5 Movies to Talk to Your Children About Sexual Diversity
When it comes to talking about certain topics with your children, you may find it difficult or you may not know how to convey the message that you really want to convey. It’s in those moments when you can use extra resources to get the message across in the right way, especially if we’re talking about important topics such as sexual diversity.
Cinema is always an easy, accessible, and fun way to reach children and young adults. Through the stories of others, they find affinity and an explanation for issues they may not fully understand. That’s why we’ve looked for these films to make it easier for you to talk about the diversity that exists in the world, as far as sexuality is concerned.
Sexual diversity: How do I approach the subject with my children?
When we talk about helping our children to understand sexual diversity, we must keep in mind that it’s as much about giving them the tools to recognize their own identity as it is about respecting that of others.
Times have changed and, fortunately, we already find numerous examples in society of successful people with different sexual orientations. The LGTBIQ+ collective is increasingly represented in politics, the fashion world, cinema, and in any area of life.
However, it’s essential that children find at home trusted support to whom they can turn in case they have doubts about sexuality, either their own or that of others. This’s where parents have an important role to play: To stay open and informed.
As this isn’t always as easy as it seems, a family movie might help us to introduce the subject. We invite you to take note of these film suggestions that will be very useful to talk about sexual diversity at home.
Movies to talk about sexual diversity with your children
Moonlight
This Oscar-winning film tells the story of Chiron, a young African-American boy from a poor family who grows up in a hostile environment, surrounded by drugs and poverty, and with many difficulties when it comes to accepting his homosexuality.
Divided into three segments, it narrates the childhood, adolescence, and adulthood of the main character. It’s not recommended for children under 16, but it’s a work of art if you have a teenage child and film lover.
In a Heartbeat
No one in her family, except her sister, knows about her new identity, while on the street, everyone thinks she’s a boy (even some girls fall in love with Michael). It’s a perfect film to talk about gender identity, stereotypes, and discrimination, and is suitable for the whole family.
Fucking Åmål
This is a film that deals with the lives of two young people in a small, quiet Swedish town. It’s about Agnes Ahlberg and Elin Olsson, high school students in the town of Åmål. Elin is outgoing, popular, and has been with several boys. Agnes is shy and hasn’t been able to make friends since she moved with her family to the village a year ago. It’s a story of teenage love.
We hope these films will make it easier for you to talk about and understand sexual diversity. Your children deserve quality information and parents who are willing to listen and understand them.