Biggest Gay Lobby Group in America Urges Schools to Ban Words ‘Boy’ and ‘Girl’

a reply to: beezzer

Nope. Just show that people can be grouped in different ways.

And again, this was a suggestion, not a dictation.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
a reply to: beezzer

But the labels already exist!

That's the point "boy and girl" are labels.

Boy and girl are also genders. Male and female. Do we stop indicating physical locations or using color designations just because we might have one blind child in the room?

Are we going to go on an anti-color crusade next because it might be hurtful when the teacher tells children to pick your red crayons and the blind child doesn't know which one that is? Or how about the poor kid who happens to be color blind?

a reply to: Gryphon66

I believe the schools/teachers/parents have to reach out to the HRC for this info. In other words, I don't think HRC reps are storming into the classrooms demanding that all teachers follow their suggestions. They have a website with the info, and they have regional offices/representatives/counselors that you can call for assistance.

Some of their suggestions on how to deal with bullying, encouraging kids to be themselves, and avoiding stereotyping are actually very good, imho.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Gryphon66

hear you, I just don't see the issue here. We need to worry about kids learning to read and write and do basic calculations more than pink elephants and purple ponies

On that we are in total agreement.

About time, huh?

Indeed.

a reply to: Gryphon66

That's who TsukiLunar meant. Just a misspelling.

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
a reply to: jude11

They may only address one and another as "Brother (name)" or "Sister (name)".
It fortifies a sense of greater cohesion between individuals as part of a Greater Family.

At least, that's how things would go down in my classroom...IF I HAD ONE.

Brother and sister denotes gender. Best stick with comrade.

originally posted by: EKron
Who said this was a ban? It is a suggestion for less divisive language not for removing gender.

Make a SUGGESTION, and all of a sudden, it's a BAN. People are becoming less and less accepting of others who are different from them. It's a terrible indicator of what's to come.

It's so simple... If a 10-year old child born with male parts identifies as a girl, and the teacher says, "Boys over here and girls over there", that child is not going to be sure where to go and will likely get scolded if they stand with the girls, which will create embarrassment, shame, guilt and anger. And if they stand with the boys, will feel out of place, "wrong" and angry... But these people DON'T CARE! All they care about is being "RIGHT".

Let the kid suffer! Add to their complex! Shame them into submission! Who cares how they FEEL???

It's infuriating. The lack of compassion in the human race disappoints me every single day.

This world sucks!

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Gryphon66

I believe the schools/teachers/parents have to reach out to the HRC for this info. In other words, I don't think HRC reps are storming into the classrooms demanding that all teachers follow their suggestions. They have a website with the info, and they have regional offices/representatives/counselors that you can call for assistance.

Some of their suggestions on how to deal with bullying, encouraging kids to be themselves, and avoiding stereotyping are actually very good, imho.

That's good to know. So, the OP is just blatantly fear-mongering on no basis at all then?

Considering that 90% of the human race, give or take, is going to depend on the relationships between "boys" and "girls" I just can't see the downside of helping them understand that they don't represent two "sides" of an impossible gulf, but are actually, in the end, two varieties of People.

I guess that's horrific and communist as well. /sigh

a reply to: Gryphon66

I just don't get what the big difference is. But I can understand why "boy and girl" would be hurtful if you know you're not really either. What does the intersex kid do ... stand in the middle of the room? Pretend to be "one or the other"?

It's rare, but it happens. Not to mention other trans* identities.

I don't either, really. Maybe I'm just too old. I don't think so, but it just will not compute for me...

...and I know how hurtful "being different" can be. Been there, done that. My differences were right out there to be seen, and exploited by others... So, yes, I can totally relate.

If at all possible, allowances should be, if welcomed by kid and parent/guardian, made. But only if welcome. I suppose that's my take on it, as concise as I'm capable of doing.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Why would the kid be unsure of where to go? If the child identifies so strongly as boy, then shouldn't there be no question of where he goes?

Not to mention, part of growing up is learning how to deal with things like this - being different, being hurt. We all had to go through it to greater and lesser degrees. This idea that somehow we can completely eliminate it is about as utopian as the idea that we can make everyone's outcome in life perfectly equal.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

This isn't Ken and Barbie world, this is freaking Earth. 

Wouldn't if be amazing if we started with removing the barriers of race, color and religion?

How much further ahead as a planet would we be, if great minds were allowed to work for the benefit of Earth and Earthlings, without the interference of governments and country alliances.

All children should be safe, loved and protected. Children should be the responsibility and a priority for all of us. They are the future, not just of mankind, but for all Earthlings. Such a fragile and valuable resource should not be treated as expendable.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Do we stop indicating physical locations or using color designations just because we might have one blind child in the room?

No, but we shouldn't IGNORE his needs, should we? SHOULD WE?

Are we going to go on an anti-color crusade next because it might be hurtful when the teacher tells children to pick your red crayons and the blind child doesn't know which one that is?

No, but would we go on an "anit-blind" crusade if the teacher wanted to help the kid?? If this thread is any indication, we would.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

I really don't see that people are becoming less accepting of others nor their differences.
What I do see is the media trying to shove that misconception down our throats. The world is a far more accepting place than it was when I was growing up. But it makes for better ratings to keep stirring the pot and paint everyone as racist and bigoted.

a reply to: ketsuko

Did the HRC suggest that "we stop indicating physical locations or using color designations just because we might have one blind child in the room?"

Did the HRC suggest that "we going to go on an anti-color crusade next because it might be hurtful when the teacher tells children to pick your red crayons and the blind child doesn't know which one that is?"

No? Or can you quote that part of the recommendation? No?

Then, off hand, I'd say you're making a ludicrous use of hyperbole as is your wont, but that's merely my opinion.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

No, but why is it "helping" the kid to remove the color?

Part of the reason why the teacher tells all the children to pick up their red crayons is to make sure those kids learn their colors. Believe it or not, not every child knows them, so it wouldn't be helpful to erase the colors from the curriculum to avoid hurting the feelings of the blind and color blind children.

Similarly, we can avoid the labels of boy/girl, male/female, but eventually they will be taught those concepts in science class and biology and the hurt will have to come up all over again. "Mom, why did I get born a male if I'm a girl?"

a reply to: Gryphon66

Using the absurd to highlight the absurd is a useful tactic in debate.

originally posted by: Gryphon66

originally posted by: Eye4NeyE
How would this even be possible.... Lol.

You give gay people a voice, and this is what they do with it. Smh

Do you regret "giving gay people a voice" then?

What solution do you favor?

Forget for a second that you're talking about Americans who have just as many rights and privileges as you do.

Go ahead, tell us what you'd like to see in your ideal world, and how "being gay" relates to how kids are grouped together in school.

Everyone deserves a voice. But when certain oppressed groups finally get to be heard and demands met,they need to choose there battles carefully. Can you rephrase the last question please.

originally posted by: ketsuko
This idea that somehow we can completely eliminate it is about as utopian as the idea that we can make everyone's outcome in life perfectly equal.

No one is suggesting that we completely eliminate it. A suggestion has been made to help make it better. WTF's wrong with striving to get closer to Utopia, anyway?

Would it be OK for the teacher to say, "OK, all the fat kids over here, the thin kids over there"? Or "OK, all the kids with funny-looking teeth over here, the kids with good teeth over there"?

What people don't realize is that gender identity issues cause as much of not more emotional distress as everything else kids get teased about. Why WOULDN'T teachers, who love their students and want the best for them, be willing to take suggestions to help kids to grow up more stable and emotionally secure. What's WRONG with that??

Lets just call them its and get on with the real important issue that's actually important you know that thing called education this is why we are behind other countries.