Cambodia is taking the initiative to teach its children about LGBTQ life in a healthy and respectable manner.
Cambodia has just announced its “Life Skills” program. The program will be focused on children from grades 1 to 12, and assignments will be given starting at grade 5.
In addition, students will learn to understand the complexity of gender and sexuality.
7th graders will be able to "elaborate on the role and difference of gender and sex," while 11th graders will "describe the access to safe, suitable and effective contraceptives describe unwanted pregnancy, describe the abortion law in Cambodia and the products for safe abortion."
"Values have changed over the past years and courses need to be adapted," said Dr Chhay Kim Sitheavy, director of the Ministry’s School Health Department, to the Phnom Penh Post.
The Ministry is working to create a textbook for the following school year, but in the meantime the LGBTQ rights group CamASEAN will be working with them to transition the Life Skills program into schools.
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"We train the teachers to understand that there are not only [heterosexual] men and women, but also LGBTIQ," said Chhoeurng Rachana, a representative from the group.
Srun Srorn is another advocate who fought for the program and will help implement it. He stated to the Phnom Penh Post that there are many reasons for these lessons.
“First, to teach children about the biology of male and female bodies. Second, to explain gender identity and how this could differ from the biological sex. Third, to focus on gender-based violence, forced marriage and discrimination based on sexual orientation.”
Its amazing that Cambodia is transitioning so quickly into being such an LGBTQ friendly country. It was only a few years ago that the country repealed a ban on same-sex marriage.
In addition, a week or two ago the country legally recognized a polyamorous “throuple.”
Good for Colombia.
h/t: GayStarNews
