Website aimed at 'tweens' promotes homosexuality

Website aimed at 'tweens' promotes homosexuality
'*********' says man-and-woman only standard is 'so last century' (name edited out DW)
Posted: December 14, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

A website that targets its messages to 'tweens,' which it identifies as those ages 9-14, is promoting homosexuality to those children because the idea of one-man-and-one-woman only is "so last century."

The website also is lobbying children to oppose the policy by the Boy Scouts of America against allowing homosexuals to lead troops of young boys, and advocates for the "rights" of homosexuals to adopt children.

A website spokesman declined a WND request to comment, and said the president, Allen Achilles, would be back in the Vancouver, B.C., office of the company later and would be given a message.

But the website's agenda is unabashed throughout its messages to the children:

* "Isn't the most important issue to have two parents who love you? Does it really matter if a child as two mommies or two daddies?" it tells readers.

* In reference to a Florida law banning homosexuals from adopting, it says, "Steve and Roger have done more than most straight people applying for adoption. They have proven their dedication, love and ability to provide a healthy and stable home for their kids. Florida should congratulate them not punish them with outdated laws and narrowminded 'tudes!"

* To "molly_holly," who says her boyfriend is "gay" but "he likes me too," the website responds: "What do you mean, he's your boyfriend? Do ya mean he is your friend and he's a boy? Or do ya mean he's crushin' on ya… like he's your hottie? Cuz if this boy's gay, I think you're gonna have to get use to being his good friend. Sort of a Will and Grace set up. I hope you're cool enough to not have any issues about his sexuality, cuz homophobia (the fear of gay peeps) is so last century."

* In a book review, it says: "The only difference is, this book is about Paul, a 16 year-old gay boy who has fallen in love with the new boy in town, Noah. It's really cool to have a book that portrays something other than the cliché cheerleader/football player love story…"

Regarding the Boy Scouts, whose dispute went to the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled that as a private organization the scouts are allowed to set moral standards for their leaders, the site provided a link for children to complain to the scouts, and then noted "a lot of pressure" is being put on the scouts to change.

Then the site provided a link for other volunteering opportunities that connected with a promotion for World AIDS Day.

'*********' home page shows its games and entertainment attractions

The site's privacy disclosure notes that when children age 12 and up sign up on the website, their parents are sent an e-mail notifying them, and for children younger than 12, their parents must respond to an e-mail before they can sign up. However, signing up is not required to view any of the information, only to participate in the chat rooms and other options.

And, none of the pro-homosexual comments was found on the first page, the location most parents who actually do inspect a site would be most likely to check out, either. They were found embedded in the site as a reader follows various links.

"I don't think it's an appropriate forum (for this type of information)," Linda Klepacki, the analyst for sexual health issues for Focus on the Family, told WND, "until we get much more maturity – at least into high school.

"There are many websites that are promoting their own morals and values – or lack thereof," she said. "Middle school students have very little abstract thinking ability. They see something in printing on the computer and believe it's true."

She said at this age, parents need to be the primary educators on sexual issues for their own children. Such discussions are not appropriate in the context of public school classrooms, because only parents can identify the issues and influences with which a child is dealing as an individual. That is being "person-appropriate," she said.

Most kids in those years of childhood just prior to the teen years don't even fully understand the word sexuality, said Klepacki, from the Colorado Springs headquarters for the family-oriented Christian ministry.

One WND reader has raised issues about the website, noting he'd typed in "sperm how made" on Google, and the '*********'.com came up as the first link with this:

"What Is Sperm? | Male Puberty | Sperm Production | Teen Boys … A '*********' peep recently asked, ‘What is sperm?’ Well, we’ve got the answer – including how these guys are made, how fast they can swim and how many come …"

"Then I started to read it! A text link near the top is worded "make a baby" wow … this is a kids web site? Further! I clicked on 'make a baby' – and got All About Gay Parents," he wrote.

That link started out: "First comes love, then comes marriage, and then comes the baby in the baby carriage – or so the saying goes. But we all know that families are lot more complicated than that. Kidzworld takes a look at the issues facing gay 'rents. Gay Parents – Where do Babies Come From?" he wrote.

"First, the obvious problem – if nature requires sperm to fertilize an egg for a woman to become pregnant, then how do two people of the same gender have a baby? The quick answer is: with outside help.. …" the site continued.

It also discusses adoption and surrogacy, and in response to its statements that Florida and other states make it impossible for homosexuals to adopt, "BMA," who identified herself as age 12, said, "Some people grew up thinking that if you're not heterosexual then it's a sin. But I personally think it's OK and it is a person's choice who he/she wants to be with."

"kizzy333," age 13, also said, "I'm not gay but I really dislike homophobic peeps. If two peeps of the same sex are in love, what's the harm in it? My mum's friend is a lesbian and she hasn't changed. She's a really loving parent too. It's da bomb!"

The site features advertising from HarperCollins Children's Books, the Cheetah Girls and GameBoy products, among other children's attractions.

The site, which says it has had 4.4 million unique visitors, explains it is "the ultimate in online entertainment for kids nine to 14 (a.k.a. Tweens.)" and allows that age group of children to "interact, communicate and explore the digital world" and where they can "play, discover, voice, gather and belong."

"Parents can be confident that '*********' is an online global community providing only positive experiences," it assures parents. And, it alleges, "Our information is appropriate for kids aged 9-14."

It also collects information such as IP addresses, name, e-mail address, age, gender, general location and personal likes and dislikes of users. "This information is used to get in touch with our members when necessary."