S-E-X!!!

funny how we don't mention the flaunting of Harry's heterosexuality when he dances with girls or whatever (i actually know very little about these books). it just gets at a horrible double standard that i am sick to death of. she lets us know that Dumbledore is gay. suddenly, it's all about sex?!?!!?

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

So, in your view, by saying that Harry has parents and thus implying their heterosexuality then she´s "flaunting" heterosexuality? Please. There was no need to say those things when the books are already finished. With this new information Dumbledore´s affection for Harry has just turned creepy.

 

[BVS]

Wow, what a horrible double standard!!! There's "sexuality" all over children's books. Sleeping beauty gets woken up with a kiss, Cinderella, etc...

There's no room for it as long as it's gay sexuality, that's what you are really saying.

 

[yolland]

Why is it "creepy"? You think gay men are incapable of being teachers, therapists, coaches, and otherwise mentors to young boys without getting all pervy and molesting them?

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

No, but I´d rather not find out the hard way.

 

[rudybay]

que lokera este thread vo

 

[Irvine511]

No, but I´d rather not find out the hard way.

it is taking every thing i have not to explode at you right now.

i've taugh preschool (3 year olds), assisted in a kindergarten (5 year olds), been a swim instructor (3-12 years old), coached a swim team (7-18 years old), was an SAT tutor (17-18 year olds), and you know what?

I NEVER EVER EVER FUCKING THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT IT SIMPLY BECAUSE I ALSO HAPPEN TO BE GAY!

but, knowing there are people like you out there who can't see people, the only see fucking, i guess i'm going to have to think twice about it now, huh?

/so angry/

 

[BVS]

No, but I´d rather not find out the hard way.

This is creepy.

 

[Irvine511]

So, in your view, by saying that Harry has parents and thus implying their heterosexuality then she´s "flaunting" heterosexuality? Please. There was no need to say those things when the books are already finished. With this new information Dumbledore´s affection for Harry has just turned creepy.

if i say that i am gay and have a boyfriend, is that flaunting my sexuality?

if my friend tells me he's getting engaged to his girlfriend, is he flaunting his sexuality?

NO in both cases.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

if i say that i am gay and have a boyfriend, is that flaunting my sexuality?

if my friend tells me he's getting engaged to his girlfriend, is he flaunting his sexuality?

NO in both cases.

funny how we don't mention the flaunting of Harry's heterosexuality when he dances with girls or whatever (i actually know very little about these books).

That´s my answer to your question.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

it is taking every thing i have not to explode at you right now.

i've taugh preschool (3 year olds), assisted in a kindergarten (5 year olds), been a swim instructor (3-12 years old), coached a swim team (7-18 years old), was an SAT tutor (17-18 year olds), and you know what?

I NEVER EVER EVER FUCKING THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT IT SIMPLY BECAUSE I ALSO HAPPEN TO BE GAY!

but, knowing there are people like you out there who can't see people, the only see fucking, i guess i'm going to have to think twice about it now, huh?

/so angry/

You´re right. I do apologize for offending you.

Either way, that comment and that line of thinking is besides the subject of this thread.

All I want to talk about is how children´s books could do without sexuality.

 

[BVS]

With this new information Dumbledore´s affection for Harry has just turned creepy.

So his affection was cool when he was straight? But now it's creepy? So if he had the same affection towards a female character it wouldn't have been creepy?

Face it, this is just a huge double standard.

 

[BVS]

All I want to talk about is how children´s books could do without sexuality.

So you want to ban Sleeping Beauty?

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

I never said I wanted to ban the books. All I´m trying to say is that the books could definitely do without that subject being brought up.

 

[kafrun]

Hmm. By treating his sexuality as something that should not even be mentioned, it's teaching that there's something inherently wrong with it. If there are gay people in a child's life, is it ok for them to know that uncle-so-and-so is or mom's best friend is gay? Then why is it wrong in a story? It's just a part of life. They don't need to know the details, just as they don't need to know the details of anyone's sexuality, but surely the mere mention of it shouldn't be wrong.. ?

 

[BVS]

I never said I wanted to ban the books. All I´m trying to say is that the books could definitely do without that subject being brought up.

Sleeping Beauty wouldn't exist without that aspect.

 

[Mofo]

So, in your view, by saying that Harry has parents and thus implying their heterosexuality then she´s "flaunting" heterosexuality? Please. There was no need to say those things when the books are already finished. With this new information Dumbledore´s affection for Harry has just turned creepy.

you just associated homosexuality with pedophila just be clear with what you are saying because this is really fucked up

 

[Irvine511]

and now instead of being angry, i'm just sad.

sad that whenever a gay person takes an affectionate interest in a child and wishes to mentor him and help him be all that he can be, that, really, according to the line of thought in here, he's only doing so because he wants to fuck that boy.

what an awful thing to think.

 

[BVS]

you just associated homosexuality with pedophila just be clear with what you are saying because this is really fucked up

Unfortunately this is a view held by many. It's pretty discusting.

 

[yolland]

All I´m trying to say is that the books could definitely do without that subject being brought up.

What do you mean by "sexuality"? Actual sex scenes, complex psychological explorations of the development of sexual identity, etc.? Or do you literally mean that having Prince Charming kiss Sleeping Beauty and ride off with her into the sunset is problematic?

I can tell you from having three of them that young kids DO NOT carry around all the associative baggage adults do when it comes to issues like who is in love with who and why. They may notice and ask about it if they see e.g. two men or two women holding hands at the mall, but all you have to say is "Some men love other men the way Dad loves Mom" or the like, and they'll say "Oh, okay" and that's the end of it as far as they're concerned--they don't want or need a big lecture on sexual identity development.

I wouldn't expect an average 5-year-old to be interested in, e.g., a complex novel sensitively portraying a young gay man's coming to terms with his sexuality, dealing with coming out to his friends and family and so on, just as I wouldn't expect them to be interested in a complex story about e.g. a straight young woman's struggle to learn to trust men after experiencing decades of abuse at the hands of her father. But having actual straight and gay characters in the story, as moms, dads, teachers, fellow students, whatever--sure, why not? Love, couples, and families are a familiar part of young children's social worlds--they accept and understand why Prince Charming kisses Sleeping Beauty, they accept and understand why Harry Potter wants to go to the school dance with whichever girl, they'd accept and understand if Dumbledore had a husband too. Are they interested in hearing about those characters' sexual fantasies or anything much beyond the level of hearts-and-flowers stuff--no. But there's no problem with their seeing reflected in books what they already know from real life--that sometimes people fall in love, and that might mean they kiss, hold hands, dance, or raise children together. I really think it's pushing it to the extreme to call such story elements "sexuality," though--I think that's projecting adult dimensions which are neither apparent nor of interest to children onto them.

 

[CTU2fan]

and now instead of being angry, i'm just sad.

sad that whenever a gay person takes an affectionate interest in a child and wishes to mentor him and help him be all that he can be, that, really, according to the line of thought in here, he's only doing so because he wants to fuck that boy.

what an awful thing to think.

In all honesty, I think a man who took an affectionate interest in a young girl and wished to mentor her would have his motives questioned. I don't think it's so much a gay thing (anymore - I definitely think it used to be) as much as it's a guy thing.

But I agree, sad indeed.

 

[redhotswami]

I never said I wanted to ban the books. All I´m trying to say is that the books could definitely do without that subject being brought up.

um...did you post a similar thread when you read Goblet of Fire??? because if not then you are a hypocrite. there was much more innuendo in that than just mentioning that DUMBLEDORE HAD AN UNREQUITED LOVE AFFAIR.


UNREQUITED.

tell me what is so sexual about an UNREQUITED LOVE AFFAIR?

 

[lynnok]

I haven't read the books either so I'll ask this question

Is this information necessary to advance the plot of the book or is the revelation about the same as him not liking brussels sprouts? If it's the latter then I say leave it out, it's just not necessary. If it's important then leave it in. If all this came out after publication then there's the answer. I thought reading was supposed to foster imagination If I want to draw that conclusion from what I read I can.

What does Sleeping Beauty have to do with this anyway? Kissing isn't always sexual. Instead please explain to me how she got to sleep for 100 years without anyone waking her up or the phone ringing. That's information I can use

 

[BVS]

What does Sleeping Beauty have to do with this anyway?

You've got to be kidding. The thread was is there room for sexuality in children's books. And this was based on the fact that a character was just mentioned to be gay. So a man and a woman can have a romantic kiss or dance, but you can't even mention someone is gay?! That's the point!!!

It's a double standard fueled by hate.

Kissing isn't always sexual.

Have you read Sleeping Beauty? He didn't just give her a friendly we've known each other for years peck on the cheek.

 

[redhotswami]

I just read about J.K. Rowling letting Dumbledore out of the closet and I am very displeased. I don´t think there was a need to add these things to the book just like there´s no need to mention that Hagrid would be into s&m and Snape into bondage. You know? There´s just no room for it and children don´t need to know about those things.

let's remember that this was not written in the book. rowling was asked specifically if dumbledore ever fell in love. so she answered.

how about you just put a ban on people asking questions about characters?

 

[AEON]

and now instead of being angry, i'm just sad.

sad that whenever a gay person takes an affectionate interest in a child and wishes to mentor him and help him be all that he can be, that, really, according to the line of thought in here, he's only doing so because he wants to fuck that boy.

what an awful thing to think.

I do think it may be unfortunately to think so - but I would honestly not trust my son to be mentored by a homosexual man.

 

[BVS]

 

[yolland]

I do think it may be unfortunately to think so - but I would honestly not trust my son to be mentored by a homosexual man.

How would you feel about another parent not wanting you to mentor their daughter, lest you try to come onto her? Because as CTU2 fan mentioned--it happens.