Trevor Phillips- chair of EHRC
Not only is the Equality and Human Rights Commission fascinated by ethnicity they're obsessed with sexuality and ensuring every child's sexuality is recorded. Those working with young people in schools, healthcare and youth services are being advised to set up pilot studies to monitor adolescent sexual orientation and not dismiss gay feelings as a 'passing phase'.
Although children should be told about the nature of the survey by the EHRC, it says parental consent, while 'considered good practice', is not a legal necessity. The paper advocates asking 11-year-old children to divulge their sexuality because some 'question their orientation as early as eight and may begin to identify as LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) from early adolescence'. They advise a record should be kept of those 'unsure' or 'questioning' their sexuality.
Why are our leaders allowing this quango to continually target our children about sexual matters?
I find this latest development perverse and bordering on the abuse of children. Let me explain why I feel so angry about this despicable behaviour from the EHRC.
When I was around 11 years old I had a massive crush on a girl in 5th year. I wasn't alone in my adoration and I vied with another slightly older girl for the attention of my idol. She was a very gifted musician - played piano, flute and oboe - and I truly thought she was the most wonderful person I'd ever met. She was also very pretty with long, flowing dark brown hair. Her nature was gentle and her patience, with my small group of peers, was infinite. Vaguely I can recall attending orchestral practices early just to set up her music stand for her.
At the age of eleven I knew nothing about LGB and my knowledge of sexuality was limited to male and female. My brilliant Latin teacher would be known today as LGB because she wore male clothing and also sported a short-back-and-sides, yet she commanded total loyalty and respect because of her ability to make her subject intriguing and entertaining for children. None of her pupils would allow others to criticised her, although we permitted the use of her nickname 'Kipper feet' - because we used it ourselves.
If someone had asked me questions about my sexuality at the age of eleven I may have well have been tick-boxed as LGB if I had innocently mentioned my idol. Many of my peers could have been in a similar position. Crushes were common.
The damage the label could have caused is unthinkable. It could have created serious psychological problems which would have affected any relationships and, although I know I'm neither lesbian or bisexual, there would always have been that niggle of doubt instilled in me, as an 11-year-old child, by adults with a disturbing agenda.
Thankfully, at the age of eleven none of my peers was subjected to questions or sex education which could quite easily destroy childhoods as well as adult lives.
The EHRC should have no influence or input in the education of our children. Using children to push their LGB programme is discrimination insofar as adults are not part of this survey. It's always so much easier to target schoolchildren though because they're a captive group. Removing the requirement for parental consent when a child is subjected to any form of sexual questioning must be confronted. Parents must reassert their authority and stop this erosion of childhood. Why are parents not taking to the streets in protest? Are they content to allow the state to take such control of their children?
I would willingly campaign to have the EHRC abolished. Their agenda is unhealthy and at times unscrupulous. Although Teresa May has a 'Reform' consultation document currently in circulation, I don't think reform is the answer; mainly because the same people will be making the decisions regardless of any superficial changes.
We all know it's quite unrealistic for all of us to be treated equally; there will always be those who believe themselves to be more equal than others, but if we must have a government department which interests itself in equality and human rights, then it has to be less obsessed with sexuality and more interesting in ensuring the vulnerable in our society are treated fairly and respectfully. Such a department should not have the right to instruct those who teach our children while willfully disregarding the rights of parents.
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