I have been following reports on Council issues and am concerned about depth of understanding and emotive language.

I am writing now about the responses in HT, March 11 to the article the previous week on Cllr Norman's comments on PSE.

Lola Cook's 'Talking Point”  was based on current experience. Expressed in clear language, it showed an awareness of the bigger picture.   I admire this compassionate response and I wonder how many readers feel able to match this ability now, let alone when in the turbulence of teenage emotions. I suspect it is self respect coming from character and background which enables this openness. 

I took both the 'Letters' to be defending the Catholic Church's teaching but I do not believe either responded directly to  Cllr Norman's concerns. I believe the words quoted could associate sex with dominance and submission and have no place in school.

Relationships of any kind should be based on mutual respect and sex is exploration of intimacy. Our society is becoming more open in facing the consequences of abusive relationships cause. I would like much better awareness of the root causes.

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Gender discrimination is another issue where emotion blocks attention to the pain of others.

We need to open our minds to nature's variety. Putting people into boxes dehumanises them. 

This has to be a time of re-evaluation. Our generation has been complacent too long. Historic attitudes must be questioned in order to work for a more caring society.

Barbara Ferris

Dinedor

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