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vulnerability and sexuality in schools

longman

As the issue has arisen recently I wanted to raise a few questions, hopefully for NAS to look at, if they would only include this as an area needing research.

Primarily wearing odd clothing, having odd hairstyles, not washing properly, is attributed to being over-focussed (neglecting to look after oneself), or due to sensitivity, mainly hyposensitivity, but sometimes a response to hypersensitivity.

But I also wonder whether to some extent it is a defence mechanism - being smelly, unattractive and otherwise someone to avoid prevents unwelcome contact with others.

That might be sensory issues with contact, or a response to bullying, but it could also be a response to unwelcome contact with peers.

Adolescents experiment sexually, even while at school - there are plenty of opportunities. They also experiment with sexualities. A vulnerable child on the spectrum, possibly suggestible, or easily led, or seeking to please, could be roped in to providing a subject for such experimentation.

I wonder whether that vulnerability, which I think is widespread and commonplace in mainstream schools, leads children on the spectrum to use unattractiveness as a defence mechanism.

I also wonder if enough is known about the social geography of adolescents on the spectrum in schools. It isn't just about being lonely and left out of recreation, or needing to find a quiet place, how often is it about appearing inobvious, unnoticeable, being able to hide or stay out of sight?

I dont think enough is known about this. We keep reading about adolescents on the spectrum having a particularly difficult time - not fitting in and being excluded from peer socialisation and play, being bullied etc., but is enough known about vulnerability to sexual experimentation by their peers.

No doubt everyone will clam up as soon as I've raised this. But I do think this is important. It is an area of adolescent life for children on the spectrum that isn't adequately understood but could have long term harmful impact on individuals.

NAS in particular, please give this spome consideration.

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Lydia said:

    (won't let me finish) also there is no such thing as freedom to choose sexuality. We are born wired as homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual or all the rainbows in between. It's as inbuilt as autism. YOU CANNOT MAKE SOMEONE GAY OR OTHERWISE.

    My understanding is that sexuality is influenced by fashion and media more than by genetics. Young adolescents are influenced by their peers and all of the messages in their environment.

    Autism is clearly heavily influenced by genetics. I can identify three generations of ancestors that have had clear eccentricities that we would recognise as being on the spectrum. If being gay were genetic then we would either see generations of ancestors who were gay or it would be a spontaneous mutation. The evidence isn't actually there for the number of people who are gay. I would be glad to see the genetic evidence if you can point me to a respectable peer reviewed journal.

    I don't have a problem with gay people. They are funny, genuine likeable people. I personally prefer watching Graham Norton rather than Jonathon Ross. Graham is funnier, more natural, a better interviewer etc. It's just that I would vote for, and advocate for, heterosexuality and want to be able to advocate it with the same freedom as I can speak out for my political opionions or my favourite football team. Your rant, is I'm afraid, what we fear when we would speak out for this opinion. The beligerance of your response is disproportionate and doesn't admit that there is a different opinion which has as much right to be heard as the liberal view that you clearly support. I don't think you are wrong or bad for this view but we have to be able to accept each others point of view without resorting to exploding into a rant. I'm glad that your last post recognised that you had ranted and I don't feel at all offended or intimidated.

    If you aren't aware of the number of gay people promoting the gay lifestyle then you are watching different tv to me. There are lots of gay characters in lots of programmes and my impression is that it portrays a view of normality which actually isn't what many people think of as normal.

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Lydia said:

    (won't let me finish) also there is no such thing as freedom to choose sexuality. We are born wired as homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual or all the rainbows in between. It's as inbuilt as autism. YOU CANNOT MAKE SOMEONE GAY OR OTHERWISE.

    My understanding is that sexuality is influenced by fashion and media more than by genetics. Young adolescents are influenced by their peers and all of the messages in their environment.

    Autism is clearly heavily influenced by genetics. I can identify three generations of ancestors that have had clear eccentricities that we would recognise as being on the spectrum. If being gay were genetic then we would either see generations of ancestors who were gay or it would be a spontaneous mutation. The evidence isn't actually there for the number of people who are gay. I would be glad to see the genetic evidence if you can point me to a respectable peer reviewed journal.

    I don't have a problem with gay people. They are funny, genuine likeable people. I personally prefer watching Graham Norton rather than Jonathon Ross. Graham is funnier, more natural, a better interviewer etc. It's just that I would vote for, and advocate for, heterosexuality and want to be able to advocate it with the same freedom as I can speak out for my political opionions or my favourite football team. Your rant, is I'm afraid, what we fear when we would speak out for this opinion. The beligerance of your response is disproportionate and doesn't admit that there is a different opinion which has as much right to be heard as the liberal view that you clearly support. I don't think you are wrong or bad for this view but we have to be able to accept each others point of view without resorting to exploding into a rant. I'm glad that your last post recognised that you had ranted and I don't feel at all offended or intimidated.

    If you aren't aware of the number of gay people promoting the gay lifestyle then you are watching different tv to me. There are lots of gay characters in lots of programmes and my impression is that it portrays a view of normality which actually isn't what many people think of as normal.

Children
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