Transgender

[gej]

I have spent the morning designing a wiring harness. Worried that some of the connectors may not self-identify as the gender I have assigned them.

[bigfella]

I have spent the morning designing a wiring harness. Worried that some of the connectors may not self-identify as the gender I have assigned them.

Perhaps that's why USB became popular, the connectors appear to be both male and female.

[Hank]

I think it's quite clear from my post that I am referring to "normal" as in a common form of lifestyle in the eyes of a child, where someone has a "mummy" and a "daddy".

I shouldn't really feel the need to explain that I clearly wasn't calling anybody abnormal, as the other paragraphs in my post would back up...

Fair enough. I wasn't having a go, so sorry if it came across like that. I only picked out 'normal' as you were referring to LB's post where he objected to kids being taught that "being lesbian, gay ,bisexual, non binary, transsexual and others on an ever growing list is normal", which seemed like quite a pointed statement (from him, not you).

[Llani Boy]

Fair enough. I wasn't having a go, so sorry if it came across like that. I only picked out 'normal' as you were referring to LB's post where he objected to kids being taught that "being lesbian, gay ,bisexual, non binary, transsexual and others on an ever growing list is normal", which seemed like quite a pointed statement (from him, not you).

I am not calling anyone abnormal either and would quite happily insert Trav's "common form of lifestyle" in place of normal in my post.

[Travs]

Fair enough. I wasn't having a go, so sorry if it came across like that. I only picked out 'normal' as you were referring to LB's post where he objected to kids being taught that "being lesbian, gay ,bisexual, non binary, transsexual and others on an ever growing list is normal", which seemed like quite a pointed statement (from him, not you).

No problem. I didn't think you were having a go either, but just wanted to clarify!

[Hank]

I am not calling anyone abnormal either and would quite happily insert Trav's "common form of lifestyle" in place of normal in my post.

Ok, understood. So you object to kids being taught that gay, lesbian, etc. is a common form of lifestyle? Is that because you don’t think it is, or because you don’t think it should be?

If it’s the former, then it’s quite an ask to expect the school to not teach what is culturally relevant. LGBTQ+ is mainstream now. Look at Nicola Adams on Strictly this year.

If it’s the latter, then that’s a personal opinion of yours, but I don’t think you can realistically expect a school to support that view of the world. But I dunno, maybe you do?

[Llani Boy]

Hate to break it to you, but stating that being homosexual is not normal lands you pretty squarely in homophobia territory. You might not think of it as "hate", but how do you think your attitude would come across to a gay person?

In your opinion.

I know and am friends with a number of gay people that are fully aware of what I think on the matter and are happy to accept my opinion that theirs is not a "common form of lifestyle".

They obviously disagree but respect my right to have the views I have. Some of them employ me, two of them being the "mums" of one of my sons best friends.

I'll repeat, I don't hate anyone.

However, I do hate being told that because I have a different view on something I am some sort of "..ic or...ist".

That's what bullies do!

[Witton Park]

It's funny, if I had grouped brexiteer tories with homophobia, I think you (and many others) would have been offended. Or am I missing your point (not deliberately, this time)?

I'm not offended Noel. People are too quick to take offence, often on behalf of others.

[Witton Park]

Regarding your latter point, I think teaching tolerance of different life-styles and choices is important. Sadly, it's not tolerance that's often promoted but rather coerced acceptance (i.e. forced approval). Coerced in the sense that whatever stands in its way appears not as mere obstacle, but as a hateful enemy (and ironically, intolerable).

I think you make two valid points. For those that have issues about teaching tolerance of different life-styles I think the main concerns are often the age at which it is done, the way in which is done and the motivation behind it, which often seems to come from a politically driven agenda which overlaps with your point about the coercion.

[Hank]

In your opinion.

I know and am friends with a number of gay people that are fully aware of what I think on the matter and are happy to accept my opinion that theirs is not a "common form of lifestyle".

They obviously disagree but respect my right to have the views I have. Some of them employ me, two of them being the "mums" of one of my sons best friends.

I'll repeat, I don't hate anyone.

However, I do hate being told that because I have a different view on something I am some sort of "..ic or...ist".

That's what bullies do!

Ok, thanks for clarifying. To be fair, I think if someone were to label LBGTQ+ people as 'not normal', that could be reasonably understood as homophobic. But if you're not doing that, then it wouldn't apply and I wouldn't want to suggest that.

It is interesting to me that you don't view LGBTQ+ as a common form of lifestyle. We obviously have different perspectives, but I guess it just strikes me as odd that given the prevalence of LGBTQ+ people in mainstream culture that someone would not consider it a common form of lifestyle.