Parents at the Pollitzer nursery school on Via dell'Istria protest: "We're not homophobic, but our children aren't yet able to understand..."«
by Laura Tonero "No to the poster about gays kissing next to the preschool." The disapproval comes from some parents of children attending the Pollitzer preschool on Via dell'Istria. Just a few meters from the entrance to their children's preschool, twelve posters measuring one meter by eighty centimeters promote the International Day Against Homophobia. "I have nothing against homosexuals, but I find it inappropriate that such a sign is posted right outside a preschool," observes Mariagrazia, mother of a child at Pollitzer and spokesperson for other parents. "Luckily, my son hasn't noticed it yet." "We're at rock bottom," thunders Davide, father of two children aged 6 and 3. "It's disgraceful, there's no discretion. Certain issues require more sensitivity." Fathers, mothers, and grandparents, leaving the nursery at 1 p.m., after hugging their little ones, grumbled as they passed under the "incriminating" posters. Some point out that the same posters are also posted in front of the Duca D'Aosta elementary school and outside a children's sports club on Via Pascoli. "What makes me furious is that today we parents do everything we can to keep our children away from certain conversations," Mariagrazia emphasizes, "and then they shove these images in your face." "Today," adds Istria Giani, pedagogical coordinator of the Pollitzer municipal nursery school, "children are faced with many complex and not always age-appropriate situations, even those presented to them by adults themselves. When dealing with certain issues, common sense is needed, but also an adult's ability to mediate." The children happily run around the nursery school grass, climb on the benches, and jump down the steps. Many of them have never even seen those posters next to their nursery. "I don't like that poster," admits Radica, a Serbian mother of two children, aged 2 and 6. She adds: "I'm deliberately taking a different route so my daughter doesn't see it, as she's already full of curiosity these days," says Francesca, the mother of a child who attends Pollitzer. "I want to discuss certain topics when I think it's the right time, not when a silly poster forces me to." Davide Zotti, president of the Circolo Arcobaleno Acigay e Arcilesbica of Trieste, is astonished: "I find these parents' comments disarming," he comments, "and to think that we believe that educating about affection is one of the proper tasks of schools." Zotti points out that the posters targeted by the parents also enjoy the patronage of the Municipality and Province of Trieste: "Holding hands and kissing," he explains, "are natural behaviors. Nowadays, there are also many children who have homosexual relatives or even same-sex parents." Some parents who were waiting for their little ones at daycare yesterday at lunchtime agreed with some of Zotti's assessments. "That poster might be difficult for children, but it certainly upsets parents more," said mother Annalisa. "I think it's possible to find answers without having to go into detail." "I don't find that poster serious or dangerous," explained Laura, mother of a three-year-old. "These things have always existed.".
THE PSYCHOLOGIST
«"It's not easy to explain the situation to children."»
«"Children may have different reactions when they see that poster depicting two men kissing: some will be intrigued and ask for explanations, others won't even notice." Maddalena Berlino, psychologist and psychotherapist, appeals to common sense both to those who put up those posters outside the nursery and to the children's parents. "Whoever put those posters up there," she states, "must be aware of the possibility of some reaction. Putting them up in front of the nursery requires parents to make a commitment that many might postpone." Many parents, in fact, have not expressed preconceptions about homosexuality but have expressed perplexity at seeing them outside a nursery. "Not everyone has the tools to explain such issues to such young children," observes Berlino. "At that stage of life, certain explanations are not easy to give. We then need to understand whether the parent has calmly processed certain situations, whether they have a peaceful relationship with the topic of diversity that allows them to give their child a correct interpretation." (lt)
