What's up, Europe? Gender, media and European integration. The story of a a young Dane exploring the continent.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

British school children learn about alternative family patterns

Danish politician and member of parliament Martin Henriksen (the Danish People's Party) has earlier informed the world about his idea Danish schools should teach children and teenagers about sexual abstinence.

I have my doubts whether preaching abstinence is really necessary but I generally like the idea about updating the sex education of Danish elementary school. May I suggest to Mr. Henriksen to take the suggestion made in this article into consideration?

To me it comes across as a problem if the only types of emotional relationships Danish children learn about are the heterosexual ones. It is heteronormativity at its worst. Martin Spangsbro-Pedersen from the Danish National Association of Gays & Lesbians comments on the fact that British school children (from the age of four) learn about homosexual relationships:

"It is very positive. It is important to introduce children to other family patterns than the 'normal ones'. I would like to see the same development in Denmark."

Besides that I find the book titles introduced to British school children kind of cute: "Tango Makes Three" (about a penguin boy raised by two penguin fathers) and "King and King and Family" (I assume something with a prince who finds his prince and has a fairy-tale wedding).

Sadly I have a feeling Mr. Henriksen will not be too keen on my proposal. Him and his party are not exactly famous for supporting families different from the nuclear one.