Wow, I guess I have been a lesbian all this time. I better contact all my old boyfriends and let them know.
I didn't really like playing with dolls, and loved to follow my big brother around and do what he did. Having water balloon fights, playing kickball, freeze tag, etc. just seemed more fun than dressing up a plastic object.
When I was 5 or 6, I asked for a gun, and a sharp knife for Christmas, so I could play Cowboys and Indians with my brother. When I was 10, I even asked for a chemistry set and a telescope.
I was a very small, blonde little girl--I imagine my beautiful, Southern belle mother was horrified by my requests, but, she and my dad went with it. In all fairness, I also asked for an EZ bake oven, and cookbooks, so I guess those cancelled everything out.
In 6th grade I could beat every boy in school in a footrace, but I realized that it wasn't "cool" for me to do that. So, I swapped being a tomboy and became a cheerleader and other "girly" things.
I honestly thought, and hoped, that some of these stereotypes were gone by now. I do think there can be tendencies in younger years that may indicate sexual preference, but I think you should let your child follow and do things they are interested in doing. If they are gay, trying to force fit them into activities will only delay the inevitable.
Sexuality is a spectrum, the old bell curve in action. There may be kids out there like me, who weren't super in to girly things, but will be straight, and boys that may have a bit more of a feminine side, who will be straight. Some friends of mine had two sons, the first a total "normal" boy, the second had a softer energy, and one day he kept picking up a doll of a girl at church and carrying it around. The dad freaked out. The parents are super fundamental Christians, and I thought it would be very ironic if one of their boys had been born gay.
The older boy ended up an Aggie, and just won some Aggy all Corps top award. The younger, softer boy is an excellent musician who won a scholarship to UT in their very competitive orchestra program. They both like women.
By the way, my niece is a pole-vaulter on full scholarship to U. of Arkansas (where they trained female that won a medal at the Olympics a few months back), AND she was in, and won, many beauty pageants and modern dance competitions.
Yep, straight.
Unpossible.
Click to expand...