Tomorrow is "Wear it Purple" day at my son's school and all students have been invited to participate. How would you introduce the topic of LGBTIQA+ to an 8 year old boy, in an age appropriate way so that he understands the meaning and importance of the day?
He hasn't yet begun asking any questions about sex or sexual orientation. Any questions he has asked up to this point regarding gender have been answered honestly and in an age appropriate way. For example, he once asked why girls' toys are pink and boys' toys are blue. I told him that society has assigned those colours to gender but that he can like any colour toys he likes. He asked if he has to get married. I said he does not have to get married and is free to love/marry/not marry whoever he chooses to.
At school up until this point, they have not covered any aspects of reproduction, though they did do a unit on correctly naming body parts and body safety etc.
How would you approach this issue meaningfully, appropriately and respectfully?
4 Replies
I wouldn’t equate it to sex, unless he asks about sex. I would include a bit about gender. That some people aren’t born in the right body so they are a girl/boy on the inside but there outside doesn’t match, so some people choose to go through a process to make there outsides match there insides.
A quick google search for the theme and keywords. Its celebrating diversity, inclusion and a safe place for everybody. The message is that everybody is different (go into the different ways if you want to,touch on attraction and love is love if you want to) but we wear purple to show that we agree that the school space is for us all.
I would just say that we wear purple to celebrate that every one is different and free to love whoever they want to.
Just love is love. Anyone can love anyone, and everyone is different. Diversity is always a positive thing. Just explain as long as it is a healthy (and legal), happy relationship it shouldn't matter who loves who.