I'm gay, so my child must be as well.

[Mavorpen]

No matter your sexuality or your child's, if they are gay, they are gay. If they are straight, they are straight. You cannot change that, nor should you attempt to. No offense to the gay community, but I feel that minorities fighting for their rights have the responsibility to follow their own values and moral obligations more so than the majority, to show the majority who are declining you your rights that you are worthy of them. A person who is gay and wants their child to be gay is no better than a straight parent who wants their child to be straight, nor are they better than gay parents.

...Who says that a parent who wishes their child were straight is a bad parent?

Parents are limited by their own experiences, and a straight parent most likely has no experience or knowledge on how to raise a gay child. It's not surprising said parent would, at least deep down, hope their child would be straight because they'd know how to deal with that as it's something they have plentiful experience with. It doesn't make them a bad parent. Now if they reject their child being gay and views them as a lesser person because of that, then you have trouble.

[Barrera]

This is ridiculous! You can't force a child to be gay! They will be who they will be and we should nurture and develop that and not force them to be who they may not necessarily be!

The ironic thing is, I bet the woman who wants to force her child to be gay was probably forced to be straight by her parents.

This really is just one of the silliest things I've ever heard... Whoever your child wants to be, whatever they are gay, straight, pony, whatever: support them, love them, nurture them. The only thing we should force our children to be is decent adults when the time comes.

[Mavorpen]

This is ridiculous! You can't force a child to be gay!

No one is forcing their child to be gay.

They will be who they will be and we should nurture and develop that and not force them to be who they may not necessarily be!

The mother agrees with you.

The ironic thing is, I bet the woman who wants to force her child to be gay was probably forced to be straight by her parents.

Who is this woman? It certainly isn't the one who wrote the article.

This really is just one of the silliest things I've ever heard... Whoever your child wants to be, whatever they are gay, straight, pony, whatever: support them, love them, nurture them. The only thing we should force our children to be is decent adults when the time comes.

I agree, it's silly. It's a good thing it isn't true and is nothing more than the OP failing to understand the article.

[Old Tyrannia]

Thread title is misleading, the mother featured in the source article says no such thing.

[Nazi Flower Power]

This is ridiculous! You can't force a child to be gay!

No one is forcing their child to be gay.

They will be who they will be and we should nurture and develop that and not force them to be who they may not necessarily be!

The mother agrees with you.

The ironic thing is, I bet the woman who wants to force her child to be gay was probably forced to be straight by her parents.

Who is this woman? It certainly isn't the one who wrote the article.

This really is just one of the silliest things I've ever heard... Whoever your child wants to be, whatever they are gay, straight, pony, whatever: support them, love them, nurture them. The only thing we should force our children to be is decent adults when the time comes.

I agree, it's silly. It's a good thing it isn't true and is nothing more than the OP failing to understand the article.

It seems like every third post in this thread is you repeating the same thing. Not that you're wrong or anything. I just think it's sad that you have to post it so many times.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

It seems like every third post in this thread is you repeating the same thing. Not that you're wrong or anything. I just think it's sad that you have to post it so many times.

This could almost serve as a scientific study of what portion of thread readers don't bother to check on linked articles or the ongoing discussion.

[Nazi Flower Power]

It seems like every third post in this thread is you repeating the same thing. Not that you're wrong or anything. I just think it's sad that you have to post it so many times.

This could almost serve as a scientific study of what portion of thread readers don't bother to check on linked articles or the ongoing discussion.

It's a depressingly large portion. There have been other threads in the past where I noticed the same thing.

There have also been a couple of threads where I posted before reading an article and said something that really didn't seem like such a great post once I read the article. It really does help if you read first and post later.

[Planita]

What don't people get about this? Being gay, bisexual etc. is not a choice. Thus you can't force anyone else either. So no.

EDIT: Misleading title is misleading. Can we have a mod change this?

[Fonidia and Osteyon]

Ok, this is weird.
Since I returned to NS about a year and a bit ago, I've tried to avoid the General forum because of the potential flamebait, and flamewars that I don't want to take part in. But I fell for the bait today, because of the, well, bizarreness of the title.
Anyway, I'm just going to put my two cents here:
I'm not a scientific, or a psychologist, or anything like that, but I personally think that, while children are definitively not asexual, they're still in a developmental phase, during which they may face several experiences that will have a repercussion in their sexual orientation once they hit puberty. Children are "predisposed" to a certain sexual orientation, but I think that you can't rule out that they can be influenced by external factors.
With that said, if a children already displays obvious signs of having a definite sexual orientation (which does happens), you can't force him or her to change it anyway. I agree that's not healthy, and that it will cause several psychological problems in the children once he/she grows up.
Now, I read the article, and the mom says that she would be happy even if her child turns to be straight, but the amount of sex-related things that her daughter is learning at such a young age, well, I think that's not alright. Again, children aren't asexual, but they're still growing up, and frankly, I think most kids don't give a crap about sexuality anyway. Sure, some kids may get those little crushes and some even like to play doctor, but I'm sure the vast majority of them don't relate that to sex until they've grown up and truly begin to feel "sexual urges" or whatever that's called.
This is how I put this situation:
Should kids know about there being other sexual orientations apart from being straight? Yes.
Should they be constantly invaded and reminded about learning of other sexual orientations and be forced to follow one? I'm not saying that this mom is doing all of that, but I'd say the answer would be no anyway.
To be honest, this is pretty much all what I can think about at the moment. I wish I could write something better though.

[Planita]

Does anyone even read the article?

[Mavorpen]

Ok, this is weird.
Since I returned to NS about a year and a bit ago, I've tried to avoid the General forum because of the potential flamebait, and flamewars that I don't want to take part in. But I fell for the bait today, because of the, well, bizarreness of the title.
Anyway, I'm just going to put my two cents here:
I'm not a scientific, or a psychologist, or anything like that, but I personally think that, while children are definitively not asexual, they're still in a developmental phase, during which they may face several experiences that will have a repercussion in their sexual orientation once they hit puberty. Children are "predisposed" to a certain sexual orientation, but I think that you can't rule out that they can be influenced by external factors.
With that said, if a children already displays obvious signs of having a definite sexual orientation (which does happens), you can't force him or her to change it anyway. I agree that's not healthy, and that it will cause several psychological problems in the children once he/she grows up.
Now, I read the article, and the mom says that she would be happy even if her child turns to be straight, but the amount of sex-related things that her daughter is learning at such a young age, well, I think that's not alright. Again, children aren't asexual, but they're still growing up, and frankly, I think most kids don't give a crap about sexuality anyway. Sure, some kids may get those little crushes and some even like to play doctor, but I'm sure the vast majority of them don't relate that to sex until they've grown up and truly begin to feel "sexual urges" or whatever that's called.
This is how I put this situation:
Should kids know about there being other sexual orientations apart from being straight? Yes.
Should they be constantly invaded and reminded about learning of other sexual orientations and be forced to follow one? I'm not saying that this mom is doing all of that, but I'd say the answer would be no anyway.
To be honest, this is pretty much all what I can think about at the moment. I wish I could write something better though.

What sex related things is the daughter being taught? That instead of a mom and dad you can have a dad and a dad?

Why are homosexual relationships automatically more sexual than heterosexual ones?

[Cannot think of a name]

Does anyone even read the article?

Yes. Several, you can tell because they're the ones frustrated about the misleading OP and people responding to the OP's fictional creation regarding the article.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

It's a depressingly large portion. There have been other threads in the past where I noticed the same thing.

There have also been a couple of threads where I posted before reading an article and said something that really didn't seem like such a great post once I read the article. It really does help if you read first and post later.

That's why, if I don't want to read the actual article, I'll at least read the first page or so of posts to see the reactions of other people who have read it.

[Nazi Flower Power]

It's a depressingly large portion. There have been other threads in the past where I noticed the same thing.

There have also been a couple of threads where I posted before reading an article and said something that really didn't seem like such a great post once I read the article. It really does help if you read first and post later.

That's why, if I don't want to read the actual article, I'll at least read the first page or so of posts to see the reactions of other people who have read it.

The problem in this thread is that several people posted without reading it, so looking at the thread might not help if you just skimmed a couple of posts.

[Cannot think of a name]

It's a depressingly large portion. There have been other threads in the past where I noticed the same thing.

There have also been a couple of threads where I posted before reading an article and said something that really didn't seem like such a great post once I read the article. It really does help if you read first and post later.

That's why, if I don't want to read the actual article, I'll at least read the first page or so of posts to see the reactions of other people who have read it.

It's the page three rule, if something seems like bullshit, wait until the third page and then check that page. By then someone has read the article or researched it for you.

[Greed and Death]

She's a very silly person and she's already quickly finding out what many straight parents are finding out: Being gay is not a choice.

Ultimately childhood is about investigating and learning, it's best not to hamper that process unless something is actually wrong.

Its a little early to tell with the media as is the daughter is likely doing what the media and peers tell her to do.

[Nuwe Suid Afrika]

You are either homosexual, or you are not. Forcing something such as homosexuality on the child at such a young age could confuse her, which could make her sexual life in the future rather difficult.

But, what I'd like to know, why isn't this considered child abuse?

[Infected Mushroom]

You are either homosexual, or you are not. Forcing something such as homosexuality on the child at such a young age could confuse her, which could make her sexual life in the future rather difficult.

But, what I'd like to know, why isn't this considered child abuse?

well, they don't consider making your kids go to church child abuse...

so at least they are somewhat consistent

[Mavorpen]

You are either homosexual, or you are not. Forcing something such as homosexuality on the child at such a young age could confuse her, which could make her sexual life in the future rather difficult.

But, what I'd like to know, why isn't this considered child abuse?

Because it didn't actually happen.

[Nazi Flower Power]

You are either homosexual, or you are not. Forcing something such as homosexuality on the child at such a young age could confuse her, which could make her sexual life in the future rather difficult.

But, what I'd like to know, why isn't this considered child abuse?

Because she didn't do anything abusive.

[Nuwe Suid Afrika]

You are either homosexual, or you are not. Forcing something such as homosexuality on the child at such a young age could confuse her, which could make her sexual life in the future rather difficult.

But, what I'd like to know, why isn't this considered child abuse?

well, they don't consider making your kids go to church child abuse...

so at least they are somewhat consistent

If a mother and a father are both religious and a child goes to church, the child will typically be religious (presuming they're under the age of 12). Besides, if a parent tells you to go somewhere, you generally have to go somewhere.

If there comes a point where you are not religious but your parents still are, I'd presume that the child wouldn't have the right to disobey the parents as to going to the church anyways. An understanding parent however, would let the child stay home.

When it comes to sexual attraction, it is different. Religion is a choice, while sexuality is not. A child cannot chose to be a homosexual or a heterosexual.

Because it didn't actually happen.

This didn't? Source?

[Mavorpen]

This didn't? Source?

The actual article in the OP. That you apparently didn't read. Or else you would know that no one actually is forcing their child to be gay.

[Nuwe Suid Afrika]

This didn't? Source?

The actual article in the OP. That you apparently didn't read. Or else you would know that no one actually is forcing their child to be gay.

I read a different source on a different website, I had assumed that they would've covered the same thing with similar context.

[Russels Orbiting Teapot]

This didn't? Source?

Actually read the article linked in the OP. The OP is inserting a lot of things that just aren't there.

[Cannot think of a name]

The actual article in the OP. That you apparently didn't read. Or else you would know that no one actually is forcing their child to be gay.

I read a different source on a different website, I had assumed that they would've covered the same thing with similar context.

A different source? This was a editorial on a personal story.