Homosexual 'Big Brothers'?

CitizenLink ^ | 7/15/02 | Bill Maier, Psy.D.

[ppaul]

But, but, children need to be exposed to diversity and tolerance.
The radical right just makes mean-spirited accusations of "recruiting", blah,blah, blah, ad nauseaum.

[krb]

That will kill the program.

[He Rides A White Horse]

In fact, parents whose children are enrolled in the organization's school-based programs will not even be told when their son or daughter is matched with a gay man or a lesbian woman.

Insanity.

[bleudevil]

(BBBSA) will require that all 500 of its local affiliates include active homosexuals as volunteers and mentors to children.

I doubt that this directive means exactly what is implied here - that every chapter must have actively gay volunteers. It probably means that the chapters must not exclude openly gay volunteers if they show up. I'm not a gay-basher per se, but I don't think this is a wise decision. Seems to me it would open the door to a potentially exploitative situation.

[yendu bwam]

In light of the ongoing sex scandal involving Catholic priests, the new policy of "inclusion" by Big Brothers Big Sisters appears reckless and irresponsible. Many of the priests charged with sexually abusing children and adolescents have admitted they are homosexuals. They used their position of authority to sexually violate those who trusted them the most. BBBSA's decision to match fatherless boys, starving for male attention, with gay men is a recipe for disaster.

Enroll those kids in Boy Scouts. They'll fare, on average, much better. And they'll have real men and fathers as role models.

[mdittmar]

Hmmm,can anyone provide links to press realeases from BBBSA,or news stories from any other source.

Keeping my powder dry until confirmed.

[yendu bwam]

It seems more likely that the organization is bowing to pressure from the same homosexual activists who have attacked the Boy Scouts.

Boy Scouts in our area is growing by leaps and bounds. I think it's precisely because parents want their kids to be inclucated with traditional values and morals, trust the Boy Scouts to keep their kids safe from homosexual molestation, and want their sons to have heterosexual (i.e. normal) role models.

[yendu bwam]

Seems to me it would open the door to a potentially exploitative situation.

Of course it does. I don't think many parents would send their teenage daughters out for the day with young heterosexual men.

[Starwind]

This decision would also affect my willingness to volunteer as a Big Brother/Sister.

I would no longer be inclined to tell my friends I was affiliated with them, nor would I care to endure the questioning suspicious gaze of the single parent when I picked up their child, knowing they didn't trust me and wondered in what condition would they get their child back.

I don't like being mistrusted and I couldn't tolerate the unspoken association or accusation of being homosexual and a child molester.

[yendu bwam]

nor would I care to endure the questioning suspicious gaze of the single parent when I picked up their child, knowing they didn't trust me and wondered in what condition would they get their child back.

Right. Exactly the gaze that parents use with Catholic priests these days.

[bleudevil]

I sent a query to snopes.com after searching their site. I would prefer independent confirmation also.

[TJFLSTRAT]

Let's hope so!. The program had always been sexist, as we all know children male and female need a male perspective in their lives, however in most cases with female children in need , the guardian, or custodial parent is almost always a female. BBBS will only provide a big SISTER for these girls, and thus the child gets no male perspective whatsoever.

[bleudevil]

Well, if they did provide a male mentor to a girl, he could be open to allegations of sexual harassment/abuse. It's sad that more girls don't have father figures, but I don't know that a "Big Brother" to a girl would really work in this context. Maybe a male coach in a team sport, where they're not alone together, would be better.

[yendu bwam]

I agree. No male watches over a girl more protectively than the girl's (real) father. It's a shame so many girls don't have one around.

[krb]

Let's hope so!. The program had always been sexist

Well, as a guy who benefitted from the program (had 2 fake big brothers...that's what I called my Big-Brother :-) I certainly hope it doesn't go away, but I can't speak to the appropriateness of girls having fake big sisters.

[tomakaze]

RE:That will kill the program.
 
You can say that again.
picture a few kids standing around as the Big Brother coordinator hands out the assignment cards:
1st Kid (reads his card):"Kewl beans! this guy's a pilot. I get flying lessons on the weekends"
2nd Kid (also reads card):"Awsome! this guys a pit mechanic at the Race Track! Free pit pass!"
3rd Kid: "Mine says he's quality tester at the local fireworks factory- Hell yes!"
The 4th kid stares at his card, at first in befuddled incomprehension, then disgust.
Other kids: "What's up so who'd you draw?"
4th Kid: "a fricking chutney ferret. juuuuust peachy."

[jonascord]

I'm going to wait on this one. This is an invite to go off half-cocked. Until the BBBSA starts either defending this or denying it, I am going to withhold judgement. This is just the kind of thing that GLAAD can use when they want to whine about getting 'picked on'. I have no problem with being called a homophobic bigot, as long as the facts are true.

[Paul Atreides]

Our world is becoming more horrid than Orwell or Bradbury could have imagined.

[yendu bwam]

Our world is becoming more horrid than Orwell or Bradbury could have imagined.

Wait 'til the first cross-dresser comes to pick up his boy.

[quietolong]

Sick Sick Sick !