Well, to go along with the current discussion, and as a companion to the gay penguins, did everyone hear that the Public Garden in Boston has a couple of lesbian swans?

There was some rightwing Christian guy who said there are no such things as gay penguins - that it's all part of the liberal homosexual conspiracy or somesuch.

Apparently, actually going to the zoo and looking at gay penguins would contradict his faith-based view of flighless waterfowl.

everyone is being very helpful about BIG PROBLEM and it should be resolved today.

At least they aren't asking you to turn swans upside down....

At least they aren't asking you to turn swans upside down....

Gives a whole new meaning to the term "swanning about".

Ugh, I have writing to finish for my writing group and yet, totally uninsipred to do so (SHOCK!) so yeah. Here I am, Ms. Procrastination. I should take myself out for breakfast. That almost always cheers me up!

Breakfast out rocks. Don't go to Chez Cora.

Which shouldn't be that much of a problem, since you aren't in Montreal.

I need to chase people down for information they were supposed to give me. Oh, JOY.

I don't think it's harmful for children to see their same-gender parents naked and be able to identify with them body-image wise, though I wouldn't recommend making a special occasion of it or anything. I mean, as misguided as this advice is about its actual intent, I don't think it's going to prompt pedophillia in fathers who weren't going to engage in it anyway.

And if my 2.5 year old nephew is any indication, they pick up on the differences pretty damned early. And LOVE to point them out. Or ask you about them.

It's rather unfortunate that my nephew latched on to the work "broken" to describe different though. They don't know where he got that, but they are trying to break him of it because a) it sounds so bad and b) his mother is really tired of being described as "broken."

When my nephew had just started walking, he would walk in on his father when the latter was urinating. He didn't seem too interested in comparative physiology, but did try to play with the stream of funny water. My BiL started locking the bathroom door.

My nephew seems to have grown up het. He's geeky and inclined to make robots instead of play football, but I don't think views of his dad's bits had much of an influence there.

::prepares an expedition to find the secret lost waterfall of the Chicago financial district::

Go stand in the tunnel system, and get a bridge repair crew on the river to punch a hole in the tunnel roof with some wood piles, and voila! Instant waterfall. Of course, you'll also get to flood out the entire Loop, but that's just a bonus.

I don't think it's harmful for children to see their same-gender parents naked and be able to identify with them body-image wise

I'll agree as a general rule, and there may even be valid reasons to do so (demonstrating proper hygiene and potty training come to mind). But "take your son into the shower so he can see your genitalia" is squickmaking at best.