Gay worries countered

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 14

Gay worries countered

PA Auckland Children who have contact with openly homosexual teachers will not turn into homosexuals too, the Mental Health Foundation has said. The director, Dr Max Abbott, was reacting to requests by the Auckland federation of the ParentTeacher Association to ban homosexual teachers talking about their lifestyles in class. “Sexual orientation is

pretty much set in earlier childhood,” said Dr Abbott. Openly gay teachers would also provide a positive role model for homosexual youngsters confused about their own identity, he said. “They can be trapped into the stereotype that they are some sort of freak, limpwristed pansies able to work in only limited occupations,” he said. Dr Abbott said the association should investi-

gate the “large numbers” of complaints it had received from parents about homosexual teachers. ‘ , “I would wonder at such a high rate of concern, and whether it was generated by a small group with extreme views.” ■ The P.T.A.’s former national president and life member, Amy Slack, said she was convinced the complaints were genuine and came from a wide base of the membership. 7. ; ;