"What kind of porn?" What, you think that you can catch "gay" from porn?

Porn is porn. If a person is gay then they're likely to be turned on by gay porn I suppose, in which case that's an entirely different thread.

I don't happen to be of the belief that someone is going to 'turn gay' by looking at gay porn for example.

To answer your question though, I would expect my kids to look at porn, if in fact they haven't already done so. To believe otherwise would make me incredibly naive.

As I've said, my aim as a parent is to give them the tools to make the right decisions, not make all their decisions for them.

Well I certainly agree with your statement that looking at gay porn is in someway going to turn them into a gay person, because I don't believe that is true, but that was not the question. The question was would you approve and allow your teen to do so?

I don't think it matters if I approve or not. They will find a way to do it if they want to, and quite frankly, I don't think porn is a big deal.

I like looking at it. I see no reason that my kids wouldn't. I don't believe porn to be evil and honestly, I think most of the people who post porn pics on 'free porn' sites are doing it because they like it, so I don't buy the arguments about degredation etc.

Of course I don't want my kids to 'get into' porn when they're young, but I do expect them to look at it. It's going to happen regardless of what I do or say, so as I said, give them the tools, let them make the right decisions.

I don't want to misunderstand you... tool = internet. tool = how you bring them up. your teen looking at porn is ok because they are going to do it anyway. No?

The tools I'm refering to are knowing right from wrong, social conscience, good judgement etc.

Yes, they're going to do it and yes it's ok provided they have the 'tools' to recognise why they're doing it and what the possible consequences and or outcomes are likely to be.

As a note, I'd probably prefer that they didn't look at porn till they're a bit older, but as I said earlier, I think it'd be naive of me to believe they wont. History tells us all that kids will do these types of things for many different reasons, but one of the big reasons is the fact that they're taboo.

If I take those sorts of taboos out of the equation, I hope that they recognise porn for what it is instead of doing it because they think what they're doing is wrong.

As much as a teen wants you to believe that they have this capacity I am not sure that they do... But if you ask them, they are the smartest mofo's on the earth.

I'm fairly familiar with how teenagers think. I'm also aware that teenagers have a lot to offer and that it's what we do as parents which affects how they are as adults.

I don't see the point in treating a teenager as if they have no self determination when they obviously, and rightly do have self determination. A teenager, like any other human being, knows what they want, and if given the opportunity will be able to explain why they want it. They, like the rest of us, are products of their environment up until they are released from parental controls at which time they are answerable and responsible for and to themselves. It's at this time that the true indication of a good versus bad parenting becomes apparent.

I would rather over estimate than under estimate my child although I intend to make sure I do neither. It's nice just to know that they're doing ok and to see the outcomes of allowing them room to think for themselves.

I respect that view and agree.

How does your method "allow them room to think for themselves"? This is not a challenge but a genuine question. You may call me a bitch/troll/whatever for asking if it makes you feel good, but I'd rather that than no answer as this seems so contrary to your previous posts. Curious.

And how is gay porn worse than straight porn? I have no real interest in either, so perhaps I'm not the best judge, but I've seen both and it didn't affect my sexuality.:ymca:

I guess I could just coat their hands with superglue on a gasoline filled bottle and let them learn what it is like to get burned....:whofart:
I guess I don't think kids should look at porn. Adults have the right to look at porn anytime they want. But I don't consider Playboy and artistic nudity porn.

Playboy is porn, just labeled soft-core porn nowadays.

I know that your man told you that after he poured gasoline in your glass and superguled it to your hand. Just watch where you put your fingers after that. I would hate to hear that you had a chemical burn in your crotch.

You have quite a vivid imagination, there.

Whoops...I was giving your imagination too much credit. Looks like you're confusing me with someone else. Pay attention, big dummy.

Well, ummmm, actually no, I wasn't.

So, ummmm, you're just insulting me with crass crap for nothing. How sweet.

You didn't answer the question, Merc..... You agree that kids should be allowed room to think for themselves, yet you don't allow that freedom for your kids. Which id your personalities makes the compromise in the real world?

btw, if you like the petrol bomb analogy, let's follow through.....you said
But once you've superglued their hands to that can, will they go for the matches or the acetone and nail files? Or did you assume they'd go for the matches and light one for them to save them the effort?

Merc, you have been asked by several people why you think gay porn is worse than regular porn and you have not answered, any reason?

You get what you give.

I was trying to say that I felt that teens should not look at Porn regardless. I don't feel that gay porn is any worse than regular porn. Just that teens should not be looking at it. Most are going to see some anyway. And the days when we looked at some soft core porn is nothing like today where the internet has afforded the opportunities for teens to have unregulated access to everything available on the net. I doubt you will find many parents who actually have teen children of their own who would approve of their teens looking at porn on their home computers.

But only when it's negative.

Correct.

edit: I actually had a better explaination written but it sounded to much like a whine, so I will refrain. :D

Is that right.

What exactly did I "give" to inspire your nasty little tirade? From where I'm standing, it looks like all anyone has to do is disagree with you.

However, you specified gay porn and homosexuality several times, as though it were somehow different. Why even mention it?

I think he's just trying to taunt Ibram.

Now there's a surprise.

Never.

the worst thing my parents ever told me was 'when a man and woman love each other they have sex to make babies'.


from my perspective, I see a lack of acceptance and understanding of human sexuality in our society at the root of this. our bodies are beautiful, sex is a beautiful thing. why the hell are we so embarrassed?

kids are going to look at porn. twice now i've reformatted my best friend's home pc because her 13 year old son is looking up boobies as soon as their backs are turned and fouls up the machine. my little brother looked at my dad's playboys. i looked at my dad's playboys. we were young enough that it wasn't a turn on so much as curiosity about the human body that we are so careful to hide.

as for gay porn... what's the difference? that YOU don't like it? it doesn't turn YOU on? the thought of it makes you uncomfortable? give me a break. homophobia is so overrated.

should 7 year olds be exposed to porn? of course not. but if your little man or little woman is growing hair where there wasn't any before, menstruating, or showing the signs of puberty, it's time to loosen the reigns a bit, let them understand sex and sexuality in an educational, comfortable environment, not one filled with shame and ignorance.

You miss the point, as have others. The "porn" you looked at in your daddy's playboys are not representative of the "porn" kids can see on the internet today. Homophobia is not the issue. Those are lables people like to throw around to sack everyone together when someone disagrees with anothers views. Lots of generalizations are being tossed about.

creeps into thread, looks around, takes a deep breath, and . . .

NetLingo's 20 Top 20 Internet Acronyms Every Parent Needs to Know

not sure if these are real, common, limited to Internet, or also used in texting, but they are (speaking from a parent's perspective) a bit disturbing.

Nah, about 90% of those are bullshit, never used (or at least, never used by anyone with half a brain)

Agree 100%. HAHAHA, those are funny.

I think that is directed towards parents of 6th graders that cyber.

POS = Point Of Sale as far as I'm concerned. :)

The rest are just silly really. Where the hell do they come up with this stuff? Seriously?