Striving for equality: Why Bulbagarden is taking a pro-LGBTQ stance

[matt0044]

I also wanted to say that as someone who was introduced to the concept of homosexuality when I was six, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "buuuuuut I'll have to explain it to my kids!!" argument. Why does explaining what it means to be gay or bi have to mean telling them the birds and the bees? Kids know what romance, marriage and dating are. When my mom explained it to me, it was basically "Sometimes boys want to date other boys instead of girls, sometimes girls want to date other girls instead of boys. And some people will tell you that that's wrong but you shouldn't listen to them." It was several years before I understood what sex was, and many more years before I learned about how gay people have sex. Explaining "the gays" to your kids without telling them what sex is is NOT rocket science, people.

And as Figgy said, if you really are concerned with your kids being exposed to that content, that's why Bulba requires parental permission for people under 13 to sign up. Over that age, most kids have already started having crushes and coming to terms with their sexualities anyway, and have reached a level of intellectual maturity where they should start learning how to think for themselves rather than have everything they read pass their parents' approval first.

You honestly reached into my mouth and took the words out of them. Only putting them much better than I would. You and many others really make smile.

 

[8BitPoipole]

I also wanted to say that as someone who was introduced to the concept of homosexuality when I was six, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "buuuuuut I'll have to explain it to my kids!!" argument. Why does explaining what it means to be gay or bi have to mean telling them the birds and the bees? Kids know what romance, marriage and dating are. When my mom explained it to me, it was basically "Sometimes boys want to date other boys instead of girls, sometimes girls want to date other girls instead of boys. And some people will tell you that that's wrong but you shouldn't listen to them." It was several years before I understood what sex was, and many more years before I learned about how gay people have sex. Explaining "the gays" to your kids without telling them what sex is is NOT rocket science, people.

And as Figgy said, if you really are concerned with your kids being exposed to that content, that's why Bulba requires parental permission for people under 13 to sign up. Over that age, most kids have already started having crushes and coming to terms with their sexualities anyway, and have reached a level of intellectual maturity where they should start learning how to think for themselves rather than have everything they read pass their parents' approval first.

I love you.

I first started having crushes on boys when I was about 8, but I didn't realise what was going on until I was 14. Even at 9 I was pretty oblivious, even when things happened to me (That I won't go into unless you ask), but whatever it was I knew it was right.
So for ages I was battling with myself and decided that, ok, I am who I am.
I've had a hard time from people, which is why I'm not only relieved to see this new policy, but why I get offended when I see people telling me I've "made a choice".

 

[Satoshi-chan]

I first started having crushes on boys when I was about 8, but I didn't realise what was going on until I was 14. Even at 9 I was pretty oblivious, even when things happened to me (That I won't go into unless you ask), but whatever it was I knew it was right.

Pretty much the same for me as well. In looking back on my life, I have realized that my feelings for some of my friends as a wee sprout were more like crushes. I am also glad to be at a point in life where I am perfectly okay with that now.

 

[RuBoo]

Does this really need to happen? Why does everyone act like such little kids?

 

[ZeldaFan13]

I also wanted to say that as someone who was introduced to the concept of homosexuality when I was six, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the "buuuuuut I'll have to explain it to my kids!!" argument. Why does explaining what it means to be gay or bi have to mean telling them the birds and the bees? Kids know what romance, marriage and dating are. When my mom explained it to me, it was basically "Sometimes boys want to date other boys instead of girls, sometimes girls want to date other girls instead of boys. And some people will tell you that that's wrong but you shouldn't listen to them." It was several years before I understood what sex was, and many, many more years before I learned about how gay people have sex. (Specifically, I didn't figure out how gay men had sex until high school, and I don't think I realized how lesbians had sex until college, around the time when I discovered my own attraction to other women.) Explaining "the gays" to your kids without telling them what sex is is NOT rocket science, people.

And as Iteru said, if you really are concerned with your kids being exposed to that content, that's why Bulba requires parental permission for people under 13 to sign up. Over that age, most kids have already started having crushes and coming to terms with their sexualities anyway, and have reached a level of intellectual maturity where they should start learning how to think for themselves rather than have everything they read pass their parents' approval first.

(ETA: Reviewed the thread and realized I was crediting the wrong person for the earlier post. Sorry about that!)

Hey, First off, I love everything you said about Homosexuality and kids. You're right, it really isn't that hard to explain Love. And your're also right about the sex... You don't need to teach anything about sex to the kids when it comes to homosexuality... But when you mentioned the "Way Gays Have Sex"... Not All Gay Men do it the same and not all Lesbians do it the same... There are other ways we all do it... Just letting you know.

 

[Goodbye Blue Monday]

Not All Gay Men do it the same and not all Lesbians do it the same... There are other ways we all do it... Just letting you know.

As a bisexual woman I am well aware of that, but thanks. Learning "how they had sex" involved multiple forms of sex.

Also, thank you to you and everyone else who enjoyed my comment so much :-D

 

[Satoshi-chan]

Hey, First off, I love everything you said about Homosexuality and kids. You're right, it really isn't that hard to explain Love. And your're also right about the sex... You don't need to teach anything about sex to the kids when it comes to homosexuality... But when you mentioned the "Way Gays Have Sex"... Not All Gay Men do it the same and not all Lesbians do it the same... There are other ways we all do it... Just letting you know.

Also, the thing that some anti-gay groups tend to forget is that the ways that homosexuals have sex are also ways that some heterosexual couples enjoy having sex as well.

 

[ZeldaFan13]

Hey, First off, I love everything you said about Homosexuality and kids. You're right, it really isn't that hard to explain Love. And your're also right about the sex... You don't need to teach anything about sex to the kids when it comes to homosexuality... But when you mentioned the "Way Gays Have Sex"... Not All Gay Men do it the same and not all Lesbians do it the same... There are other ways we all do it... Just letting you know.

Also, the thing that some anti-gay groups tend to forget is that the ways that homosexuals have sex are also ways that some heterosexual couples enjoy having sex as well.

That is true as well! lol

 

[Glaziola]

This is most likely going to be drowned out, especially with all the praise that you have already received for implementing this new policy, but I, a homosexual Pokemon fan, do have to give kudos for implementing this. Bulbapedia is great already, I've been using it for some time now and simple love it, so it is with prodigious joy that I see something like this on the forums for such a wonderous website, along with all the support this receives.

Do keep this around, this only shows even more how great this large site really is!

 

[Musashi]

Now that everyone has had a few days to discuss our new policy, I'll be closing the threads. With the B2W2 release a week away, we wont have the time to constantly monitor these threads. If you have anymore questions about the new policy, please PM Evil Figment.