Most disturbing children's book

[Not_Done_Living]

http://www.totallycrap.com/galleries...ing_childbook/

I can see this being a real book, but the lesson it teaches is sad.

[Ellestar]

I'm really doubting this. It's written as though it's aimed at kids (told from a child's perspective), but then it goes on and the child becomes a teenager.

It's then the story of a teenager and it seems to be targeting other teens (who are questioning their sexual orientations after experiencing abuse), but still in the format usually aimed at children. It just doesn't make much sense.

I can see the first half about helping children understand that they are not alone with having hard family lives and abusive family members. I could see this as a (really disturbing) children's book.

However, then it goes on and seems to ask the child to project themselves ten years into the future and question their own sexual orientation and find ways to deal with it in ten years. That's just off.

[Amigone201]

That book is Alfie's Home. It's a product of PFOX (Parents and Friends of X-gays). It's a right-wing anti-gay organization that spends its days getting everything wrong about homosexuality.

Like the fact that there is such a thing as an "ex-gay."

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Ellestar

However, then it goes on and seems to ask the child to project themselves ten years into the future and question their own sexual orientation and find ways to deal with it in ten years. That's just off.

Yeah, seems like a glorified, "See? Your kids don't have to be GAY! Spend time with them, dad!"

Did we do this before? I know I've read this before. The message is just awful. I think it's one thing to make a storybook for kids explaining that there's good touch and bad touch and that just because an adult does something to you, doesn't make you a bad person/it's not your fault. That actually might make for a good book.

Amigone--yuck. Sounds like a great organization.

[franjava]

Originally Posted by Ellestar

*snip* However, then it goes on and seems to ask the child to project themselves ten years into the future and question their own sexual orientation and find ways to deal with it in ten years. That's just off.

That's called bad writing.

[Ellestar]

Originally Posted by franjava

That's called bad writing.

I think that was kind of what I was getting at. It's written with such a wonky and weird perspective, there is no way any reputable publisher of children's books would okay it. But now to find out that it's been published by a group with a certain agenda, it makes more sense to me.

[Kamino Neko]

Originally Posted by Amigone201

(Parents and Friends of X-gays)

Anole, Karma, and Northstar's families and friends have a group, now?

(Seriously, dudes, the word you're looking for is 'ex', not 'x'...unless you want your group to sound like a team of homosexual mutants.)

[BringTheNoise]

Well, it's a hell of a let better than the real group would be.

... wonder if they'd let Ultimate Collussus into that group?

[Kev]

Originally Posted by Kamino Neko

Anole, Karma, and Northstar's families and friends have a group, now?

(Seriously, dudes, the word you're looking for is 'ex', not 'x'...unless you want your group to sound like a team of homosexual mutants.)

It is actually ex-gays, not x-gays.

http://pfox.org/default.html

[Sister Ray]

Originally Posted by Kamino Neko

Anole, Karma, and Northstar's families and friends have a group, now?

(Seriously, dudes, the word you're looking for is 'ex', not 'x'...unless you want your group to sound like a team of homosexual mutants.)

YOMANK. *snort.*

Sister "they don't fit the second definition..." Ray

[PallasAthena]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Did we do this before? I know I've read this before. The message is just awful. I think it's one thing to make a storybook for kids explaining that there's good touch and bad touch and that just because an adult does something to you, doesn't make you a bad person/it's not your fault. That actually might make for a good book.

There is, and it does. It helped at least one young person realize what was going on and tell an adult.

[crocoduck_hunter]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Yeah, seems like a glorified, "See? Your kids don't have to be GAY! Spend time with them, dad!"

I know a lot of guys at my job who think that the lack of a father figure in a boy's life causes them to grow up gay.

My favorite response is "so you're so confused about sex that you needed someone else to tell you that you were attracted to women and not men? Because I figured that one out myself."

Crocoduck "that's a conversation killer" Hunter

[Richard W]

Originally Posted by Kev

It is actually ex-gays, not x-gays.

http://pfox.org/default.html

In what bizarre, twisted world does that spell "PFox"? Even if you ignore particles, it spells "PFegg". (Or "PFeg"). If they want an x in their acronym, they're going to have to accept the "x-gays" spelling, if you ask me...

[barbrainey]

PFOX and organizations like them really do believe that a person can change his or her sexual orientation. There's no scientific proof that sexual orientation is inborn or even biological. And I don't think they're right-wing.

I wonder why sexual orientation and homosexuality have to be politcal matters anyway?

On the subject of this book, no, I don't think it is suitable for preteen children. But if it centers on the teenage years, then the author should have written it for teens, not preteens.


Barb Rainey

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by barbrainey

PFOX and organizations like them really do believe that a person can change his or her sexual orientation. There's no scientific proof that sexual orientation is inborn or even biological. And I don't think they're right-wing.

There is certainly no proof that sexual orientation is not inborn, or that it is changeable.

I wonder why sexual orientation and homosexuality have to be politcal matters anyway?

I think discrimination is a political matter. When a group of people have less rights, for no reason, then it becomes a political matter because that is the only way to demand and receive equal rights.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by PallasAthena

There is, and it does. It helped at least one young person realize what was going on and tell an adult.

That sounds awesome. What book is that?

[Amigone201]

Originally Posted by Richard W

In what bizarre, twisted world does that spell "PFox"? Even if you ignore particles, it spells "PFegg". (Or "PFeg"). If they want an x in their acronym, they're going to have to accept the "x-gays" spelling, if you ask me...

They should be honest about it and call themselves what they are: Parents and Friends of Anti-Gays.

Or PFAG.

[lord_feldon]

Originally Posted by barbrainey

And I don't think they're right-wing.

Seriously? Did you look at the site at all? Or even the name of the site, which is a pretty big red flag? Or contemplate their goals at all? Do you really think an organization, in the current political climate, whose sole goal is to eliminate all rights for gay people in favor of their radical, dangerous, and wrong plan to psychologically torture gays is anything other than a creation of the fringe right?

[Aimee Evilpixie]

Originally Posted by barbrainey

I wonder why sexual orientation and homosexuality have to be politcal matters anyway?

Because they're still being discriminated against on both a personal and federal level.

[Auntie Witch]

Originally Posted by Artemis

That sounds awesome. What book is that?

I've seen a few books like that; mostly they're marketed to school counselors. This book has several others linked that are directed towards children.