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From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Discussion about Gay Teachers
Message-ID: <298@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 9-Nov-83 23:20:18 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.298
Posted: Wed Nov  9 23:20:18 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Nov-83 01:36:38 EST
References: <2374@yale-com.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 67

I've included Anne's questions when my answer didn't make the question
obvious.  When my comments refer to teachers, I'm thinking of K through
12th grade.

1.) An employer has no business asking about the sexual preferences
    of an employee, except perhaps in the case of security clearances,
    where the Govt. makes it its business to know EVERYTHING about an
    employee.  I hardly think that gays should be considered a minority
    for the purposes of Affirmative Action, but I feel that protection
    against discrimination in areas of housing and employment should be
    extended to gay people.

2) Should the behavior of teachers in the classroom be such that it is
   possible for students to determine the sexual preference of their
   teacher?

	I don't know what to make of this question.  Usually, teachers
	come across as sexually neutral in the classroom (does this make
	them 'neutrons'?)  I'd look crosseyed at anyone who made a big deal
	about sexual preference, regardless of orientation, since this isn't
	usually what the class is about.  Now, there are always male teachers
	who are somewhat effeminate and female teachers who are "mannish"--
	at times their students label them as "queer", regardless of the facts.
	This says nothing about their sexual orientation.

3) Does one's sexual preference have any relationship with the preferences
   of people with whom one came in contact as a child?  Do sexual
   practices or the likelihood of "coming out of the closet" have any
   relationship with the preferences of people with whom one came in
   contact as a child?

	I don't know.  I know I don't like the question.  I know
	many gay people who never knew another gay person until they
	were well out of school.  Some people know they're gay at a VERY
	early age, others don't 'come out' until much later, often after
	having had many heterosexual affairs.  I find the "infectious"
	theory of homosexuality completely repugnant, mainly because it is
	usually proposed by people who have an axe to grind against gays.
	It also does not jibe with my own experience, but that's too small
	a sample to mean much scientifically.

	The seduction of a child might have profound effects on his
	psychic/social/sexual development, though I won't begin to
	second-guess what that might be.  But we're not talking about
	seduction (ARE WE?)  We're talking about fine, upstanding,
	effective teachers who just happen to be gay.  Listen--you'd
	be surprised at the number of teachers who are gay, and you'd
	be surprised at how ordinary they are, except that they're
	scared SHITLESS of losing their jobs.  The waste of spirit
	is such a shame here.

4) WHAT THE HELL DOES THE NORTH-AMERICAN MAN-BOY LOVE ASSOCIATION
   HAVE TO DO WITH TEACHERS???  I am not in favor of teacher-student
   sex, regardless of the sex, age, or sexual preference of either (any?)
   of the participants.  Sorry, Anne, I'm **trying** to keep calm here,
   really, I mean I appreciate your openness and willingness to ask
   questions.  But this question reflects a real misunderstanding of
   gay people and gay teachers.  Why would they be any more likely to
   have sex with minors?  Such an assertion is patently false.
   The quesion of NAMBLA is an interesting 'hot potato' for both 
   straights and gays, but it deserves separate attention, and I
   REFUSE to muddy up the discussion of gay teachers with an irrelevant
   issue.


/Steve Dyer
decvax!bbncca!sdyer