Why is there a push for Sex Education in Preschool? A petition that circled the internet for Bert and Ernie to wed. by Rachel Lynn Robinson
(libertarian)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
An Online petition garnered 9000 signatures that Bert and Ernie, two puppets on Sesame Street should wed. Make that two male puppets, on a preschool program should wed. Proponents believe that doing so would teach preschoolers there is nothing wrong with same sex marriage and thus cut down on bullying involving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered issues. Sesame Street though is marketed to preschoolers, and so one has to wonder how many preschool bullies are out there, and if LGBT issues are really the hot topic issue at the playground.
The Globe and Mail out of Canada writes that while gay five year olds (or thereabouts) may feel estranged from their friends. There is something inherently criminal about sexualizing children. Five year olds are neither straight nor gay, the concept of sexuality is not one they can understand. Children who have not yet puberty should not be subjected to either lifestyle, especially not in a learning program. The purpose behind Sesame Street is to teach preschoolers the alphabet, numbers, math, social skills, science. It is not necessary to teach them about sex though. One proponent of this writes that in South Africa there is an HIV positive character. Rather than questioning the moral grounds for teaching children about sexually transmitted diseases this individual uses that as grounds for getting an LGBT character on American Sesame Street.
The whole notion of including sexuality on a Preschool program demoralizes the family in general. Under the guise of teaching children that homosexuality is normal we will betray their childhood. It is anything but normal to teach four and five year olds about sexuality. It borders on abuse, if a parent were to explain in length to a four year old what it meant to be gay, that parent would be investigated for child abuse, and yet we would willingly allow a show like Sesame Street do it, just so they aren’t considered homophobic.
America needs to move away from this idea that disagreeing with someone automatically makes one a racist, homophobe, or a bully. America is built on discourse and debate, and if the ability to debate is taken away essentially so will our first amendment rights. Sesame Street should be able to stick by it’s mandate that Bert and Ernie are not gay, and that this is a children’s program, they should be able to stand proudly with supporters who feel that making the characters gay will demoralize the family and not fear being called homophobic. The program should also be allowed to refuse using a GLBT character, because children under five do not need to learn about sexuality at all, without being called out as a hate group or promoting hate. It is not hateful to want children to grow up a little before teaching them about sexuality, it is a matter of not wanting to take away their childhood by exposing them to things that could possibly damage them later on. Sesame Street has not promoted opposite sex relationships in a way that would make a child understand that there are sexual differences, if they make a gay character now though, they will be giving away to small children that there are differences in sexuality, and preschoolers do not need to learn about that.
Sesame Street has won multiple awards for its educational programing for preschoolers, they should stick to the ABC’s and 123’s. There is a lot that preschoolers can learn, all the while leaving sexuality out of the equation.
Here is the crux of the matter, we will teach or preschoolers about LGBT issues, we will teach them about sexually transmitted diseases, but we will not teach them about loving America and how great this nation is. That would be too “Wholesome”.
Sources
Boggs, Kelly. "FIRST-PERSON: In the gay debate, let's leave Bert and Ernie Alone." 12 Aug 2011.Baptist Press.17 Aug 2011 <http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=35933>.
"Group Pushes To ‘Let Bert And Ernie Get Married’ On Sesame Street." 10 Aug 2011.CBS.17 Aug 2011 <http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/08/10/group-pushes-to-let-bert-and-ernie-get-married-on-sesame-street/>.
"I now pronounce you, Bert, and you, Ernie – nope, not going to happen." 16 Aug 2011.Globe and Mail.17 Aug 2011 <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/lynn-crosbie/i-now-pronounce-you-bert-and-you-ernie-nope-not-going-to-happen/article2130228/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Home&utm_content=2130228>.
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Posted By: Voice of Reason
Date: August 17, 2011 09:45:54 PM
To say that the depiction of same-sex partners on Sesame Street is promoting sex education is inaccurate. Children are not being told about the "birds and the bees" on Sesame Street. They are being taught about life, which includes relationships (which is THE most important thing for them to learn at this age), families, society, and culture (plus beginning academic subjects such as language, letters and numbers).
Sesame Street depicts heterosexual families with children. Does this mean that viewing children are being taught about the mechanics of sex in order to explain how the TV family's children came into being? No. They are seeing a family unit, that's all. Variations of the family unit are depicted in order for children to realize that variation of family structure is widespread. There is no "normal majority" in "Mom, Dad, & Kids." Grandparents, foster parents, single parents, homosexual couples and heterosexual couples are all the norm.
You are correct when you write about young children that "the concept of sexuality is not one they can understand." They do not understand it relative to ANYONE -- heterosexual, homosexual, bi-sexual -- ANYONE. Do you offer a sexually-based explanation of a partnership when discussing/depicting heterosexual couples? I think not. So, why do you presume that a sexual explanation is necessary for the presentation of a same-sex partnership? It is not.
I think it is foolish for the petition-writers to ask to have Ernie and Bert wed. There was an outrage about 15 years ago when rumors circulated that Ernie and Bert were gay. The Children's Television Workshop went to great lengths to refute those rumors, stating that these muppets' characters were friends and roommates ONLY. They did not bow to pressure to have the characters move into separate dwellings then. They should not bow to pressure to have them wed now. Ernie and Bert show viewers that people of disparate interests and personalities can be best friends -- part of the lesson on "relationships" which is so important for young children. They also entertain us all (adults and children) with their very watchable interactions, antics, and songs. :-)
