Nurseries, kindergartens mull how to teach issues of gender identity

Expecting nursery aged children to understand gender identity topics is almost impossible, considering many adults are having difficulty understanding it themselves.

It is bad for everyone if bullying at preschools is not recognized.

"The nursery tried to deal with it but failed" will happen for almost every form of bullying. Staff should be taught to deal with bullying based on body shape, facial features, spectacles, skin colour, learning difficulties, lack of coordination, .... and cross-dressing.

No, just no. Let children be children.

If a boy wants to go to nursery in a dress that's his choice (or the parents probably). The teachers should stop any bullying, but that's it, don't need to teach kids all the fad's that the far left are trying to push as normal (which change on a weekly basis anyway).

Also Japan isn't 'struggling' to teach preschoolers. They rightly choose not to buy into this nonesense.

I blame the parents. They shouldn’t have sent their son to school dressed as a girl.

You obviously know better how to deal with the situation of their own child than they do.

Dressing him in clothes against his will would “solve” one problem but create another.

Yesterday’s ‘Quote Of The Day’ explains why ‘old ideas persist’ and policies are only given consideration on an ‘individual’ basis.

*- ‘We have done work to change attitudes at government offices, but it appears there are some employees who haven't been able to change their way of thinking completely.” -*

‘Identity’ issues are obviously more ‘trending’ and ‘polarizing’ for debates yet, not one of the ‘outraged’ here commented about that ’blatant sexual harassment’.

*- “a senior employee at a Osaka city ward office *repeatedly harassed a female subordinate over her choice to get pregnant.” -

Aren’t the policies affecting ALL genders equally important?

@TokyoJoe - You nailed it.

Got to blame the parents here. They allowed their child's freedom of expression to override rationale. Kids have standards that they are reminded of constantly. Not going to say this is good or bad, it what is. This kid's parents wanted to allow the presentation of new standard, and it was met with:

The Most Predictable Outcome Of All Time .

If I had a child, I wouldn’t send him or her to a nursery school where boys are dressed in girl’s clothing. Couldn’t the boy’s parents have had their son dressed as a boy when he is at the school? That would have taught the child a valuable lesson that there are things in life that you just have to put up with.

@Mr. NoidallToday  06:55 am JST

I blame the parents. They shouldn’t have sent their son to school dressed as a girl. That’s child abuse. We don’t let children drive, drink, vote, marry, have sex, cook at the stovetop, handle power tools, etc. As a parent, you don’t let a child decide his or her gender. This is not something schools should be teaching children. I’m frightened that this is seeping into Japan.

AMEN

Sorry but sending your boy to school dressed in a dress is just asking for it.

Don't get into the sex stuff until the later part of elementary where they can better understand.

Kindergarteners and nursery school kids are way too young to really understand sexuality other than you're a boy and I'm a girl.

This "problem" is creeping everywhere. A local intellectually disabled boy was decided by his mother to be a girl, and is now an adult and seen on the streets dressed as a woman. Its hard to see that the issue will go away, so it seems will need yet more anti-discrimination laws and early childhood inclusivity education. And if you want to predict where this will lead for the human race, read the end chapters of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" where the inventor goes far into the future on the time machine and finds the Eloi, to all appearances sexually indeterminate people, wandeting around above ground, and the Morlocks, seemingly more traditional humans, doomed to keeping the machinery going, below ground. You can decide which you'd like to be!

Boys dressed as girls are just playing girl face like whites in black make up are playing black face.

you can’t become someone else just because you change clothes or wear a wig .

the crime here is parents adding perversion to their child’s life and will result in nothing but autogynephilia as an adult .

This just so dumb. The blowback and ramifications for this is going to damage the nation and meanwhile our adversaries are laughing their rear ends off and rightfully so.

Nurseries shouldn't be teaching about sexuality or sexual minorities. It is not the place or the time.

Today’s “Quote Of The Day” also calls attention to individual ‘identity’:

“It is important to respect students' inner-self regardless of the color of their hair or clothes.

Here’s a ‘progressive’ in public schools yet, his brief ’story’ is relegated to the 3rd tier, ‘Opinions’ section:

“Yuji Nishimura, public high school teacher, Gifu Pref helped organize petition to the education ministry calling for a review of school rules that could be excessively strict resulting in ...

- “disciplin{ing}* students who don’t follow rules until they finally leave their school.” - *

Not as much ‘polarizing and trending’ as a story about kindergarteners, Thus, since 5:24a Apr 3: 0 Comments.

How times have changed. When I was that age we were bullied by Willy size. Now it’s fashion sense.

Terrible parenting and terrible idea to teach "gender awareness" in kindergarten. Utter rubbish.

I'm all for ex-ed and cultural awareness being taught in schools buy as someone who has worked in kindergartens for nearly 15 years and someone who has a child who has recently graduated kindergarten, trying to teach gender awareness to kindergarten age children is about as effective as giving pilot lessons to fish.

They aren’t “struggling” nor is there any “challenge”. It’s not “bullying” for other kids to ask a boy why he is wearing a dress at that age.

just activists pushing their agenda down to preschoolers by trying to shame parents and schools into buying in to their activism.

The focus here is that the child is being bullied for his choice of clothing and that’s not OK. The school should be focused on educating and emphasizing that all forms of bullying are wrong and how to respect individuals choices.

The bullying of this little boy stems from the narrow mindedness that other kids have been taught from their parents. . “He’s wearing feminine clothes, so I feel threatened and have a right to bully him.”

Its those kids that are in the wrong and them and their parents that need educating.

The focus here is that the child is being bullied for his choice of clothing and that’s not OK.

If I saw a boy wearing a dress to preschool I'd probably call him out on it too. That's what bro's do - keep other bro's from having a harder time further down the road.

You do not start dressing them up the opposite sex and think you can read them the opposite way.

I went to an all girl school and saw some of my classmates as tomboys. We had a uniform. Some have crushes with other girls and nothing was said.

Some remained to be tomboys while others found themselves back to their original sex by birth. No one ever even thought of wearing boys clothes in an all girl school who had tendencies to be boys. But I noticed them wearing boy shoes.

Today, they are back to being a girl and talk about it as a phase of their life.

There was one who after getting married was left by her husband so she fell in love with another girl. Only to find out that the girl also cheated on her. Now she lives by herself and is happy with spending time with her children.

I disagree dressing up kids the opposite sex. Maybe it is better to have a uniform as we did. Then there is no choice for the child but to wear the uniform and maybe boy shoes.

No worries,lot’s of talk about this subject,they might even hold a panel or two of “experts” and everything will remain exactly the same.

Nothing will even change,outdated thinking,misogyny and stubbornness in the name of uniqueness will always prevail in that country.

Today, they are back to being a girl and talk about it as a phase of their life.

This.

Let the kind wear a dress. He gets bullied. Decides to stop wearing a dress. Check "wear girl's clothing phase" off his bucket list.

Furthermore instead of focusing on kindergardens where at such young age many children fail to comprehend such topic how about start from Elementary Schools.

Teaching gender issues at nursery schools and kindies? Leave that kind of nonsense to the west, we don't need the radical left agenda here in Japan.

If a boy brings a dress, dresses like a girl or acts like one, of course he will be called out and laughed off, not out of malice but because most young kids are like that.

Why? It's moot. They are far too young to understand.

Until children reach the age where they master words and numbers, abstract concepts such as this are too much. It's just noise to them.

Why does this need to start in nursery school or kindergarten?

The issue related to the 6 year old boy should have been addressed properly on a local level where it occured. it is obvious the nursery (they did not say this is a school) did not handle this well.

Furthermore instead of focusing on kindergardens where at such young age many children fail to comprehend such topic how about start from Elementary Schools.

How about we focus on being nice to everyone, and leave all identity politics at the door. Preschool, elementary, junior high, high school, kids don't need identity politics.

Reading the posts here is disappointing. The reason there’s bullying based on gender is because of gender identity roles forced on everyone. Males should do only this, females should do only that. Remove that and all gender bullying is gone. Everyone will be free to be whoever they are and not comply to the requirements of a closeted old politician.

Not so long ago we laughed at the sight of ordinary men dressed up as women. Comedy sketches, pantomimes and fancy dress parties.

Not out of spite, but because it was funny , ridiculous, peculiar and strange. Like the bearded lady at travelling side shows it draws attention,

Bullying is a different story and to state it doesn’t exist because there’s no law pending is what makes Japan so unique.

Isn't that a bit too young to be teaching sexual anything?

It's a world gone mad.

Are they also going to start teaching them why women menstruate, why boys' weiners are hard in the morning and you know, science? What, they're not going through that yet? Probably coz they're still 4 to 6 years old.

Let kids be kids. Don't start confusing them with what the parents wanted to have.

Teaching gender issues at nursery schools and kindies? Leave that kind of nonsense to the west, we don't need the radical left agenda here in Japan.

If a boy brings a dress, dresses like a girl or acts like one, of course he will be called out and laughed off, not out of malice but because most young kids are like that.

I agree.

@bungle

The bullying of this little boy stems from the narrow mindedness that other kids have been taught from their parents. . “He’s wearing feminine clothes, so I feel threatened and have a right to bully him.”

No. That’s just you projecting onto others

Thats exactly my point.

In December 2020, CNBC reported, “Japan placed 121st in the global gender-equality ranking of 153 countries in the 2020 World Economic Forum report, falling from 101st when Abe took office in 2012.” It’s gotten worse!

Why even bother getting into such discussions with kids this age? For example, why is pink for girls when I prefer pink and I'm a boy? If they all wore black shorts or slacks the whole issue would be nonexistent at this age.

You make a valid and Interesting point. I have a bass guitar that’s pink and a lot of people asked me why because it’s not what most musicians get particularly men, but I jus think it looks rad and it’s different from the typical black, blue, sunburst color. But in society we are conditioned to believe that pink is a soft color which indicates femininity and blue is darker which the color represents and stands for masculinity.

bullying in any Japanese schools is a reality, what more if you do not follow the norms of the society that parents should foster and develop,,, Parenting is tough, a serious responsibility.

I have known a few families here that had 2 sons and were hoping for a daughter next. They ended up having another son so decided to make that one the girl by dressing them up in girls' clothes, growing out the hair, coloring nails, etc.

Why are some people intent on making every issue into radical right and left?

There is nothing radical about it let alone left or right. 

The problem is that there is a different uniform for boys and girls in a nursery school or kindergarten. This is totally unnecessary and leads to the problem at hand. 

Why even bother getting into such discussions with kids this age? For example, why is pink for girls when I prefer pink and I'm a boy? If they all wore black shorts or slacks the whole issue would be nonexistent at this age.

Excellent post. The political partisanship about everything is getting very tiring.

Nursery schools and kindergartens in Japan are struggling to teach preschoolers about sexual minorities,

We are going insane. Babies and Kindergarten kids dont even know what sex is, and they are already to be indoctrinated with this stuff??

Why not the string theory ?

At the same time, it seems sexual education is lacking in the teens' years.

Japan let's start things right.

If as a boy or man you want to get attention, indeed wear a dress.

I tried that with my boss explaining to him in a scientific manner I could more easily scratch my legs, he did not understand.

He must not understand I am of a different gender than him because of my larger legs.

One outlier case, possibly deliberately pushed by activist parents, promoted by the media to make noise pushing an agenda 99.99% of the population don't want.

@justasking, I agree - the comments here are mostly appalling. But I guess they’re just coming from people in black and white boxes, wanting to put others into black and white boxes.

Sexuality is the most natural part of being a human. The fact that there are so many different kinds of people, with different likes, dislikes and tendencies, is also natural. Therefore I see it only natural, healthy, and fitting that these things are gradually taught from a young age, in an appropriate manner, that respects everyone and appreciates diversity. For young children this can be through stories and play. Where I’m from there are numerous children’s books about sexual minorities, and these things are taught in schools. But hey, then again we’re number 3 in the global gender equality ranking. And the happiest country in the world, for 4 years in a row...

@Zichi - also thank you for pointing out that pink really was originally mainly men’s color. Especially for the nobility.

Nurseries, kindergartens mull how to teach issues of gender identity

The world is really getting sick.

Burning Bush, missing the point there.

Saying women should wear dresses, high heels and have ponytails (or curls or whatnot) is oppression.

Saying men should wear suits and have short haircuts is oppression.

Saying women shouldn’t wear flat shoes, cut their hair short, and wear whatever they want is oppression.

Saying men shouldn’t wear dresses, high heels, blouses, and whatnot, is oppression.

Just let people wear whatever they want? If women wish to be more masculine, let them. If men wish to be more feminine, let them. Who exactly does it harm, if a boy wears a dress, or a girl cuts her hair short and wears cargo pants?

Asian countries are getting more Westernized every year than what westerners are.

In few years when you walk down the streets of Tokyo, we will have to see two very young guys cuddling passionately each other outside the sitting area at coffee shop. You don't want your kids to see that! But unfortunately it will also be normal in Japan.

Kids can be remarkably resilient and clever. But not all kids. And then there are other kids who have problems, and take them out on others. If not helped, they grow up angry and often bigoted. Some of them remain bullies, keep the hatred with them and target LGBT and non-binary people because it's all they know.

There's nothing perverted about being LGBT and non-binary. You pretty much know it from early age, even if you haven't the vocabulary skills to explain it to your parents, or teachers. Being educated frees the mind. So sad that others clearly weren't so lucky, and used their lack of education and respect for fellow human beings to bully and/or hound them to death.

Just let them be kids, why start with this cr@p with the small children ?

Its insanity and the people who are doing it need their heads read !

Kindergarten age kids know nothing of what this stuff is so stop trying to push the damn agenda on them.

Nice strawman there, Burning Bush.

@BackpackingNepal

In few years when you walk down the streets of Tokyo, we will have to see two very young guys cuddling passionately each other outside the sitting area at coffee shop. You don't want your kids to see that! But unfortunately it will also be normal in Japan.

What exactly would be so horrible to see "young guys cuddling each other passionately"? I'd be happy if my kids saw more love and gestures of affection, than bullying, hate speech and violence.

@ToastedHeretic

There's nothing perverted about being LGBT and non-binary. You pretty much know it from early age, even if you haven't the vocabulary skills to explain it to your parents, or teachers. Being educated frees the mind. So sad that others clearly weren't so lucky, and used their lack of education and respect for fellow human beings to bully and/or hound them to death.

Amen!

You can't teach what you don't understand. Hardly anyone outside of neuroscience truly understands gender.

But lucky for you, I can break it down.

In the brain's hypothalamus is a group of cells called the sexual dimorphous nuclei. The shape of these cells corresponds to one's gender identity. It's important to understand that we are our brains, not our bodies.

The shape of the SDN is influenced by exposure to hormones during prenatal development.

Next its important to understand that gender isn't just male or female, but on a spectrum. For example, the alpha male, the fem male.

So a high exposure to androgens during prenatal development can create a male gender brain regardless of XX or XY chromosomes.

Next we have to understand how males form. We all start our lives as female. This is the mullerian system that makes female part. In case of males, first a set of genes is activated to turn off the mullerian system. Then another set of genes needs to be activated to turn on the wolffian system that creates male parts. This all happens during prenatal development and epigenetic factors can cause occurrences at any step of the way resulting in a mismatch of which system developed (mullerian or wolffian) and the shape of the sexual dimorphous nuclei that tells a person whether they are male or female.

Leave that kind of nonsense to the west, we don't need the radical left agenda here in Japan.

There's nothing radical about education, compassion and letting kids wear what they want.

At least when they eventually realize who they are, it won't be so confusing - having had some basic information/education.

I mean, they are going to be who they want to be. Binary, non-binary, straight, LGBT etc. So-called "concerned" parents, busybodies, bullies and internet manchildren won't be able to convert them into what they think they should be.

In few years when you walk down the streets of Tokyo, we will have to see two very young guys cuddling passionately each other outside the sitting area at coffee shop.

In a few years? Bit late to the party. I've seen that nearly 20 years back in Tokyo - and nobody batted an eyelid. Why should they? It's completely normal for young people to express their feelings for each other.

You don't want your kids to see that!

Maybe you don't, but most people don't mind. Unless they are particularly fussy and prudish. We were all young, once.

But unfortunately it will also be normal in Japan.

Eh? It is normal. What's unfortunate about young people being expressive/affectionate/in love?

@burning bush

Just because one kid wants to go on red and stop on green doesn't mean we have to rearrange the whole system and start anew with a fresh set of norms

yeah but maybe it means you should stop and listen and see things from their point of view rather than forcing your own onto them.

Japan didn't really have "gender" identity issues until westernization creeped in. Before that, you were what you were. Now you should be what you should be.

All children should be encouraged to develop has individuals and explore their talents and skills like with schools based on Steiner, Montessori and A.S. Neill. Individual freedom and development are very important

But they don’t need to do that from Kindergarten to elementary school, let them be kids first wait until high school where they process all viewpoints more easily.

How media gaslight,

Part 1: Create shocking, utterly false headline

Nurseries, kindergartens mull how to teach issues of gender identity

Part 2: Create shocking, utterly false opening paragraph

Nursery schools and kindergartens in Japan are struggling to teach preschoolers about sexual minorities, a challenge highlighted by the case of a 6-year-old boy who stopped attending a nursery after being bullied for dressing in girl's clothing.

Part 3: Create shocking, utterly unverified and context-free shocking particulars that somehow unthinking readers will believe are relevant in the rest of he country

The boy enrolled in a municipal nursery school in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, in April 2019. His parents later learned that he was being taunted by classmates, who would call him names such as "boy-girl." In barely legible handwriting, the boy scrawled "left out," "beaten up," "go away" and other messages on a piece of paper he showed his parents.

No, ladies and gentlemen, Japanese nurseries are not "struggling" with teaching "gender identity". In fact, I doubt a single one is struggling with it.

What we have is a single, anonymous pair of parents who, if they even exist, are abusing their 6 year-old. Nothing more, nothing less.

Whats worse is we have a journalist or 2 blowing it up for their own personal and cancerous beliefs regarding gender.

Call out the normalization of child abuse the moment you see it.

Funny to read, anyway, what will happen will happen.

If people want silly education, go for it. My girls have sometimes ponytails and my son does not. Nothing forced upon them. Thanks. Am I wrong to be in the standards and finding it weird to be against the norms ?

I am not against but obviously makes you think about the whys. If the whys are not reasonable, I then consider it stupid at least.

Maybe too scientific approach.

One can laugh about others but should respect one another at the same time.

BackpackingNepal

Asian countries are getting more Westernized every year than what westerners are.

In few years when you walk down the streets of Tokyo, we will have to see two very young guys cuddling passionately each other outside the sitting area at coffee shop. You don't want your kids to see that! But unfortunately it will also be normal in Japan.

I do not see that problem at all. Japan has always been very laissez faire about homosexuality, cross-dressing and the like. Just look at all the famous "new halfs" on TV.

But what is a problem is indoctrinating pre-school kids with sexual ideology, even before the hormones kick in. That is just sick. Small kids should be small kids.

GoodlucktoyouToday 10:12 am JST

How times have changed. When I was that age we were bullied by Willy size. Now it’s fashion sense.

Some of us were never bullied for this.

You should read up on Steiner/Montessori/A.S. Neill first then comment.

No, but thank you, I can comment now. I think none of this is good for any child early before they even know basic history.

BlacklabelToday 10:33 am JST

They aren’t “struggling” nor is there any “challenge”. It’s not “bullying” for other kids to ask a boy why he is wearing a dress at that age.

just activists pushing their agenda down to preschoolers by trying to shame parents and schools into buying in to their activism.

I totally agree.

Comment, he wroteToday  10:35 am JST

The bullying of this little boy stems from the narrow mindedness that other kids have been taught from their parents. . “He’s wearing feminine clothes, so I feel threatened and have a right to bully him.”

Do you think that nursery school children really use the words “feminine” and “threatened?” Move over Mr. Noah Webster, you have competition.

Dressing boys in girls clothes is just going to confuse everyone. These mothers might think its "cute", but its just not good parenting.

The kid can choose what gender clothes to wear when they are 18.

@ gokai wo maneku-

Japan didn't really have "gender" identity issues until westernization creeped in.

Sigh. People cant keep blaming "westernization" for Japan grappling with such gender issues, laws for gay marriage, drug laws etc. Last time I checked Japan can make her own laws.

Deal with these issues, right here and now, as a sovereign nation should.

Nursery school teachers shouldn’t be “teaching” gender issues. Just let kids figure it out be and they’ll be fine.

When my daughter was three, she saw a Kamen Rider t-shirt in a shop (next to a Cinderella t-shirt) and said she wanted it. I bought it for her. We also bought her the Ryusoulger underwear she wanted. And she wore a Spider-Man costume for Halloween. Everyone (adults, not kids) thought it was interesting that a girl would be interested in these things, but NO ONE made fun of her. Now she’s five and loves princesses (and still loves Spider-Man). Not once did we or her teachers think about her “gender identity”. If you make it an issue, it’ll become an issue. So don’t make it an issue. Let kids be, discourage bullying, and they’ll figure out who they are on their own.

@asianfriend

Do you think that nursery school children really use the words “feminine” and “threatened?” Move over Mr. Noah Webster, you have competition

Sorry, let me break it down easier for you to understand. “Girls”, “scary.” Hope you can follow that now.

The political partisanship about everything is getting very tiring.

What a pointless, empty life we would all lead if we cowered on the top of a fence in perpetuity , for fear of being labeled.

Nurseries, kindergartens mull how to teach issues of gender identity.

Typical media activist headline attempting to give the impression that this is a widespread issue. It's not. Ignore it.

Typical media activist headline attempting to give the impression that this is a widespread issue. It's not. Ignore it.

The agenda is to put the narrative out there until the shock value wears off then push for the policy changes. Those pushing their politics through propaganda in public schools know that this is an effective method to shape society in the manner they prefer. People have become numb to the extremism surrounding people’s sexual proclivities and extreme views on personal sex expression. The Japanese public is even more passive than in the West. Most people just want to be left alone. If parents were given choices over how they would like to educate their children no one would care at all about the radicalism and pop psychobable pushed upon the public from the extreme Left.

Poor little boy. I hope he's ok. The parents should know better to be honest.

@justasking @Vinke - completely agree with both of you.

As humans we are beginning to realize that nature is not so simple, predictable and binary as some would like to believe. Nature, including how we identify, has many dimensions which we as a global society need to recognize if we are to consider ourselves civilized, rather than forcing individuals into a fixed set of convenient classifications.

The real tragedy here is that rampant bullying is not only allowed but encouraged, judging from the comments on this thread. We know that children will bully anyone who appears different in any way (different abilities, look, thoughts, gender, and gender identity). It is the responsibility of adults to put an end to bullying by teaching understanding, regardless of how young the children are. That includes sexual identity which children will begin to express at very early ages.

For those promoting the school to teach science as if non-binary identity is fictitious, teaching that nature is complex and non-linear with many forms of variation IS science.

The real tragedy here is that rampant bullying is not only allowed but encouraged, judging from the comments on this thread.

Indeed, well said. And it's difficult to change such a mindset. Bullies will be bullies and anyone that is perceived as "different" or out of their heteronormative world view, will be targeted, often without mercy.

I could give many, many anecdotal examples of people who were just crushed by the bullies of society. Bullies including parents, peers and the authorities. But sure, the bullies don't care. They (the victims) were weird/weak/ill/confused/chip on the shoulder etc...

(Am using the bully word a lot, because none of the other words seem to be acceptable...)

Humankind continues to change, adapt and evolve, it's something we're good at. Those who try to hang on to outdated models, end up being the intransigent minority. Yes, they may claim that their concern is simply for the kids... that the kids will be bullied and ostracized... well, here's the thing. Make a stand, make a difference, if you see kids being bullied - step up (verbally, not physically) and tell the bullies to cop on.

It's ok to be who you want to be.

BlackFlagCitizenApr. 4  07:10 am JST

Expecting nursery aged children to understand gender identity topics is almost impossible, considering many adults are having difficulty understanding it themselves.

Most boys and girls at that age don't want anything to do with what the other 'cootie' gender does anyway. This is absolute nonsense. How can anyone figure that they're the 'opposite' gender at that age anyway? And how many 'trans' are there out of a planet of 8 billion people???

And how many 'trans' are there out of a planet of 8 billion people???

Might is right?

And why put trans in quotation marks?

There are many shades of gender and identity in the spectrum. It's really not that difficult an idea to take on board.

Sexual identity, like music, didn't just stop sometime in the 80s. We evolve, we grow, we experience and we learn.

Why do societies feel the need to pander to minorities.

Minorites are minorities for a reason. Majorities should not have to accommodate their mindset just for every other minority. Now, that is not to say to be rude, crude, impolite, offensive, or intolerant. The superlative, imperative rule of humankind should be to be KIND to one another irrelevant of anything. How we treat each other should be separated from what we actually look like or are. This would avoid so much if not all troubles and hatred in the world.

If there is another human being, be nice, period. That's all.

Some people here parrot about how gender and identity have a spectrum. It may be so in the psychology of the mind. And indeed some people we actually being proven some 20 years ago to be born affected by mothers hormones "leaking" to the fetus as the most likely cause of one gender in the wrong body, but unfortunately that actual science stopped when political correctness became the rule. Also unfortunately this blanketed to all people whose issue stems only from a psychological ground., which research has also stopped.

THESE stopping of science and research IS WHAT actually hurts these minorities and humankind as a whole.

We think "understanding" them means believing gender is a concept that is fluid and open to choose and pick, or worse.

We are all born one way, be it a minority or majority trait, we can believe, feel and wish we were a different way. That's fine. And to a degree we can indulge each other in respecting the "psychological" concept each has of its own. But confusing little kids with such complications is nonsense and abuse. The issues should be dealt fact--the-matterly, if a kid of one gender wants to wear other genders clothes, mindful investigation should go as to why, and nit just blindly agree to it for everything, no one would send the kid naked, or on his parent suit and necktie just because the kid wants it. The mindful, and even if necessary professional investigation should reveal if it is just curiosity, stems from abuse or something somebody said or did, or something the kid was exposed to (internet has a lot of crap), or a deep feeling of not belonging. For all we know a kid may just be curious, or be bullied by a parent "you're such a .... why don't you wear the other genders clothes?!", or subject to extreme material, or even manipulation by someone (wear this and ...). Kids minds are so susceptible and malleable. That is why all they should care about is being nice. But more than that the government and medical institutions should be worried as to whether the kid in that situation is actually okay.

THAT is firstly more important. WHY at such a young age it would go to that extreme?

As for the acceptance in adult society, the psychological issues are complex and all-staining. Each is born in way and it cannot be helped. The psyche might want to have been different. As a foreign national, I am a member of a minority in Japan, as most here, I would suppose, and I like it that way, if my minority became the majority it would be like being in my home country! It's okay for the world to be different ways in different places!! Why you want all the world to be the same(as I said above the only main rule should be or IS to be NICE & KIND to one another, after that every society can determine its own standards and rules)??

And people cannot "will" themselves out of minority to the majority and viceversa, I am not Japanese, don't look Japanese and was not born, no matter how hard or hell bent I am I cannot ever be part of the majority here, and that is fine(I would get naturalized, sure, but that is just a formality, I could be legally Japanese, but I am still not "actually" Japanese). Some people go to the extremes to change their sex and even race (maybe Michael Jackson...) but it just a broken psyche. Few some are really trapped in the body of a different gender, but as sad and pitiful their situation is, and as much kindness and compassion we need to show them, their situation cannot be helped..., just as Down Syndrome people, and so many others like hermaphrodites. That in no way means an excuse for bigotry or hatred or discrimination. But it means there are REAL things, and real physical constraints and real sad irrevocable things. BUT also on the other hand, there are psychological complex broken identities and minds, and those are NOT THE SAME (you know there are full grown adult people in the world who claim to be a child of the opposite sex and sometimes even a different race in the world??). We should be kind to all. But that does not mean pander to them or accommodate their agendas in our kinders and schools. That is not the place not the way to be taught and dealt with. Minorities are minorities for a reason. Mental problems, psychological stemming issues are real and should be dealt with, NOT pander to and touted. On the other hand people with issues stemming from physiology (the body they were born with) should be dealt with with compassion and kindness.

In a few years? Bit late to the party. I've seen that nearly 20 years back in Tokyo - and nobody batted an eyelid.

That doesn't mean people didn't have an opinion and as adults we can process this and put it all in its proper context, kids can't nor should they.

Why should they? It's completely normal for young people to express their feelings for each other.

I agree and when kids are of age where they can process this and understand it in its deeper contrast then they can digest it more easily.

Maybe you don't, but most people don't mind.

I disagree with that, again just because the Japanese are not direct they won't tell you to your face but behind closed doors that is often a different scenario.

Unless they are particularly fussy and prudish. We were all young, once.

Watching two men or two women kiss in public and or fondle each other is really something inappropriate for any child to watch.

Eh? It is normal. What's unfortunate about young people being expressive/affectionate/in love?

Again, nothing but when children are involved they should be children first, they will be adults soon enough and have to deal with a lot of craziness in their lives, and confronting them with confusing and complex sexual issues can wait until they are in high school and then debate the topic all you want.

P. Smith

But watching a man and a woman kiss in public and fondle each other is appropriate for children to watch?

First time I find myself in agreement with you. Small kids should be allowed to be small kids without being inundated with sexual imagery, no matter what type.

expat

Nothing to do with sex, specifically, but it hinders their potential for later development if they think from a young age, for example, "girls don't do science".

I never heard "girls don´t do science", have you? On the other hand, I was always told "boys don´t hit girls". Do you want do forbid that, in the name of gender equality?

But watching a man and a woman kiss in public and fondle each other is appropriate for children to watch?

Rhetorical question. Did I ever say that?

To all the people talking about “unfortunate westernisation of Japan” that brings with it open-mindedness, kindness and freedom - please check Japanese history - nobody here laughed at boys wearing dresses or thought it was strange if two guys had a romantic relationship before christian westerners came to Japan in 19th century in big numbers and started screaming about sodomy and complete lack of morals - so yes - westernisation of Japan was indeed unfortunate but it happened over 100 years ago.

what people wear is not absolute - before pants were invented everyone wore skirts - 150 years ago traditionalists insisted boys wear pink and girls wear blue (the colour of Holy Mary) - 100 years people were appalled at women wearing pants - but does it really matter? Did the world end (as it was predicted every time social progress was made)?

you say: let the kids be kids - but kids have different interests and heroes they want to follow - if a girl wants to be Spider-Man let her, if a boy wants to be Elsa - let him. These are all important parts of the road to self discovery for every child - why do we have to push our ways on them? Who does it hurt exactly that a small girl wants to run around with a sword and a boy wants to be a princess? Maybe that boy feels he is a girl at heart - that’s fine - all the best to him, or maybe he just wants to look as the character he admires - that’s fine - all the best to him. Our job as adults is to teach kids to be kind and not to hinder their curiosity.

If kids are cruel to other kids then it’s our failure as their parents or teachers - that means we imparted our closed mindedness and cruelty on them.

I am left-handed and I was bullied at school because of that. Being left-handed just like being homosexual, or trans, or non-binary, or red haired, or black or a woman is not a choice - it’s nature. Science proves there is strength and power in diversity so why can’t we accept that? Why can’t we just embrace all those beautiful variations and reap the benefits of having a diverse society?

”If you can be anything, be kind - the world needs more of that.”

You’ll finally be astonished how few success that will only bring. Of course, some adults desperately try to transfer their useless and crazy ideology and other agendas even into schools or kindergartens. They’ve also excessively tried decades ago, so that’s nothing new at all. But they simply won’t and can’t succeed, because also small children (do not exactly know but) are very clever and feel that something is wrong with all of that strange attempts.

devlyn

ou say: let the kids be kids - but kids have different interests and heroes they want to follow - if a girl wants to be Spider-Man let her, if a boy wants to be Elsa - let him. These are all important parts of the road to self discovery for every child - why do we have to push our ways on them?

Who says "we" want to do that? I have never heard anyone having a problem with a spiderman girl. The people who want to artificially push things on children are the promoters of the new Western woke gender ideology. Adults can discuss all that among themselves.... little kids should be spared from this. At that age, they dont even know or care what gender is, the last thing they need is this indoctrination.

If I had a dollar for every gender, I would have $2 and a bunch of counterfeits.

Why is so difficult to discriminate between 'sex (physical)' and 'gender' (behavioral). Sex is a physical reality based upon physical structures whose biological purpose is reproduction and has, sorry to inform the ignorant, MORE than two physical forms. Beside the usual male and female forms, there are 'intersexual' forms of physical structure produced by our genepool, occasionally with help from intra-uterine experiences. So, too, are there 'intergender' forms of brain structure, equally a product of our genepool, and these produce 'intermediate' sexual behaviors and attractions. And these behaviors are present long before we can 'blame' them on 'nurture'. And they are 100% a feature of our GENEPOOL. Gender dysphoric people appear in ALL Human populations at relatively similar ratios. IT AIN'T NURTURE! And the oddest thing for me about LBGTQ is that the people most hostile to it are the people who are blindly denying it in themselves. THAT is where the 'nurture' is so poisonous...

William Bjornson

Why is so difficult to discriminate between 'sex (physical)' and 'gender' (behavioral). Sex is a physical reality based upon physical structures whose biological purpose is reproduction and has, sorry to inform the ignorant, MORE than two physical forms. Beside the usual male and female forms, there are 'intersexual' forms of physical structure produced by our genepool, occasionally with help from intra-uterine experiences. 

Of course, there are genetic aberrations, however they are rare, and they unrelated to the woke "trans" agenda that is being pushed. And certainly none of this has any business being in nursery schools and kindergartens.

Western Woke!

Do not copy everything going around the world. That is why your world is more peaceful. They are all chaotic and antagonizing each other. So much hate. Keep your culture. I appreciate it and I am not even from there.

There is more respect there than ehat I live with - they are always complaining.

Keep your culture. I appreciate it and I am not even from there.

If you appreciated their culture, you would appreciate their desires to change parts of it they find to need improvement.

@ Mr. Beeblebrox

And certainly none of this has any business being in nursery schools and kindergartens.

It's the benighted people who view SEX as a combination of things, all with morally disreputable nuances and emotional tones, that 'good' people only discuss in hushed tones and, in life, scares the bajesus out of them that think that the MOST central behavior and attentional subject of all of Humanity should be HIDDEN, should be PROHIBITED from the minds of those who will then have to behave from a position of complete and utter ignorance. If sex training were to proceed along with toilet training, the first thing Mankind might be deprived of is rape. It is difficult to teach proper behavior to those who have no idea what behavior you're talking about. It is not knowledge of Human sexuality which might damage a young child, it is the distorted and twisted way in which so many of us have to blindly find our way through a maze of bizarre beliefs and behaviors as we enter the sexual arena and, as any one with a functional mind can see clearly, it's not working out well for us. Our twisted attitudes regarding Human sexuality produce twisted and troubled kids who become twisted and confused and behaviorally inappropriate adults. Gender dysphoria begins very early as the internal identity of the child runs full on into the 'expected' identity imposed from without. The idea that children must be 'shielded' from the most important awareness of their lives is a sick idea, manifested in a sexually obsessive and sick societal sexual context and perpetuates the sickness in our children. And, especially for gender dysphoric children who are already confused and conflicted, understanding their own futures, as it were, will help them greatly to avoid the trauma and pain that will otherwise accumulate over time and allow them to develop in full mental health which, sadly, those afraid of the idea of sexuality will never know. Sex and kids. If these two words together make a person nervous, they would do well to take an internal audit of their own sexual attitudes to see what odd things their development may have implanted in them that would make it seem 'bad' to teach children about their most basic functions before 'society' does it in a way which leaves the child crippled and potentially a dangerous adult.

WilliBApr. 5  03:51 pm JST

P. Smith

But watching a man and a woman kiss in public and fondle each other is appropriate for children to watch?

First time I find myself in agreement with you. Small kids should be allowed to be small kids without being inundated with sexual imagery, no matter what type.

When kids see a man and woman kiss and cuddle together they usually think 'Ooooh, grody to the max!' or they at least giggle. And yes little kids need to be just little kids, they ain't developed physically or mentally enough or are ready for anything sexual wise. When the kids are about 11 years old, get the sexes into different rooms and show them 'The Film'. I hope and pray to God it's alot more modern than that 1950s piece of schlock I had to see.

One big issue is that of child sexual abuse. There's been too much ignorance and 'shoving under the rug' on that one for way too long. Kids need to know about that. It's not acceptable in any way, form, fashion - not ever.

starpunk

One big issue is that of child sexual abuse. There's been too much ignorance and 'shoving under the rug' on that one for way too long. Kids need to know about that. It's not acceptable in any way, form, fashion - not ever.

Personally, I think indoctrinating little kids with the new woke gender ideology IS child abuse. Keep that nonsense out of kindergartens.

William Bjornson

 And, especially for gender dysphoric children who are already confused and conflicted, understanding their own futures, as it were, will help them greatly to avoid the trauma and pain that will otherwise accumulate over time and allow them to develop in full mental health which, sadl

There no "gender dysphoric" children. Gender dysphoria is a condition that can be diagnosed in adults that have gone through their normal development and understand themselves. Children at the age we are talking about do not even know what gender is. Bringing these ideologies into kindergartens can only lead to the horrific excesses we see in countries like Canada, such as giving hormon blockers to small children because one parent thinks they have a gender issue. If this extremism comes to Japan, I am heartbroken.

His Parents are at fault. Should have dressed up as a boy as per the norm. What he does at home, is up to themselves. Kids just need to be Kids, natural, and not have to learn about Black/White/Grey issues.

Utter stupidity. Political correctness with destroy this world.... actually we may already be too late!

Kids just need to be Kids, natural, and not have to learn about Black/White/Grey issues.

Dressing up is natural.

As is being non binary.

As is being gay etc.

The heteronormative model does not suit everyone.