Should Schools Teach About Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation? Part 2

Parents Who Think

This episode Parents Who Think (PWT) guests Amy, Jane and Virginia continue debating the “Should Schools Teach About Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation?” topic. Didn’t listen to episode one of this debate? Don’t worry.

If you’ve a newcomer to PWT debates you can catch up on details in a quick 10-minute episode, telling you how these PWT debates work and meet host, Danusia Malina-Derben. But if you're in a rush, just dive into this episode where Danusia and three parents discuss whether schools should teach about gender identity and sexual orientation, or not.

In this episode, we kick things off by revisiting guests experiences of being taught about gender identity and sexual orientation at school and at home. Plus, we hear from one of Danusia’s sons about what he learned about this too. Cue the condom on the banana situation - this rite of passage was inadequate in the past and just doesn’t cut it now either. Then, prepare for the main event—the "Get Up On Your High Horse" segment where opinions collide; consensus isn't the ultimate goal here.

You'll hear from one parent who's all about teaching beyond the binary model and sees entrusting teachers to impart gender identity and sexual orientation education as the way forward. Then there's another parent who wants heteronormativity eradicated and for schools to model diversity in their culture and across the curriculum. And finally, there's the third parent who argues schools do not have time for teaching gender identity, that this teaching is untested, not necessarily appropriate, and that other life skills are more important to focus on in school time. But wait, there's more: the safety of playgrounds is at stake, and everyone's got skin in the game.

Next week, we delve further into the real-world implications of these parents beliefs. Remember, Parents Who Think won't hand you the answers; we're dishing out the debates, and it's up to you to pick your side.

PWT Guests featured in this debate are:

Virginia Mendez + Jane + Amy McKeown

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Credits:

• Hosted by Danusia Malina-Derben

• Edited, Mixed + Mastered by Roger Heathers

• Assisted by Marie Kruz

• Cover art by Anthony Oram