LGBTQIA+ Youth

Hello all! This week, I’m discussing LGBTQIA+ youth and discovering their sexualities. A lot of debate comes up around the topic of sexuality and children, so I’m here to give my two cents on it. I hope this is informative and fun, and gets you thinking! Let me know what you think!

How young is too young to talk about sexuality? Honestly, I sometimes think we don’t talk about it early enough with kids. I think elementary school is a good time to start learning about sexuality, gender identity, and puberty. Even romance and romantic attraction! I think we’re unfortunately far away from talking about that though because it’s hard enough to get any diversity talk into sex education as it is. By diversity, I mean talking about anything different from heterosexuality. Restricting access to this knowledge will continue to make children feel fear of being different. The fact that people out there don’t trust kids with knowledge is shocking. They continue to push the narrative that being queer in any form is an opinion rather than an identity, and by hiding the existence of LGBTQIA+ identities will somehow prevent their kids from “becoming” one of them.

Queer children already struggle enough because they’re in the minority, but hiding the knowledge from everyone that they exist pushes the narrative that their existence is something to be ashamed of because it’s not openly talked about. Queer children should not live in fear or feel that their existence is anything less than other children.

A common thing said about queer youth is that they’re “too young to decide their sexuality,” but that again insinuates that the children are “choosing” their sexualities when you are born with a sexuality and develop and understand it as you mature. Speaking of choices, these misguided parents that are scared of having queer children are afraid of them making a “decision” about themselves, why? Are you afraid of your child having individuality? Or are you afraid of them differing from the straight-culture media you’ve shoved onto them their whole lives? People don’t want to talk about LGBTQIA+ identities to children, but will start talking about their heterosexuality as babies, dress them according to their genitalia, have children play with those of the opposite gender and say they’re “girlfriend and boyfriend” as literal babies sometimes. They do all these things, but say that the gays force their sexuality onto their kids??? Literal hypocrites.

Children are smart, and absorb information like sponges. These discussions are critical at a young age so they don’t grow up ignorant, and rather they will be open-minded to all identities. Imagine how much safer our world would be if this were the case! Not to say hate-crimes surrounding LGBTQIA+ would be eradicated, but I think it would be significantly lower. They deserve to be given knowledge rather than have it hidden away from them. It could literally save a life.

Where do Aspecs fall in this discussion? Well, a lack of knowledge of LGBTQIA+ identities at a young age means no discussion on Aspec identities. Got to be honest here, but I could have benefited from knowing I was ace as a kid because I would’ve been way less confused. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way. Asexuality, Aromanticism, and Agender are already not discussed in queer spaces, so there’s no way it could reach someone young unless they had access to the internet and landed on information about it. Having this knowledge at a young age could help children as they’re growing to not put so much pressure on entering the dating scene and that you “have” to be in a relationship. It can encourage children to be children and not grow up too fast. It can help young aspecs discover themselves earlier. Where are the cons?!

One final message to leave for everyone; LGBTQIA+ knowledge is not “too complex” for children to learn. If children can learn about war, about every U.S. President, and how every holiday was created, cursive, math, the process of photosynthesis, you name it then they can certainly learn about what different sexualities there are. So many people want to play dumb and act as though their kids aren’t smart enough to learn, when really it's because they don’t want their kid to learn, not that they aren’t capable.

Finally, our LGBTQIA+ children deserve love and support for who they are. Be the one to give it to them. I saw a Tiktok where someone said “I would rather call my child by their requested pronouns than write the words to their obituary.” Keep this in mind with our youth.

If you have any thoughts to add, agree or disagree, or have any questions to ask, please reach out to me through social media or email.

Thank you for reading and stay true to yourself!