Opening Our Minds, It's Happening In My School Thanks to the small Bi/Gay community

I go to a very good (all boys) catholic state school in London, England, and I think that different Sexualitys are helping the people with ever so slightly open minds to become more open minded. Those whose minds are too closed to save are still affected, although they take a negative reaction. I am Bisexual although I'm probably more inclined to go for guys, an I'm proud of my sexuality. Being a secondary school, you get boys from ages 11-16, myself being 13 (I'm also fed up of people who think I can't be Bisexual at 13, as they seem to think that people can be straight at 13, which is messed up).

 

Getting back to the subject, I'm rather openly Bi, although am often classed as Gay, which means I proclaim my sexuality and openly flirt with other gay/bi guys in school as well as outside of it. I do get bullied for this, but ignore the people who do this. The best things that happen are (exactly why I started this topic) when people come up to me and have a serious question about my sexuality, this makes it all worth it.

For instance, A first-former (11) came up to me, against the wishes of his friends, and asked what I find attractive in guys, and if I find males and females just as attractive or am BIased (pun intended). I answered truthfully and smiled. That first-former is a more open person for asking that question, and shows that he doesn't just do what other people say, and isn't affraid to be different.

 

This gives me hope for the world, that some day race and gender and sexuality will no longer be victim to discrimination, and everybody can see that we are all equal!

 

Opinions?

Edited October 8, 2006 by keri-j (see edit history)

yeah, I've got an opinion I'm sick of all those queer and bi and straight people giving me strange looks and sometimes kind of insulting remarks for throwing in the keyword "asexuality" when they're talking about sexual orientations. It's not like I'm encouraged to tell anyone that I'm asexual when I get remarks like that... (well, it's way easier to tell this stuff on the net - I can choose to ignore anyone attacking me for that...)well, I'd sign your opinion if you'd mentioned asexuals -edit- there was an error in one of my sentences, making it kind of hard to understand. *fixed*

Edited September 14, 2006 by brainless (see edit history)

The schools are the place for people to be open minded but it's outside the schools were people need to be open minded as well. Parents who are raised on hate raise their children to hate as well and then so on.Although I find it interesting that your in a catholic school which practically forbids anything but straight. I'm surprise the teachers and the other staff don't bother you about it.But if Catholics are getting used to people being bi or gay then maybe the world is on hte right track.But their is still hate in the world so all we can take is little steps.

This gives me hope for the world, that some day race and gender and sexuality will no longer be victim to discrimination, and everybody can see that we are all equal!

i wish that would happen... but it probably will never happen, because you will still have the straight people who think that gay/bi people are completley grose and dont care about them, or anything else. and you will always have the white people who dislike african americans, mexicans and more because it is just a part of history. and most of all, you will always have some african americans that hate white people for enslaving their relatives and crap, but frankly, they should be thankful because if not for their relatives being enslaved we would not have them in the US at all no adays because they would have never been brought over, anyways... i wish that the world would be more open minded like is happening in your school.

I would think not -- by opening this up, people will think that being "gay" and "bisexual" is actually normal. In fact, when you're young...say 11 and you know nothing about attractiveness in the other sex, you might think of yourself as a "gay or lesbian". This will not free the mind, but restrict it to think that it is way too normal and that they themselves are one, too. Then a chain reaction starts. I consider myself an open-minded person and I do not hatefully discriminate against them. But if you openly have a different orientation and actually take a stand to legalize gay marriage, it will affect the minds of the little ones (not saying this is negative) and they will think they themselves are gay while in fact, they aren't because they haven't hit puberty yet.I think the world should open our minds by education us about this and that you will only start liking the other sex (or the same in some cases) after puberty. This should be taught positively.

Affecting the minds of young ones? I hardly think that the gay and bisexual population is going to become so large as to outnumber the amount of straight people, so influence would be pretty balanced, if anything. However, I highly doubt that the gay community would have any major effect on young minds at all. Sexual orientation is a matter of attraction: gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, and asexual are all legitimate lifestyles, but children as young as eleven years old are extremely unlikely in either gender to feel drawn towards either gender. Children will not feel attracted to anyone until they encounter puberty, at which time they can begin to discern their own orientations. Therefore, a seven-year-old thinking she is a lesbian is ridiculous. Second, what terrible detrimental effect would there be if that seven-year-old thinks she is a lesbian? The situation being highly unlikely as it is in theory besides, it is entirely unimagineable for a girl of that age to be leading a queer philandering sex life. In short, the augmentation to the communities with alternative lifestyles will have little to no effect on the youth whatsoever.

 

As to the original topic:

 

My school is a very formal, very conservative Catholic boys school as well. The rainbow crew is rightly very timid of displaying their colours for fear of being lynched, in a matter of speaking. However, the most conservative boys are developing in a world that is gradually drifting towards liberalism, at least in the westernmost parts of the globe. Whereas the most conservative amongst us could theoretically secede from society and go live off in a gated Christian community somewhere, it is simply not practical. What is more practical, on the other hand, is to learn acceptance and humility. The different lifestyles aid in that essential learning, however sparse those alternative lifestyles may be. This enlightenment is even congruous with the Catholic viewpoint, the base of which is on the liberal side of Christianity, though by no means the most open-minded. Catholicism holds an acceptance for different persuasions, so long as those persuasions do not dominate human sexual nature. To put it more bluntly, gay is OK so long as the pants stay on.

 

I wish there were even ore diversity in the school. Diversity also brings about a certain sense of understanding. For example, a white man who has lived a sheltered life is going to be rather upset when he is confronted by an ethnic man pleading for food. That is a fact of life. The sheltered man may still respond positively or negatively, but the step outside of his comfort zone he must make greatly disturbs him, and he feels intimidated. The situation is not the sheltered man's fault, either, for the situation could have been such that he had simply never been exposed to the proper elements to handle his encounter with more composure. The more diversity and the more cultures to which we are exposed, the more empathetic, accepting, and enlightened we can become.

...it will affect the minds of the little ones (not saying this is negative) and they will think they themselves are gay while in fact, they aren't because they haven't hit puberty yet.

I would have to agree here. While some children have no problems grasping the fact that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, others have difficulty knowing that there is nothing special in it either. I, for one, being an attention-hungry moron, have made the mistake of claiming to be gay when I was in the first grade. I have forgotten all about it until an old classmate reminded me of it much later on in my life.

While I did end up gay, I'm at the very least thankful that it was because of my own nature and not because I claimed to be a homosexual so long ago.

Morosophos's second paragraph was kinda what i was going for.

 

And did i mention i go to an all boys school? By the time you get to the school you'reround about hitting puberty.

Edited September 19, 2006 by keri-j (see edit history)

I would think not -- by opening this up, people will think that being "gay" and "bisexual" is actually normal. In fact, when you're young...say 11 and you know nothing about attractiveness in the other sex, you might think of yourself as a "gay or lesbian". This will not free the mind, but restrict it to think that it is way too normal and that they themselves are one, too. Then a chain reaction starts.
I consider myself an open-minded person and I do not hatefully discriminate against them. But if you openly have a different orientation and actually take a stand to legalize gay marriage, it will affect the minds of the little ones (not saying this is negative) and they will think they themselves are gay while in fact, they aren't because they haven't hit puberty yet.

I think the world should open our minds by education us about this and that you will only start liking the other sex (or the same in some cases) after puberty. This should be taught positively.

I'm sorry, but what the *BLEEP*? Why does it matter? If we taught girls and boys that it's ok if you like either one, why would it matter? The only bad thing that would come out of it is people would not discriminate and not be scared to come out (i'm being sarcastic, by the way. This is obviously a good thing ) The reason why people discriminate is because they are taught that it's against their religion, it's a sin, it's weird, ect. If you teach kids stuff just like you would now about blacks, asians, mexicans, ect they would not discriminate as much. People still discriminate against blacks and other races, but not even close to as bad as when they taught kids it was bad or different. I think children should be taught by facts only. So, in this case, there is nothing wrong with it. I will not go into details of why, but they should tell them they have a higher chance of getting aids and they should tell straight kids that girls can get pregnant and so fourth. Teach them the facts. There is nothing wrong what so ever with being gay.

By the way i am straight and proud of it, but i am, as you can see, pro gay.

See, that's good of you guys! The only way to become open to something is to become used to it. This is human nature, not corruption of any sort. But people refuse to acknowledge that, which leads to intolerance. Keep owning up people with your character. As a people, we have to tolerate ALL, and therefore accept ALL.

When i was in primary school (5-12yrs of age) i was with the same group of people right through, i knew them all and we all got along with each other. There were occasionally new people and that was cool some times. Sometimes we rejected them in a way, not because of their beliefs but because of their attitude.Now that im in secondary school (13-18) i have seen alot of new people. There are around 6 primary schools in our area and so i was thrown into a class where i only knew about 4 or 5 others. There were people from different cultures there, we had a teacher that had travelled the world, and religion played more of a part.Since then we have had an Indian family join the school (I live in New Zealand and its not very common). First he was sort of left alone ill say but then when people got to know him they realised that he was just like us.I certainly appreciate culture and religion more than i did in primary school. I understand alot more about different religions and cultures just from the work we have done in class.

i have to say, i dont agree with it, but if thats what youre into, then thats what youre into. it wouldnt keep me from being friends with you, but if you ever hit on me, id have to hit you back... in the face xDanyways, i dont mean to sound against it (i am, morally) but im not one to say, hey you cant do that... God gave us humans free will, and well, thats youre choice, and you can go ahead and live your life however you want to... i still choose to disagree with it tho :s

I don't know what exactly the qustion in the poll is meaning. Sure, it probably helps with opening peoples minds, but I don't know that it's a good thing in some cases.I have no problem with the people who aren't straight, I'm not one myself, but I work with two pretty openly lesbian workers at a nursing home. I write on a simm where I KNOW that the Admin/CO is bi, thanks to his myspace, and I'm sure there are people on other simms I'm on that are the same way. I don't think that it's right, but then I don't not like the person, I just don't care for what they do. I think love is made for a man and a woman, not the same. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to not talk or work with these people just because I don't care for their decisions. You want to marry someone who's the same gender as you. . .I'm not going to try and stop you. I may tell you my opinion, and what the Bible says, but that's about it.

I think that, of course, spreading the word about sexualities and how common it is will allow people to become more accepting about other people's choice to be true to themselves in that respect. I think it matters how it is done, however; one boy at our school last year attempted to start up a GSA (gay-straight alliance) in order to cut down on homophobia in the school... however most of the time was spent talking about homophobia in other countries and what terrible monsters homophobes are... which not only avoided our own problems but, in my opinion, was completely incorrect. Most of the homophobes I come across seem like normal and reasonable people at first.

Anyway, I'm glad to see that your school is improving in that respect. Hearing something like that, esp. about a religious school, gives me some hope.

I'm also fed up of people who think I can't be Bisexual at 13, as they seem to think that people can be straight at 13, which is messed up

Argh, I know. I am 16, and people have actually suggested to me that maybe I am just confused about my sexuality, and have been for the past 8 years. When you know, you know- regardless of age- but for some reason people don't understand this. I think that perhaps people are reluctant to admit that people don't 'turn' or 'decide' to be gay/bi/asexual suddenly, rather than it just coming about as naturally as being straight does for others.

holy crap....this brings up a good story from friday night....ok well i was at some weird town for band. and while we were in the stands before half-time this kid kept going on and on about how he hate gays/bi's so i turned around and said "awww come on you remember that night me and you had dont you?" he FREAKED out! it was hilarious....but dont you think he had it coming? i think he did.....but i think its one of the main things there is to open peoples mind....no one can tell someone how they can and cant be/act....that is just wrong

Edited October 9, 2006 by the_aggie10 (see edit history)