"The Children Are Watching!!"

What are we teaching today’s children? Self-righteous parents groups argue that certain advertisements should be banned, for example advertisements for ‘The L Word’ (see image) or the billboard campaign for Ra-Re men’s clothing line (which features two men kissing). Discrimination is blatantly obvious, rife, and poorly defended. Across America there seems to be a rush to ‘define marriage’ – and that’s not in the favour of gays.

Groups claim that they aren’t being homophobic – these advertisements would be crude and distasteful no matter if it was a heterosexual couple or a homosexual one. Perhaps I’m cynical, but that just doesn’t wash with me. The simple fact is, sex sells, and your children are going to be exposed to hetero-sex from a young age. Why then should same-sex be so taboo?

The Citizens Defence Movement said that they respected homosexuality “but it can be difficult to explain to young children.” So are lots of things – suicide, child molestation, murder... Homosexuality is none of those things, it’s love. If you can explain a man loving a woman to a young child, why is a woman loving a woman so difficult?

Perhaps it hasn’t dawned on these groups that homosexuality is fact. Giving the LGBT community inferior rights will not make them go away, it may make life harder for them – is that what you want for your children?

It’s time to stop using children as an excuse. Teach children values which will be of benefit to them personally, and to the society they will come to create and live in.

Teach acceptance, not discrimination.

Teach love, not hate.