Part 2: More Than Tolerance - The Thought Police Telling Kids Heterosexuality’s not the norm

                Miranda Devine – having reported about the controversy raised by the “Proud Schools” program (see Part 1), blogged her own thoughts in her article titled, The thought police telling kids heterosexuality’s not the norm, on October 16^th – the Daily Telegraph.

                An issue that was I myself confronted in part 1, is Miranda worded accurately in her blog, “So now it’s a thought crime to regard heterosexuality as the norm in human relationships.” Miranda holds the view that the program hold’s alternative motives than those it acclaims to: when she says, “A disturbing picture emerges of a program that appears designed more for indoctrination and propaganda than to eliminate bullying”. Miranda raises the concern that by falsely claiming that violence and bullying is directly related to sexuality may have negative repercussions – it could “even send a message that bullying for other reasons is not as bad.” Finally, she asserts a frustration of parents being stripped the control to monitor the development of their child’s/children’s identity/ies, “But they (parents) don’t expect that their values should be subverted by homosexual or any other propaganda.”

                Does the program do this though? Does it go beyond its claims of providing a safer environment for all students – by increasing tolerance and respect between heterosexual and non-heterosexual students? Does it use propaganda to influence the development of the identity of young people? To answer such questions, I turn to Christina Ho.[i]

                Christina holds firm that schools are “crucial sites for the facilitation of intercultural exchange” (in this case intersexual exchange?); however she recognises that “it is unreasonable to expect an absence of conflict in diverse settings” and assures that “conflict and hostility can exist alongside a politics of respect for the presence of others.” [ii] She therefore opposes the push on ‘getting to know one another’ from different religious and cultural values in hopes that ‘harmony’ will be achieved by learning ‘what we have in common’; there are other approaches of managing cultural differences. [iii]

By just leaving people alone – allowing them to “simply inhabit space without interference can be a powerful form of recognition and respect” (Tonkiss 2003, van Leeuwen 2010).”[iv] She stresses that the development of one’s own identify it is critical to acknowledge the difference of others. Lastly, Christina refers to a quote by Nandy, of a human “right to dislike and keep a distance from one’s (anothers)* own community” while “granting them a place in the sun” (2002: 160).”

                So in summary, the school is valued as an intercultural exchange that facilitates young people with the ability to respect one another – without the need to, in this case, shun heterosexuality. Heterosexuals should be given the freedom to oppose homosexuality yet they should accept (within boundaries) and respect (leave them alone) homosexuals as equals within society. And, finally, by demanding ‘harmony’ between heterosexuals and homosexuals may hinder an individual’s development of their identity – “Closing off potential encounters with difference artificially restricts experiences, options and alternatives in the formation of one’s identity, and this is all the more acute for young people.”[v]

Therefore I conclude that the program demands more than tolerance, and the view that it is somewhat propaganda of non-heterosexuality is justifiable

- Megan Ayre

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[i]Christina Ho (2011): Respecting the Presence of Others: School Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32:6, 603-619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2011.618106

[ii] Christina Ho (2011), pg 613-614: Respecting the Presence of Others: School Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32:6, 603-619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2011.618106

[iii] Christina Ho (2011), pg 614: Respecting the Presence of Others: School Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32:6, 603-619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2011.618106

 [iv] Christina Ho (2011), pg 614: Respecting the Presence of Others: School Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism, Journal of Intercultural Studies, pg. 614

[v]Christina Ho (2011), pg 614: Respecting the Presence of Others: School Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 32:6, 616