Leave children out of your 'liberal' agendas

Backlash around the world

Recently, several Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, decided to prohibit screening the film "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" due to a scene depicting the phrase 'Protect Trans Kids' engraved over the LGBTQ+ flag.

The National Media Council of the UAE took to their Twitter account and expressed its stance by stating, "We will not permit the circulation or dissemination of any content that contradicts the values and principles of the UAE, or the established standards of media content in the country."

Lately, there has been a noticeable trend of incorporating LGBTQ+ themes in children's stories, movies, and educational curricula. This has sparked backlash around the world.

For example, about a month ago in Los Angeles, United States, a group of parents protested certain schools' decision to introduce educational materials supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals. They expressed their concerns with the slogan "Leave my kid alone!"

The protest escalated into clashes when a group advocating for LGBTQ+ rights intervened. Police intervened and made some arrests.

Similar protests have occurred in Birmingham, England, where lessons on sexual relationships involving LGBTQ+ individuals sparked controversy.

A recent report by the Daily Mail revealed that children as young as 12 were being taught about sexual relationships between LGBTQ+ individuals, including aspects of achieving sexual pleasure. The report also stated that children were assigned homework involving activities such as masturbation.

The 2020 Netflix film "Cuties" faced widespread backlash due to its portrayal of children in sexualised scenes and the promotion of such ideas. The film featured the Senegalese child actress Fathia Youssouf, who played the role of 11-year-old Amy, depicted in a sexualised manner.

This sparked outrage and condemnation from the public and politicians alike. US Senator Josh Hawley sent a letter to the CEO of Netflix questioning the platform's decision to stream a film that "depicted children being trained to engage in sexual acts," expressing concerns about potential exploitation and risk to children.

Senator Ted Cruz also called for the US Department of Justice to investigate potential violations of federal laws prohibiting the production and distribution of child pornography by Netflix, its creators, or executives.

A duty to protect children

When we take measures to limit children's exposure to age-inappropriate television programmes and movies, it is because their innocent world and their understanding of themselves and their surroundings differ significantly from that of adults.

Children often struggle to distinguish between reality and fantasy, as seen when they imitate their favourite superheroes from cartoons.

In this context, objections arise regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ+-related topics in children's curricula and daily lives, as some believe these subjects are unsuitable for their age.

This extends beyond scenes involving LGBTQ+ individuals and encompasses depictions of relationships between individuals of different sexual orientations.

However, it is important to provide age-appropriate sex education for children, as studies and experts indicate that children tend to imitate what they observe.

Exploiting children in such ways, using them as pawns to advance the LGBTQ+ discourse towards the argument of "allowing children to do as they please," is a reprehensible exploitation that involves children in a battle they should be kept far away from, just like any other battle.

This approach may ultimately lead to debates about "allowing children to experiment," as exemplified in the Balenciaga advertisement.

Undoubtedly, children are the primary victims in this ongoing battle.

However, allowing others to exploit children in their fight can also backfire on LGBTQ+ individuals, as backlash against these individuals could intensify around the world.

It is crucial to protect children from being drawn into these battles and, instead, teach them how to respect others and embrace differences in an age-appropriate manner.

Let us refrain from turning children into commodities or weapons in conflicts they cannot comprehend.