Don't Ask, Don't Tell - parents and the discussion of homosexuality - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

American Demographics, June 1, 2001

Gays and lesbians are "coming out" at younger ages - some before they reach their teens - making it more important than ever to talk to kids about sexual orientation early on. A recent survey of parents and kids aged 8 to 15 reveals that a majority of parents (52 percent) have had a conversation with their kids about what it means to be gay.

However, the study, conducted by Nickelodeon and the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 26 percent of parents who've broached the topic admit to discussing the subject with any regularity. (Incidentally, of the 12 "tough issues" covered in the survey, ranging from HIV or AIDS to bullies at school, "what it means to be gay" is the least regularly discussed topic.) For parents, it seems the mantra is "don't ask, don't tell." Fifty-five percent of moms and dads who have had a conversation with their child on this touchy issue admit it was Junior who brought it up.