I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: U.S.A.
Registered: April 2007
Messages: 907
The touching part, at least to me, is that this young man was writing his song in response to homophobic reaction towards his parents. His love shines through but pain is also apparent. His class mates call his fathers 'homos' and I doubt that it's in a joking way. This has to hurt considering how he loves his parents.
We have a loving male couple in my church that have adopted four children over the years. The oldest is a boy who will soon be 15. It's obvious in watching his interaction with his fathers that he loves them very much. I can't help but wonder if he's experienced the same caustic remarks and jibes by his own school mates. It seems pretty likely that he has although I've never questioned him on it. (I couldn't see the point in picking at a scab.)
I look forward to the day when kids see nothing unusual (or perverse from their parents' perspective) about a same sex family. I'm afraid it will be a long time though until the fundamentalist and evangelical mindsets move beyond this.
Youth crisis hot-line 866-488-7386, 24 hr (U.S.A.)
There are people who want to help you cope with being you.
Location: USA
Registered: April 2009
Messages: 429
No child in the audience seemed to mind the message of the song. Yet, I can already see the eyes rolling and anger swelling over here if this video were to be found by evangelical ministers. The song's message is rather strong and forceful.
"better perception" Mike.g? Surely it is just less prejudice. Young children don't have colour prejudice, either, but happily play with other small children of any colour. But in the playground of the junior school where my daughter is a governor 'gay' is a very common word of disapproval in the playground.
So children won't react badly to a song about two dads but would (possibly) react badly to a song about gay dads. I'd hope not but I've been disappointed before.
Location: Slovakia
Registered: August 2008
Messages: 265
Despite being disappointed before, do you not think it is worth trying again and again....? For me, that song sounded honest... And I am glad that it seems it can work...this kind of family type....
Marek
It is better to switch on a small light than to curse the darkness.
- Vincent Šikula, Slovak writer
The appalling thing about Youtube comments is often how people try and be inflammatory. Strangely though the comments I read through the first 5 or so pages weren't deliberately offensive, more just ignorant.
People just misunderstand "normal", "normal" means majority to a lot of people. But white people still consider themselves "normal" despite the fact that globally they are a minority. I think it shows that people need to re-evaluate what "normal" means and see the normality that exists within difference.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway