(Germany/sex ed) 'What happens when anything goes?'

[The Straight Story]

'What happens when anything goes?'

Should schools promote more tolerance in questions of love? Such plans being drawn up have fired a heated debate. The Tagesspiegel's Malte Lehming argues acceptance of sexual diversity can be problematic.

The Green-Social Democrat government in the state of Baden-Württemberg wants to anchor "acceptance of sexual diversity" in its 2015 education plan.

This sounds like a non-story. Sexual education has long been a part of the curriculum; equality laws forbid discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual identity. Teachers should be promoting integration and tolerance, while homophobia remains a serious problem in many schools.

...

Everything goes

Why must homosexuality be accepted, but polyamory (so long as it's accepted by all those involved) not? Polyamorists talk of "open, loving, stable sexual relationships between more than two adult people". What's wrong with that?

And the ban on incest is difficult to justify without resorting to traditional norms. An undisputed acceptance that disabled people have an unlimited right to sexuality prevents us talking about the increased risk of inherited illness.

Added to this comes a potential clash of values with the constitution. Marriage and family are particularly well protected in Germany in Article Six of the Basic Law. They enjoy an exceptional role as a normative lifestyle. Thus the ideal are gay and straight marriages which are based on families - meaning children.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140114/what-happens-when-everything-goes-germany

[stevenleser]

1. Not a big fan of the headline. I think it is overly sensational. It's not 'everything goes'

there is no bestiality or pedophilia being discussed as 'OK'.

[FSogol]

2. Paging Rick Santorum, paging Rick Santorum...

[LadyHawkAZ]

3. That was so bizarre that I'm not completely sure what point the author was arguing

[stevenleser]

4. Author was saying "I can get hits with my crazy headline, get ad revenue for my media org...

... and if I don't really have a point after that, it doesn't matter."

[LadyHawkAZ]

5. LOL!!

Next time I'll just borrow your media-to-English translator.

[redqueen]

6. This is quite obviously an effort to demagogue the issue. Key paragraphs below.

But the core of the problem is barely being discussed. This starts with the fuzzy terminology being used. What exactly is sexual diversity? A general definition would mean all forms of sexuality in which adults freely engage with each other.

And this must not only include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual life-and love-practices, but also sadomasochism, polygamy, polyamory and incest.

...

In practice this would mean that the authority of the parents as well as that of the teachers would be undermined. And this strengthens the feelings of many migrants that integration is always just the imposition of the Leitkultur and the denial of cultural autonomy.

Accept sexual diversity? Sounds good. But those who look more closely have to think again.

[LittleBlue]

7. Perhaps this is why the state shouldn't be venturing into sexual morality

Let people form their own opinions and stay out of it, otherwise the government becomes big brother-ish in telling us what sex is inappropriate.

[redqueen]

8. So you'd argue that schools should not mention homosexuality in sex ed classes? nt

[LittleBlue]

10. Where did I argue that?

Reread what I said, it should become clear to you.

[redqueen]

11. You said the state blah blah blah morality.

Which is almost indistinguishable from the editorial linked in the OP, which states that schools shouldn't talk about homosexuals because foreigners, and also they soils have to condone incest if they reach that homosexuality is normal.

Does that help clear it all up for you?

[LittleBlue]

12. Teaching someone the morality of a thing

is not the same as teaching the science of a thing.

Surely you can understand that.

[redqueen]

15. OK let's call it "the science of homosexuality" then.

The OP is saying that by teaching "the science of homosexuality", that they are giving the kiddies the moral lesson that homosexuality is ok.

How would you go about teaching "the science of sexuality" anyway?

[LittleBlue]

16. l have read the OP

and given my opinion on it. Your interpretation of it does not interest me.

[redqueen]

18. LOL, an excellent non-answer.

Very revealing, whether you intended it to be or not.

[geek tragedy]

9. Sounds like rethug talking points extended.

"If we treat teh gay as acceptable, then we can't say polygamy and incest are bad."

[redqueen]

19. That's exactly what it is. nt

[gollygee]

21. +1

We heard this argument a lot a couple of years or so ago.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Does that include sheep ?

I'm not into sheep.

[Nye Bevan]

14. The ban on incest is justifiable for sound scientific reasons.

Having said that, I don't think consenting adults should be prosecuted for it.

[JoePhilly]

17. When is the "Polygamist Pride" parade being held?

Because that's when I'll start to spend any effort thinking about that issue.

I hate slippery slope nonsense.

[geek tragedy]

20. TLC. nt

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. If you can't dazzle them with brillance, baffle them with bullshit.