Starless:
The statement you quote sounds like bullshit hyperbole to me. His whole career is about the effects of indoctrination on the fundamental character of adolescents. Just as extreme Christians believe that we can pray-the-gay-away, Jennings apparently believes that we can pray-the-prejudice (bullying)-away. Maybe Zombie was a little imprecise and it would be better to say that Jennings’ belief is that many kids are naturally gay but get their out gayness brainwashed out them.

Oooooo . . . . I like your comparison of extreme Christians and Jennings. I never thought of it that way. It is an exercise in futility to try to pray away gayness and to pray/hope away prejudice.

Throbert McGee:
“promoting heterosexuality” — but he said that by way of emphasizing that all this “promotion” or “indoctrination” did not make gay kids any less gay. In fact, the actual language he used was, “if what they teach you in school could affect your sexual orientation, there wouldn’t be any gay people.”

The statement you quote sounds like bullshit hyperbole to me. His whole career is about the effects of indoctrination on the fundamental character of adolescents. Just as extreme Christians believe that we can pray-the-gay-away, Jennings apparently believes that we can pray-the-prejudice (bullying)-away. Maybe Zombie was a little imprecise and it would be better to say that Jennings’ belief is that many kids are naturally gay but get their out gayness brainwashed out them.

threecoloursblue:
I’m sure that your father, who pioneered the use of tritium in early nuclear warheads, would be proud of you.
What a spoofer.

Let us not forget Ireland’s contribution to the defeat of the Nazis and Japanese: Nothing. Quislings of the first order.

Quislings? Tell that to my granddads dead cousins. You’d best stay anonymous.

Zombie. Bright lights usually draw small flying insects. Howcome you get cockroaches and slugs too?

Throbert McGee:
And of course, the intended implication is that just as a steady diet of hetero-romance in literature, movies, and music doesn’t turn gay kids straight, reading Mary Renault’s The Charioteer in an English literature class or watching this claymation short about Achilles and Patroklos in a history class will not turn straight kids gay.

Wow — that’s just about the best claymation I’ve ever seen — gay themes or no gay themes.

New thread coming up soon, BTW!

zombie: The very fact that people like Jennings say that our culture indoctrinates kids to be straight means that in his belief, many kids are naturally gay but get their gayness brainwashed out of them.

Okay, how do you know what Jennings actually believes on this point? I know he did say that reading Romeo and Juliet in English class and the social pressure to attend the Senior Prom amounts to “promoting heterosexuality” — but he said that by way of emphasizing that all this “promotion” or “indoctrination” did not make gay kids any less gay. In fact, the actual language he used was, “if what they teach you in school could affect your sexual orientation, there wouldn’t be any gay people.”

And of course, the intended implication is that just as a steady diet of hetero-romance in literature, movies, and music doesn’t turn gay kids straight, reading Mary Renault’s The Charioteer in an English literature class or watching this claymation short about Achilles and Patroklos in a history class will not turn straight kids gay.

Starless:
That gets a LOL. And I really don’t know shit about astrology, so I wouldn’t even know how to mock a Libra. I’m an Aries, so I assume the primary attribute for that sign is “asshole”.

The joke about libras is that we’re so balanced we can’t make a decision, and we always over-explain; Ares, being the Greek god of war, tends to (supposedly) rule over hot-heads.

Personally? It’s total bunk; but it’s nice for a boss to be a capricorn. Then the most arbitrary and capricious behavior is excused.

Dianna:
Forgive me, but: That’s because they’re gemini.Yes, it’s a stupid joke. But I couldn’t resist. (I’m a libra – feel free to mock)

That gets a LOL. And I really don’t know shit about astrology, so I wouldn’t even know how to mock a Libra. I’m an Aries, so I assume the primary attribute for that sign is “asshole”.

Starless:
IN RE: my comments on that, I was talking about a particular time in history when, IMO, “questioning” became hip and fashionable. I don’t doubt there are people who are genuinely confused or can’t make up their minds.

Forgive me, but: That’s because they’re gemini.

Yes, it’s a stupid joke. But I couldn’t resist. (I’m a libra – feel free to mock)

Marauder: P.S. About “questioning” – if you’ve ever been a bisexual adolescent, this isn’t strange. I’m sure some “questioning” people are posers, but there are also those who are bisexual, or those who aren’t sure what it meant that they didn’t find it gross when they made out with their best friend on a dare, can’t stop looking at a good-looking person of the same sex, et cetera.

IN RE: my comments on that, I was talking about a particular time in history when, IMO, “questioning” became hip and fashionable. I don’t doubt there are people who are genuinely confused or can’t make up their minds.