PE01772: Ban Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender teaching and sexual pictures from the school curriculum

I would like to add my voice to that of the previous commenter, Ciara Maher. The approach she outlines in her comment is what a modern, forward-looking, inclusive country should be looking to promote, rather than some bogus theory promoted by a small, vocal minority of religious zealots. Love is love is love.

Susan Cole

13:19 on 17 Dec 2019

I wholeheartedly DISAGREE with the points made in this petition. 1 LGBTQ young people need to be accepted and supported. This is vital to increase mental wellbeing, and decrease suicide rates and homelessness in young LGBTQ people. 2 Children of LGBTQ parents, single or windowed parents, orphaned kids, and those living with grandparents, foster parents and so on, need to feel that their families are recognised, valid and included in school life. This vital for their wellbeing. 3 The Netherlands used to have the highest rate of teen pregnancies in Europe. They implemented AGE APPROPRIATE relationship and sex education from age 5 or 6 and the teen pregnancy rate dropped. This is fact, not opinion. 4 If you do not teach teenagers about sex, their only way to learn about it, is by doing it. And that probably will not be safe sex in a loving relationship. 5 Denying children and young people AGE APPROPRIATE teaching on relationships and sex, can negatively effect their mental health, and make young people much more vulnerable to sexual abuse. 6 Teaching kids religious belief and stories as if they are facts, can be very harmful to their mental health. 7 Religion has no place in schools. 8 Being LGBTQ is NOT a choice, and cannot be influenced by education other LGBTQ people heterosexual people posters religion or prayer. An example of age appropriate teachings to a 6 year old asking what is a lesbian is, would be to say, A lesbian wants to marry a woman, rather than a man when she grows up. Lesbians are just 2 women who love each other, just like Mummy and Daddy love each other. It is not complicated.

Ciara Maher

11:53 on 03 Dec 2019