Anonymous wrote: Hanging out with 14-year-old boys today. Is it normal for them to still be making comments about sexual orientation. Poking each other in the rear end with tennis racket. General silliness and sexual innuendos and talk?

Ah, biology.

My 14yo doesn't do this, and if he did, I'd talk to him about it. I have no tolerance for comments/actions making fun of sexual orientation.

Anonymous wrote:Part of it is just development - they are all exploring their identities, they are figuring themselves out as people, they are dealing with puberty, hormones and their own sexual selves.

That said there is a line. There is a line in how they treat others and there is a line between being a teen figuring out life and being racist or making fun or mocking or hurting someone.

So male puberty lasts through their eighties?

There is a big difference between making raunchy jokes and talking about anatomy and sex crudely, which I think is pretty normal for teen boys among themselves, and saying things that are homophobic, racist, or sexist. The first kind of talking and joking should be ignored by grown ups. The second kind should be interrupted and discussed (I.e. not okay, and kids need to be taught that in no uncertain terms).

DS says that the boys at his school make comments about sexual orientation--it bothers him a lot. He asks me about it and I encourage him to speak up by telling him that, statistically, there is one person (probably more) in every one of his classes that is LGBT. Someone is hearing these comments and being hurt. He said he told the principal.
DS said that one of the boys used the word "ho" and he told the boy that he would laugh when some girl punched him in the face.
He hasn't mentioned any racial comments.

About 6 hours after their final breath.

Part of it is just development - they are all exploring their identities, they are figuring themselves out as people, they are dealing with puberty, hormones and their own sexual selves.

That said there is a line. There is a line in how they treat others and there is a line between being a teen figuring out life and being racist or making fun or mocking or hurting someone.

Anonymous wrote:it is never appropriate to make homophobic and racist comments. Shut that crap down OP. What is wrong with you?

Also, I live in North Carolina. If I know this, so should you.

it is never appropriate to make homophobic and racist comments. Shut that crap down OP. What is wrong with you?

For many of them, never.

Judging from my coworkers, in their late 70s possibly

Racial?

Pretty typical for the age. Still pretty immature.

not in front of me

Hanging out with 14-year-old boys today. Is it normal for them to still be making comments about sexual orientation. Poking each other in the rear end with tennis racket. General silliness and sexual innuendos and talk?