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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

  • NAS18906 said:

    I'm actually concerned about the PC views that inhibit the promotion of heterosexuality as I think the media promote homosexuality out of all proportion to common sense. We are all the product of millions of generations of sexual reproduction that has brought us from the primeval soup to modern homo sapiens - it seems a bit short sighted to ignore that heritage and just to decide to be "different" because we have the freedom to choose.

    I really don't think anyone is 'inhibiting the promotion of heterosexuality'. You say yourself that's it's an extremely successful reproductive strategy. The media are filled with heterosexuality. Pick a recent film at random. Unless it's a specifically 'gay' film, the odds are that any love story for the main characters will be a heterosexual one. Often, so will any and all supporting love story elements. Images designed to appeal to heterosexual tastes - especially the stereotypical 'male gaze' - are everywhere. If I sit down and watch TV - even kids' TV - there are adverts in the ad breaks using images of heterosexual home life to sell everything from dinner to floor cleaner. The just isn't true of gay people, and from the point of view of the media, bisexual people may as well not exist.

    Alex

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  • NAS18906 said:

    I'm actually concerned about the PC views that inhibit the promotion of heterosexuality as I think the media promote homosexuality out of all proportion to common sense. We are all the product of millions of generations of sexual reproduction that has brought us from the primeval soup to modern homo sapiens - it seems a bit short sighted to ignore that heritage and just to decide to be "different" because we have the freedom to choose.

    I really don't think anyone is 'inhibiting the promotion of heterosexuality'. You say yourself that's it's an extremely successful reproductive strategy. The media are filled with heterosexuality. Pick a recent film at random. Unless it's a specifically 'gay' film, the odds are that any love story for the main characters will be a heterosexual one. Often, so will any and all supporting love story elements. Images designed to appeal to heterosexual tastes - especially the stereotypical 'male gaze' - are everywhere. If I sit down and watch TV - even kids' TV - there are adverts in the ad breaks using images of heterosexual home life to sell everything from dinner to floor cleaner. The just isn't true of gay people, and from the point of view of the media, bisexual people may as well not exist.

    Alex

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