SSM Plebiscite

[mateinone]

I don't see teaching homosexual relationships in school as being a factoring in determining the legality of SSM.
However, separately, I do think parents have a right to have concerns about what is being taught within their schools particularly in relation to sex.

Schools require parental consent to teach sexual education and I would not be happy if the school was teaching my children how to engage in homosexual sex.

I don't at all have a problem if my children come home and tell me they are gay. I have had the conversation many times and really stressed to them how important it is that they know they can come out and talk to me in an open environment, as I don't want them going to a toilet block/park/Craigslist and engaging in high risk behavior. If they are to be in a same sex relationship, I want them to know they can do it openly.

The simple reality, which must be remembered is that HIV/AIDS is unfortunately still predominately transmitted between men (homosexual/bisexual/curious) who engage in sex (including oral) with another male. I suspect a lot of this occurs with men meeting in shady situations, because unfortunately they don't feel comfortable being able to come out (though I think there are a number of other reasons also) and so are more likely to engage in a high risk activity.

Anyone who can't acknowledge that has their head in the sand.

As an example, in the US 70% of new HIV infections in 2014 were men who engage in unprotected sex with men and who do not take drugs intravenously.

You only need to look at the guidelines for PrEP to see that it targets this community who do have the highest rates of infection
Hopefully the likes of PrEP will take this risk away in the future, but currently the risk is a reality.

I have never taken this path in the SSM debate, because I believe it muddies the waters, also as I have said I won't be voting and I don't think SSM needs to see a change in what is taught in classrooms, despite what the "NO" campaign suggests.

But the reason the NO group are raising these issues is that if the SSM debate was to be tied to education of children, then the result I think would be very different. It is the same reason the "YES" campaign is trying to be clear that it is not pushing for that. They understand the backlash would be then be very high.

I know 100% for sure, that if the next step actually was that it was going to impact what my children were being taught in regards to sexual education, that would then compel me to vote against.. but I don't believe it and I believe that it is scaremongering by the "NO" campaign.