How do you explain LGBTQA+ to your little kids?
By adnileb
@adnileb (5276)
Philippines
June 13, 2022 5:40am CST
I need help on this.
I want to know your strategy, your opinion. How you were able to explain or how are you planning to tell your little kids who are these exceptional individuals they are seeing more often than before.
One afternoon, me and my son (6 years old) were watching a noontime show and there was this male contestant with long hair and speaking girly. My son asked me if he or she was a boy or a girl. Oh my, I froze, thought one second and answered female because I thought be looks more of a girl than a male or it's more justifiable if i answer him that way. But then, my son responded, "she looks like a boy".
I didn't answer back. 
9 people like this
11 responses
@DWDavis (25806)
• United States
13 Jun 22
@adnileb I understand, but it will be better if you explain it with compassion and understanding than having him learn about it outside the home from people who might be bigoted or phobic.
You could begin with a simple explanation that people are different and see themselves differently while letting him know that he should be accepting of those who are or do.
3 people like this
@JordanLader (5005)
• Sparta, Tennessee
13 Jun 22
It's a really hard place to be and I don't really think there's a right or wrong way to handle it as long as you're not teaching hate. Most of the time I think it's going to depend on the child's maturity and environment. There are some that may understand while there are others that may not just like with any to just like with anything else.
3 people like this
@adnileb (5276)
• Philippines
13 Jun 22
@JordanLader yes, you have a point there. The teenage year would be the best time as it is also the time he is much exposed to almost everything.
1 person likes this
@JordanLader (5005)
• Sparta, Tennessee
13 Jun 22
@adnileb Personally I would wait for a double digit age to attempt to explain but then that's my personal view lol not everyone would agree
@MALUSE (69378)
• Germany
13 Jun 22
I don't think that a six-year-old child would understand an honest explanation of the situation. It is a fact that some women look a bit masculine and some men look a bit feminine without being gay, so you can just say, "Yes, you're right. She looks like a boy."
If you think it's necessary, you can also tell him that some women like to dress like men and some men like to dress like women.
3 people like this
@Namelesss (3365)
• United States
13 Jun 22
I wouldn't even try to explain to a 6 year old. I would have simply told him 'I don't know'.
2 people like this
@sharonelton (27485)
• Lichfield, England
13 Jun 22
I don't have kids so I won't have that problem.
3 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
13 Jun 22
I don`t have kids of my own but as I see it with my nieces and nephews, they actually learned on their own 
1 person likes this
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
13 Jun 22
@adnileb Oh ok. I hope you can explain to your son that there are people who are confused with themselves and felt comfortable as being mixed personalities
1 person likes this
@adnileb (5276)
• Philippines
13 Jun 22
@m_audrey6788 i hope he'll learn it on his own too. But not with other people as it might sound weird to him. Hope i can be part of that explanation too. In right time..
2 people like this
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
7 Feb 23
Though my son already has some idea on this matter, if I has to answer your son, I might say that, "LGBTQA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual, and I don't know the plus exactly is, but I guess that's for other orientations that are being identified these days."
Clearly, a really tricky topic to unpack for young minds, but giving them a clear foundation could help a lot in the long run. Then of course, we should avoid anything discriminatory or anything that relates to hate since things can always be explained calmly and without bias. Then again, some people these days get so offended with almost anything that things we say, though we don't mean to offend anybody by it, might offend them or feel offended for other's welfare.
