Save the children.
I full-heartedly agree that children should be protected from the ugly things in life that will rob them of their innocence.
I also apologize for my writing style, with the proviso that I be understood that I tried to be as tastful and cryptic as tody's television shows that say grown-up things in such a way that a child would miss it. (i.e. dot dot dot, you figure out what I am REALLY trying to say).
I am hoping that the parents who wish to protect their children (and who doesn't?) will also be the ones to love and embrace their children unconditionally. Let's just assume that some will eventually discover that their orientation differs from the mainstream. Protect the children also from the intensely unjust discrimination they will face in the real world. Let the hatred not begin at home. These kids will have enough self-loathing without judgemental parents.
My parents "protected" me from reality to the point that I had to seek out a balanced view of life and the world from outside sources. When I was emerging as a whole human being, they could not understand my depression and (unknown to them) suicidal thoughts. Hiding behind religion proves to be fruitless eventually. It's bad enough to be torurted in school, by society, and in the workplace. The biggest slap in the face is to be hated by your religion and your parents, especially for something you can't change and you did not choose. In fact for a life so tough you would not wish it upon your worst enemy.
My mother simply stopped worrying about me when she took me to high-school in Manhattan by bus and train. We had to walk through a park. Well, when she was offered to buy drugs and had NO IDEA what was going on, I had to drag here out of there and EXPLAIN what the deal was. I was 16 y.o. and she was 39 y.o.
I am not so certain that if I were also clueless and that would have turned out too well.
My physical survival LITERALLY as a gay man depends on my ability to read people and assess situations very quickly and accurately, because there are still peole who want to beat "it" out of me. We are more alert because we HAVE to be. We are more "in-tune" because we HAVE to be. We are more aware of what society says should be versus what really happens, because we HAVE to know what the rules are to be able to know how and when (by necessity, to survive) to break them.
In summary-- please be there for your child if/when (she) comes out. Protection means guidance,and teaching the young a proper thought-pattern; not denial. The life you save may be your child's.
Thank you for you kind audience.
