[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

But you could say that about straight couples too. I remember reading a story actually around the time leading up to the gay marriage referendum here in Ireland, it went something like this :

"how are we going to explain all this to our children?" Well my 4 year old asked me the other day why Uncle Bob and John kiss and I said because they're in love like mommy and daddy are and he said Oh right ok..........

Ah but not all children would say 'oh right ok'.Some are much more inquisitive.
Some need a reason for everything.'why do some boys love boys and some girls love girls and which should i love?'.Confusing for kids.

[the truth]

yes. but the first priority is more disabled characters in all tv shows...their representation is pathetic. especially as lead characters

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Ah but not all children would say 'oh right ok'.Some are much more inquisitive.
Some need a reason for everything.'why do some boys love boys and some girls love girls and which should i love?'.Confusing for kids.

Those more inquisitive kids are going to be inquisitive anyway even if it's just about straight couples so I don't get your point at all.

[Niall]

Originally Posted by Chaos

Because in some places in the world, it's still illegal to be gay. In some places, you can still be stoned to death for who you are. These are places where children may have family members from... It's not as easy as just putting gay characters on TV shows, when there are kids out there who could get beaten up just for watching a show with gay characters. It happens, believe me.

Having said though, I still think we should put gay characters on TV. Not because I want kids to get beaten up obvs, but because we live in a place where it's legal for Gays to get married. They have every right as everyone else. It's 2015, I think if you move to this country, you should get over any issues that you have with stuff like this.

Well I don't think that in countries that homophobic that portraying queer characters are going to be the primary concern really. So I don't think the argument really applies to those nations?

Here however - a country where queer individuals enjoy many freedoms that countless others across the world don't - the hesitancy to include queer characters is baffling. People may be made fun of for watching such shows, but then again I was made fun of for watching Powderpuff Girls growing up so... ?

My point is that to combat homophobia you need to look at it from the top down as well as the ground up. Including positive queer role models in children's TV will do wonders for how the next generations view all identities on the queer spectrum. If we censor out a wedge of society, then how are children going to know anything about say, a trans person? What if they grow up and they feel they may be trans? They won't even know what that is, let alone how to come to terms with it.

It's a void that desperately needs filling, and like I said, people that like to argue themselves out of it don't seem like the most accepting bunch to me...

Originally Posted by Ammi

..also following on from what Caitlin has said Niall.../complicated also because for people working in any capacity in Children's TV...if the decision to have gay characters which they may be in total agreement with themselves etc...also meant a 'mass switch off' by parents..?..then that could be a loss of job and livelihood for them as well/so lots of perspectives to think about...?...

Tbh I think that a mass switch off would be easily combated by introducing queer characters across the board. I don't really think there'd be a complete mass switch off either, and even if there was It wouldn't last long. Homophobia/transphobia etc like that is fast becoming a thing of the past so yes, there may be backlash at first but it will wane quickly. I think we all know that.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by the truth

yes. but the first priority is more disabled characters in all tv shows...their representation is pathetic. especially as lead characters

stay on topic please.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Those more inquisitive kids are going to be inquisitive anyway even if it's just about straight couples so I don't get your point at all.

Don't you think it's more confusing?It's an extra question to contend with and a very perplexing one.
Kids don't know about any of that when they are young so they would be wondering why.
I'd rather not open that can of worms(or have a cartoon do it for me) until they are a little more mature and can even contemplate what love is to begin with.
I think young kids are happy in their naivety and don't need dilemas of that magnitude to contend with.

[Kizzy]

In shrek a donkey mates and has babies with a dragon, how did you explain that?

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

In shrek a donkey mates and has babies with a dragon, how did you explain that?

Haha!My kids have'nt seen that.They like 'Cars' and 'Transformers' and 'Spiderman'

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Don't you think it's more confusing?It's an extra question to contend with and a very perplexing one.
Kids don't know about any of that when they are young so they would be wondering why.
I'd rather not open that can of worms(or have a cartoon do it for me) until they are a little more mature and can even contemplate what love is to begin with.
I think young kids are happy in their naivety and don't need dilemas of that magnitude to contend with.

Originally Posted by Kizzy

In shrek a donkey mates and has babies with a dragon, how did you explain that?

Kizzy actually answered that better than I could

That's exactly spot on, I'm guessing no kid even asked or cared , Northern Monkey, you're actually proving my point about adults actually being the ones making things confusing lol

[Niall]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Don't you think it's more confusing?It's an extra question to contend with and a very perplexing one.
Kids don't know about any of that when they are young so they would be wondering why.
I'd rather not open that can of worms(or have a cartoon do it for me) until they are a little more mature and can even contemplate what love is to begin with.
I think young kids are happy in their naivety and don't need dilemas of that magnitude to contend with.

How backward. Kids are going to ask about things anyway, and censoring things on the TV doesn't mean they're not going to say, see two men kiss on the street when they're little?

They're going to ask questions about everything, and to sever something so commonplace from the media they're given is just shortsighted imo. I'm not saying we should have characters make out on children's TV, but showing a diverse range of couples and people is vital to their own understanding of the world around them. Anything less is just highly selective and stunted.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Haha!My kids have'nt seen that.They like 'Cars' and 'Transformers' and 'Spiderman'

well how did you explain the talking cars? surely that's more confusing than gay couples

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

well how did you explain the talking cars? surely that's more confusing than gay couples

I say 'It's not real'.Can't exactly say that about gay couples can i?

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niall

How backward. Kids are going to ask about things anyway, and censoring things on the TV doesn't mean they're not going to say, see two men kiss on the street when they're little?

They're going to ask questions about everything, and to sever something so commonplace from the media they're given is just shortsighted imo. I'm not saying we should have characters make out on children's TV, but showing a diverse range of couples and people is vital to their own understanding of the world around them. Anything less is just highly selective and stunted.

I'd agree but i'd aim it a older kids.Not 3-4 year olds.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

I say 'It's not real'.Can't exactly say that about gay couples can i?

So you would answer the question? Just like you'd answer the question about the gay couple lol You truly are making it a bigger issue than a kid would, I can guarantee you of that

[Braden]

I think it's important to include gay characters in children's books, TV & film. But it's equally as important to ensure that they're represented fairly & appropriately.

If done correctly, I personally believe that it's likely for younger people to grow up more tolerant.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

So you would answer the question? Just like you'd answer the question about the gay couple lol You truly are making it a bigger issue than a kid would, I can guarantee you of that

But the gay couple question comes with loads more questions after all begining with 'why'.
Saying 'it's not real' ends it there and then.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Braden

I think it's important to include gay characters in children's books, TV & film. But it's equally as important to ensure that they're represented fairly & appropriately.

If done correctly, I personally believe that it's likely for younger people to grow up more tolerant.

Of course it is, I can see the difference hugely through my own children and their attitudes

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

But the gay couple question comes with loads more questions after all begining with 'why'.
Saying 'it's not real' ends it there and then.

I think "because they love eachother" would probably be enough for most kids and if not then they're probably the type of child who asks questions alot anyway. What are you going to do send them out in the world blind folded until they're at an age where you'll be ok to answer a few pretty simple questions?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Isnt there a pink Power Ranger?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Isnt there a pink Power Ranger?

The Pink Power Ranger is a girl isn't she?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

The Pink Power Ranger is a girl isn't she?

could be transgender

dont be so closed minded neem its 2015

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

could be transgender

dont be so closed minded neem its 2015

my apologies

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I think "because they love eachother" would probably be enough for most kids and if not then they're probably the type of child who asks questions alot anyway. What are you going to do send them out in the world blind folded until they're at an age where you'll be ok to answer a few pretty simple questions?

I think that answer would suffice for a little bit until the next day when they would start asking why.
I don't need kids TV to be forcing the issue on kids who are'nt even thinking about relationships yet.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

I think that answer would suffice for a little bit until the next day when they would start asking why.
I don't need kids TV to be forcing the issue on kids who are'nt even thinking about relationships yet.

If kids aren't even thinking about relationships yet then they probably wouldn't even notice a gay couple in a TV show, same as they probably don't think about straight couples in TV shows. I mean it's a Kids Tv show not a porn movie

[Liam-]

I'm more concerned about kids seeing talking animals on tv and being disappointed when the family dog doesn't answer them back than them seeing a gay couple on Dora the Explorer