Children sexuality ‘is not the State’s call’

Watch Out My Children ‘Who Will Protect My Children’ rally held near the Bay Street Esplanade on Saturday. In response to the alleged growing pressure from western organisations to support trans rights and gender fluidity among children, and the upcoming and highly debated new Child Protection legislation, Dr. Ifatunde, an American Certified School Psychologist, Doctor of Clinical Psychology, and Pan-Afrikanist, stressed that the responsibility for teaching children about sex and sexual relationships should never be in the hands of the government. “Everyone here today who cares about the future of African children, should be able to agree that a five-year-old is too young to be taught about sex. Be it hetrosexual or home sexual; a seven-year-old is too young to be taught about sex, whether it be homesexual or hetrosexual. Our ten and twelve year old black babies are too young to be getting indoctrinated with same sex relationships or natural relationships. “That is not the time and it not the place for education to teach our children what is acceptable and what is not. What is abnormal and what is healthy… that is the job of the community, that is the job of the family, that is a job of the culture, that is not the job of the school,” he said. Dr. Ifatunde insisted that Barbadians not follow the sexual education format being used in other jurisdictions because young children are not psychologically prepared for such conversations. His remarks were partially in response to the controversial 2022 Inter-American Development (IDB) survey, which was administered to several secondary schools around the island and questioned students on their gender identity, sexuality, and thoughts on suicide and depression. “Most children do not undergo puberty until around age 12, some will undergo puberty at 11, some will undergo puberty at 10… but the average age that a child undergoes puberty is the age of 12. So the question that you have to ask yourself, if the child’s body has not developed to the point to reproduce themselves, if a child psychologically is not developmentally at a level where they are ready to enjoy physical intimacy with another person, why are we teaching them about sex at five and six if your body is not ready for sex.” He added: “If your mind is not ready for sex, if your spirit is not ready for sex, why are you trying to indoctrinate black children all over the world into same sex relationships, but most importantly, transgender situations.” (SB)  ]]>