Encouraging gay sex

Because of a comment made in another thread, it got me wondering about being encouraged to engage in same-sex activity.

I ask this because with youngsters fooling around with girls, there is always the risk of pregnancy and all the sad limiting consequences that it involves, not only for the two in question, but also for the families of both future mother and father. Nothing ruins young peoples lives more than becoming premature parents.

So, with this in mind, I wonder if there weren't any members here who were perhaps encouraged to engage in same-sex sex play as an an outlet for their sexual urges? Or if there are members who know of such instances about others?

Ha, an interesting thought.

i'd be surprised to read such an account. Society has become a lot more progressive, but i still think many in American culture would label that "homosexual agenda," and trying to make someone gay. i'd imagine any parent thinking that direction would instead coach their kid towards hetero oral or anal before suggesting same sex experimentation.

My family/parents were cool with sexual experimentation, including homosexual activities. I don't think homosexual play was ever promoted intentionally as a safer way to experiment with sex, but I do recall comments along the lines of "no one gets pregnant that way" and an admittedly sexist (this was some years ago) attitude that boys fooling around was nothing to stress over, that it was somehow just a notch above masturbation, whereas boy/girl sex had to be taken more seriously.

i'd be surprised to read such an account. Society has become a lot more progressive, but i still think many in American culture would label that "homosexual agenda," and trying to make someone gay.

You're misunderstanding what I was asking about. From an American perspective with so much politicized talk about gays and such, it rapidly becomes a point of contention that people into context with all kinds of notions from the 'culture wars'.

I do know from overhearing older ladies, my mother, aunts etc. talk about finding gay men at the least more pleasant to be around and would hint at how 'cute' it was men/boys being like that. How much better it would for the ladies if more men were gay. Sort of like the meme about ladies and hairdressers, how they prefer them to being gay.

The stuff I overheard from the older ladies didn't use our modern terms like gay, but older slang terms which made it more noticeable.

@agracier there is always the risk of pregnancy and all the sad limiting consequences that it involves.

It was the fear of pregnancy the put the kibosh on my doing too much with the gals in college I knew. I remember my male friend who was always looking to fool around telling me that the next generation of women were heavily into oral sex because of this (to avoid pregnancy)....

You're misunderstanding what I was asking about. From an American perspective with so much politicized talk about gays and such, it rapidly becomes a point of contention that people into context with all kinds of notions from the 'culture wars'.

I do know from overhearing older ladies, my mother, aunts etc. talk about finding gay men at the least more pleasant to be around and would hint at how 'cute' it was men/boys being like that. How much better it would for the ladies if more men were gay. Sort of like the meme about ladies and hairdressers, how they prefer them to being gay.

The stuff I overheard from the older ladies didn't use our modern terms like gay, but older slang terms which made it more noticeable.

Okay, i may still be misunderstanding what you were asking about? When i was growing up, homosexuality hadn't really entered the political arena?

i am drawing from my experience, which was decidedly conservative religious. Yet, as a kid when i realized i am attracted to the same gender, i went to the library and read about homosexuality (we didn't call it gay when i was a kid either). The only books on homosexuality in the library were medical, and prior to 1973, homosexuality was treated as a psychological disorder.

i can't imagine my mom or her circle of friends having the kind of discussion you overheard. If it was discussed, it was labeled as disgusting and perverted. For the longest time (and even still in some circles) homosexuality was/is synonymous with pedophilia,, which is in part where i was coming from in my comments. Growing up i can see a person encouraging same sex experimentation, even as a contraceptive outlet, be labeled as a "pervert."

That's the kind of culture i was surrounded by growing up, i never heard or read any accounts such as you describe.

As an aside, i remember as a kid wishing i grew up in England because of the stories i'd heard of same sex experimentation in boarding schools. i remember being envious lol.

....it was labeled as disgusting and perverted.

It was horrible back then!

i can't imagine my mom or her circle of friends having the kind of discussion you overheard. If it was discussed, it was labeled as disgusting and perverted.

i am drawing from my experience, which was decidedly conservative religious. That's the kind of culture i was surrounded by growing up, i never heard or read any accounts such as you describe.

Perhaps I shouldn't have used 'encourage' but terms like 'benignly looked on/tolerated'.

I suppose I should have mentioned this was from when I was still young and living at home in the 1960s in Belgium. An aunt of mine would also say things in that vein that stayed with me, even though it wasn't until later that my penny dropped.

And I most certainly did not grow up in a religious environment, even though being sent to a Jesuit school.

Anyway, I am certain that I could not have been alone in overhearing such remarks and just wondered if anyone else had anything to say on the matter.

Anyway, I am certain that I could not have been alone in overhearing such remarks and just wondered if anyone else had anything to say on the matter.

i think you are right... my experience is certainly not universal (thank goodness, eh?). i've had a few friends who grew up in New York City who's parents had no problem with them being gay and even encouraged them, and this was the 60's as well. So, i'm certain there were similar discussions as those you overheard here, they just weren't a part of my influence growing up.

my brother was 13 years older than me, and he was about as obviously gay as one could be in the 60's and still survive. We did live in Los Angeles, so i know he had plenty of experimentation growing up, but i never heard his predilection referred to in our home. Not even a hint.

I can't imagine parents of my day suggesting or accepting homosexuality as the 'safe sex' alternative. But what was often encouraged instead was same sex activities such as sports, scouting, other same gender organizations and heaven forbid, even convents and monasteries. Those activities often involved close quarter gatherings of sports teams in locker rooms/showers and group camping trips; all at a time when hormones levels are at their peak. Perhaps unintended consequences?

I don't really think so. Where anyone may fall along the Kinsey hetro-homo scale is pre-wired long before that (IMHO). But I could agree that same gender activities may provide opportunities to find others they are 'in-sync' with and lead to acceptance of others and yourself. Something every young person seeks.