What are your kids' (kid's) attitudes about gay friends?

[HopeHoops]

For that matter, extend it to minorities, abnormalities (Asperger's, etc.), physically handicapped, or just not your basic white "normal" person? I'm getting really pissed off at the intolerance in this society and the only way to change it is through our children.

[Generic Brad]

1. Then there is hope for the future

My daughter is indifferent to race and sexual identity. She judges people based on how they treat her and how they act towards others. That appears to be the trend with the kids in her high school from my observation.

[Ruby Reason]

2. I agree.

My children base it on how they are treated and how the person treats others. My girls have friends with disabilities, mental, emotional and physical (best friends included), they know people of many races, cultural, belief systems, and ethnic backgrounds and describe them by their clothing from across the room. Example: the African American/ Asian man across the room with multiple piercings, a small tattoo, and blue spiked hair is described as "He's the one wearing the purple hat and plaid flannel shirt. Nice guy, but kinda shy and soft spoken."

I love my kids.

Yes, they're white. Yes, they look like they've never known a bad ass in their life time. Yes, they've usually gotten good grades and were well behaved in school. Yes, they can all kick ass if and when needed. They and their many varied friends, gay, autistic, mixed race, culturally commanded...they are the future. Thank you to the cause behind their power!

[RandySF]

3. He treats them like everyone else.

My wife is equally outgoing and I am equally anti-social. Fortunately, he has my wife's personality.

[HopeHoops]

4. Our kids have gay friends. My middle daughter has a Facebook friend she calls "my wife".

No, she's not gay. But they treat everyone equally. That's how we raised them.

[rbnyc]

5. Great question.

My son will be 8 soon. He asked me the other night what it meant to be gay. I explained it in the simplest terms possible. He said, "I don't get it. Kids at school say something is gay is they think it is stupid - but why would ga mean stupid if it's about love? That doesn't make any sense." Then he wanted me to list all our friends who are gay.

We've talked about same-sex marriage before, but he just hadn't put it together that same-sex couples are gay. To him, they're just people and people should be able to get married if they want to.

We're lucky to live in a very diverse community. Every day he is with people of many religions, many races, many levels of ability.

His best friend actually has Asperger's.

For my son, it's not about being tolerant - it's just what is.

He also prides himself on being agnostic. He has his own definition of being agnostic. To him it means that he doesn't have to pick just one religion and he can celebrate every religious holiday.

[HopeHoops]

6. Sounds like he's got his act together. My youngest is an "eclectic pagan" and wears a pentagram.

Prejudice is learned. We have a choice not to teach it.