I have heard students from elementary school through college use the expression "That's so gay" as a response to just about anything. For many children and adolescents, this derogatory use of the word is the first understanding they have of a gay person.

For this reason, children in elementary school should learn about homosexuality as early as first grade when they begin to talk about family, and then again in fifth grade when they study the reproductive system. This might help children to grow up with a more accepting attitude toward gays if they are educated on homosexuality the way they are educated on other aspects of life, nature and the human body. For example, the following few simple statements could clear up a lot of confusion and misinformation: Homosexuality is not a choice; it's biologically determined. Homosexuality is not a disease. You can be friends with someone of the same sex who is gay and not be afraid that they will be attracted to you. There is nothing wrong with being gay, and there is no reason to be ashamed if you are gay.

If acceptance is taught in the curriculum, gay adolescents may have an easier time in elementary, middle and high school, and by the time they are in college, they will not hear students say, "That's so gay."