Update On High School Gay Sex Survey

Right Wing Sparkle has all of the questions.

Now, reading through them, first I thought "these can't possibly be real," as they were too... homonormative. (The opposite of heteronormative, you see.) And then it dawned on me-- the survey was supposed to be a parody, or inversion, of the sorts of questions gays get asked. "How do you know your heterosexuality isn't just a phase?," etc.

So the survey's intent is not to challenge kids' heterosexuality, but rather their heterosexist notions about homosexuality.

I'm not sure, though, that that changes the situation much. Even assuming high school dolts can grok irony, which is doubtful, it's a bit of a fine distinction, and it's still inappropriate to be asking kids questions like this. For one damn thing, it sends the wrong signal to presuppose teenagers have slept with anyone of any gender, as the questions do. Those who actually don't have sex in high school are a sadly dwindling minority, and it doesn't help to have teachers reinforcing their feelings of being "different" than the other children by suggesting the "default" or "normal" sort of sexuality is to be having sex at that age.

Gee, for people trying to make a point about assumptions about sexuality, they sure don't seem to mind "marginalizing" and "alienating" kids who aren't having sex.

And it's just inappropriate.

They can't seem to teach kids where London might be, but they're damn sure they're going to come out of high school knowing everything there is to know about sex.

posted by Ace at 11:05 AM

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