After hearing about this in class, it really struck a nerve. I decided to find what I could about the episode online. I have to say: I very strongly disagree with the decision to ban the episode from airing.
Points:
1. They never say the word "lesbian" or "homosexual" during the episode, nor do they depict any sexual content.
2. The fact that there are lesbians on the show is NOT the emphasis- the children are! Buster meets the children and comments, "That's a lot of moms!"; one girl mentions her "mom and stepmom," adding that she loves her stepmother very much, and no other comments are made about the couples.
3. Lesbians are in the world, in nearly every city that anyone's children could live in. Banning lesbians from being portrayed in a positive, clean way on children's television is not the same as banning sexual content or innapropriate language, or violence. For young children, the small comment made about the 2 moms will likely go over their head, and for those who do catch on and possibly ask their parents about it, well they are certainly going to notice 2 women or men holding hands in the mall or anywhere else public. Its time for these parents to address it and give their opinion.
I know some people would, but I would not ban my children from being friends with someone who had homosexual parents. It doesn't mean they will be going on about their sex life with the children. Do straight couples do that? No. Lesbians most likely aren't going to do that either. Why can't buster go visit his friends with lesbian parents? Because that is who the emphasis is on- the kids.
To further my frustration right now, BYU has blocked many of the articles on this episode.
I am sure many of you will disagree with me, so feel free to post comments, but remember to be nice! :)
Way to look that up and form your own opinion! I'm so impressed. I might agree with you on showing that to my kids, but I think I would want to watch it first. My one thing is, I don't see the point of having that content. I guess I would want to shield my kids from that as much as I could (when they're young), knowing full well that they will still be exposed to different values in other areas of their life. I kind of can't believe I just said that...I like to think I'm pretty liberal and open with exposure to the world, but I guess it just comes back to the age thing.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Whether we like it or not, homosexuals are a part of our culture. I think that teaching our children to respect and love them as children of God is very important. The most important thing is knowing what you're kids are watching and having a relationship with them that encourages asking questions about things they're confused about.
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