Play tells British schoolkids 'it's OK to be gay'

A play commissioned by the homosexual lobby group Stonewall and aimed at 11- to 14-year-olds has been staged at more than 75 schools in Britain, upsetting some parents who believe their children are too young to be confronted with messages about homosexuality. The "hip-hop musical" Fit is based on two assumptions: that there is "homophobic bullying" in playgrounds and that there are budding homosexuals among the schoolchildren who need to hear the message that they should be proud of their sexuality. Teachers are encouraged to discuss the issues it raises in personal, social and health and health education lessons.

One mother who objects says, "When I was 11, I didn't even know what 'gay' was. It has come to something when our schools are worried about first year pupils making up their minds about their sexuality. What happened to the three Rs?" The father of a 12-year-old boy said he doesn't want his son seeing the play: "I could be wrong but I don't think it's normal to think about being gay at that age."

An east London council issued a press release praising the "pioneering anti-homophobia play", which tells the story of two boys who are the subject of gossip about their sexuality on a school bus trip, and also features two girls kissing. Showings are followed by a talk with the audience led by the author, plays a teacher in the performance. In 1988 the government banned schools from promoting homosexuality or distributing any material that depicted it as normal. The ban was repealed in England five years ago. ~ Telegraph (UK), Nov 10

*See MercatorNet article: "Coming out" puts adolescents at risk