re: 9-year-old commits suicide after coming out as gay to his classmates

To everyone saying that they weren't sexual or anything at 9 years old. That may be true, but most of yall didn't grow up in a world with porn at your fingertips or a world where being gay is openly shown/lauded on TV or a world where children are hyper sexualized (just look at any age appropriate TV shows or movies where 16-18 year old actresses are playing middle schoolers or the evolution of children's Halloween costumes). Its asinine to think that a child today can't comprehend sexuality when it is constantly thrown in their face on a daily basis. You can't compare sexuality standards from the 1990's or earlier to children of today.

That being said, this mother should have sat down and spoken with the child in an age appropriate manner about why he feels this way and discuss what all that means for him at that age. In that discussion she should have let him know that some people won't understand him and how difficult that will be, while at the same time reassuring him that he is and always will be loved.

The mom probably said something like "go out and be proud of who you are! you let me know if any of the kids make fun of you" thinking that she would handle the kids/parents/school if the kids were bullying him. It doesn't and shouldn't work like that. If you want him to be proud of being different and being in peoples face about it, you better teach him how to deal with the adversity that comes with it.

TLDR; kids are hypersexualized, the mother didn't do enough

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quote: It’s easier to say, “ I was born this way” than it is, “something within my upbringing fricked me up”.

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Did something in your upbringing make you a argumentative jackass?

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Keep this in mind: The guy you're arguing with not only didn't know which insurance policy - homeowners or flood - would cover water damage from a freeze damaged pipe, he started a thread on the OT to ask which policy should cover the loss. I doubt his understanding of theology, child psychology and/or human genetics is any better than his grasp of insurance coverages.

In his defense, I will say that he was a very good sport about his insurance claim brain cramp. He took an enormous amount of shite when it happened and 8 months later is still ocassionally getting fricked with. Many posters would have taken the easy way out and had their thread deleted. Not 08. He took his beating like a man. A proud, 100% heterosexual, Catholic man.

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I knew I was straight in 3rd and 4th grade

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I'm pretty certain I had no concept of gay or straight until I was about 12. However, in the lower grades of grammar school when we were walking to the library or to mass, they used to line us up alphabetically, one column of boys and the another of girls. You held the hand of the kid next to you. As a 1st grader, I HATED having to go to mass of Friday, only to have to go again on Sunday. The sole redeeming value of Friday mass was that I got to hold the hand of a cute little blonde named Shiela. I didn't know gay from straight or much of anything else, but I knew I liked holding Sheila's hand for a few minutes.

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I’ve taught many kids of that age, was that age, and am a reasonably intelligent person.

Could you point me to your published findings?

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#1 - First off, don't want to publicly announce my name on here but there are several posters who know me well enough to vouch for me.

#2 - This entire thread of responses has for the most part, been on a different topic.

I made no comments about gender identity being genetic or environmental.
I made no comments about sexual identity being genetic or environmental.

What I did comment is to the fact that you cannot correctly understand nor explore your sexual identity until you have a fully secured gender identity and understand it in a social construct.

#3 - Your anecdotal evidence is based on teaching observations? What topics are you discussing in class that allow you to form these types of conclusions? Should you not focus on math and reading? (The purpose for the kids attending school)

#4 - This poor 9 yr old child parent was "reportedly" dealing with issues that far exceed his developmental age. Sexuality and suicide are not in the typical 3 graders mindset. He was likely exposed to way too much information regarding these topics or possibly sexually abused. That is where I suggested to look at the child abuse angle.

#5 - Just because some people can remember being attracted to boys or girls at a young age does not mean they understand adult sexuality and life/death decisions.

#6 - 9 year olds should be near the peak of their self confidence. They should be constantly praised, constantly encouraged, and constantly told they are loved by their parents. This child obviously valued the opinions of his peer OVER the opinion of his parents. That is why he "reportedly" committed suicide. It was not the teasing that did it - it was 2018 style social parenting.

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Here is a picture of the kid with his mom.

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leftist
problem glasses
pink hair
BLM shirt

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#1 - First off, don't want to publicly announce my name on here but there are several posters who know me well enough to vouch for me.

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understood. i'll give you the BOtD

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#2 - This entire thread of responses has for the most part, been on a different topic.

I made no comments about gender identity being genetic or environmental.
I made no comments about sexual identity being genetic or environmental.

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i'm aware... but now that you mention it, i am curious to hear your thoughts about biological determinants, if they exist.

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What I did comment is to the fact that you cannot correctly understand nor explore your sexual identity until you have a fully secured gender identity and understand it in a social construct.

#3 - Your anecdotal evidence is based on teaching observations? What topics are you discussing in class that allow you to form these types of conclusions? Should you not focus on math and reading? (The purpose for the kids attending school)

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i don't have to discuss anything like that with them, nor would i ever do such a thing. observations at lunch, recess, various times when they socialize and play; certain things they've told me about their feelings where i had to involve a counselor. like i said, i don't believe they are able to fully understand the complexities of sexual identity, but it appears to me that in general, the boys/girls are aware that they are boys/girls, that there is a difference, and that they have feelings for the opposite sex in a way that they don't have for their own.

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#4 - This poor 9 yr old child parent was "reportedly" dealing with issues that far exceed his developmental age. Sexuality and suicide are not in the typical 3 graders mindset. He was likely exposed to way too much information regarding these topics or possibly sexually abused. That is where I suggested to look at the child abuse angle.

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i completely agree

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#5 - Just because some people can remember being attracted to boys or girls at a young age does not mean they understand adult sexuality and life/death decisions

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they don't, but depending on their level of exposure to those topics, they are curious about them and to the extent that they are able, are beginning to have a cursory understanding of what those things are, even if they don't understand the how/why.

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#6 - 9 year olds should be near the peak of their self confidence. They should be constantly praised, constantly encouraged, and constantly told they are loved by their parents. This child obviously valued the opinions of his peer OVER the opinion of his parents. That is why he "reportedly" committed suicide. It was not the teasing that did it - it was 2018 style social parenting.

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agreed

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I distinctly remember watching Jerry McGuire, Happy Gilmore etc etc when I was 8-10 and lead filling my pencil when hot chicks were on


Maybe you are bisexual if you didnt have a preference at that age.......

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Now that you mention it, I remember watching movies when I was young and liked it because I liked the girl in it.

License to Drive is one... I just checked, that one was out in 88, I was 10, but I liked Heather Graham. Top Gun came out in the mid 80s and I remember thinking the woman Maverick liked was nice looking... And I remember Policy Academy.. And there was the blonde with a huge rack. I use to like her.

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Damn. Never realized that was Heather Graham.

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I didn't know it until she was in one of those Austin Powers movies..


Okay, I know this isn't the thread to discuss this.

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How does a 9 year old even know how to kill themselves?

Did they say what type of suicide it was?

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What I want to know

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Here is a picture of the kid with his mom.

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Duck. Stupid frick mom. These people need to be shamed into holes for their entire existence. frick these people.
Shes one of those freaks. Probably abused the kid.