Kindergartens to receive book portraying same-sex parent family

A children’s book addressing same-sex parent families published on Tuesday and set to be distributed to kindergartens and libraries across Santiago has raised alarms among parents and right-wing politicians.

“Nicolás Has Two Dads” (“Nicolás tiene dos papás”), written by the Movement for Integration and Homosexual Freedom (Movilh), tells the story of Nicolás, a little boy who lives with his two fathers. From sleepovers and trips to the stadium to reunions with his biological mother and explaining to his classmates why he has two dads, Nicolás leads readers through his everyday life.

Movilh president Rolando Jiménez spoke of the book’s educational value in an interview with The Santiago Times.

“The book is an educational instrument that, through the medium of the family, addresses themes related to the diversity of sexual orientations,” Jiménez said.

According to the LGBT rights organization, 10 percent of same-sex couples in Chile currently have custody of children, either from previous unions or as a result of artificial insemination. Out of this minority, 86 percent of lesbian mothers live with their children, while only 33 percent of gay fathers do.

Despite being backed by the Chilean government, “Nicolás Has Two Dads” is not compulsory reading material for kindergartens throughout the country. Schools, libraries and individuals who wish to have the book may request a copy from Movilh for free.

The initiative has nonetheless drawn criticism from parents who believe they should be consulted before the book is handed out to their children’s schools.

Right-wing parties also expressed their indignation on Thursday, with deputies from the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) calling on the National Board of Kindergartens (JUNJI) vice-president Desirée López de Maturana and Education Minister Nicolás Eyzaguirre to attend a session at the Senate’s Education Commission to respond to the controversy and clarify the nature of the initiative.

In a press release, Movilh accused the UDI and two politicians from the right-wing National Renewal (RN) of homophobia and of seeking political gains.

“These parliamentarians have argued the State wants to impose this book [on kindergartens]. In other words, they are distorting the reality of the situation because no one has said the book would be compulsory reading. It’s obvious they’re trying to take political advantage of this,” the statement reads.

According to Jiménez, as of Thursday afternoon, only 10 kindergartens had requested the book. The organization nonetheless estimates that 500 kindergartens will ultimately possess a copy. Some 30 municipal libraries have also ordered the book, while 1,500 individuals expressed their interest in obtaining one.

Movilh’s initiative was financed by the Dutch government and the EU.

EU Ambassador to Chile Rafael Dochao told The Santiago Times the EU’s support for “Nicolás Has Two Dads” is part of a larger plan to advance human rights in the country — among them the right to sexual diversity.

“This is something that is part of our constant dialogue with the Chilean government and civil society, therefore we consider it to be part of our political duty in this country,” he said.

The ambassador stressed, however, that the EU does not pretend to “give anyone a lesson,” but considers the issue to be one of “social co-responsibility.”

The release of “Nicolás Has Two Dads” comes weeks after a proposal to legalize same-sex civil union passed the Senate following fierce opposition.

Postcards from Londres: A Chilean werewolf in London

Cosplay — a type of role play in which participants wear costumes to represent specific characters — is a huge phenomenon in the UK with a wide following. Devotees to the game travel miles in order to gather at conventions or film premieres and become their favorite character for the day. It is a serious business and the scene is both glamorous and competitive.

Amid the sea of superheroes and heroines, a certain grizzly face is becoming quite a celebrity on the circuit.

Meet Raul Herrera Acuña: lecturer and PhD student by day, Wolverine by night. A favorite in the capital’s Cosplay scene, he may possibly one of London’s most visible Chileans.

I managed to catch him and ask him a few questions about his colorful double life.

Where are you from in Chile?

I’m from Arica, North Chile.

How did you get to the UK? What do you do in London?

I think both questions have the same answer. Back in Chile, I was a lecturer on computer science, but I needed to complete my PhD to become a full-time lecturer, so I came to the UK for that. I’m at Kingston University, London. I’ve now completed my course and am working on proofing my thesis.

So, why Wolverine?

Let’s start by saying that my favorite Marvel character is the Hulk and my second is Wolverine. Given that it’s impossible to look like the Hulk and my face kind of looks like Wolverine’s, I decided to take the risk and “cosplay” him. It grew from there. I guess he stole my soul.

What inspired you to become him?

Well, several reasons. He is a really complex character who has evolved over time and little by little, he has discovered what it is to be his “true self.” I must admit that in the beginning I didn’t feel any connection between him and me. Lately though, I think we’ve properly fused.

Tell us about the cosplay world you inhabit.

Well, the cosplay world is like any other “social” world. You have mainly good people that just want to have fun and show their love for their favorite characters. But there are also people who are there for fame and attention.

What does the wolf like to do in London?

Go out on full moon nights and have fun at pubs and conventions, fight crime with my fellow avengers, enjoy the good people of this amazing city and go to world premiers from time to time!

Do you have any wolfy plans?

Wait for the next full moon!

What is bullying?

Bully. What does the word make you think of? For some people, it's that girl at school who always makes fun of them. For others, it's the biggest guy in the neighborhood who's always trying to beat them up or take their things. Sometimes "bully" means a whole group of kids, ganging up on someone else. No matter what situation or form it comes in, bullying can make you feel depressed, hurt, and alone. It can keep you from enjoying the activities and places that are part of your life.

Bullying happens everywhere, whether it's your town or Paris, France. It happens all the time, and it's happened since forever. Because it's so common, many adults think bullying is just a normal part of growing up. You've probably heard parents or teachers say things like: "Don't let it get to you" or "You just have to be tougher."

But why should something that can make a person so miserable have to be part of growing up? The answer is, it doesn't! Each and every one of us has the right to feel safe in our lives and good about ourselves. So IML put together this guide to give you all the basics of dealing with bullies.

Let's start by looking at the different kinds of bullying:

Physical bullying means:

• Hitting, kicking, or pushing someone...or even just threatening to do it
• Stealing, hiding or ruining someone's things
• Making someone do things he or she don't want to do

Verbal bullying means:

• Name-calling
• Teasing
• Insulting

Relationship bullying means:

• Refusing to talk to someone
• Spreading lies or rumors about someone
• Making someone do things he or she doesn't want to do

What do all these things have in common? They're examples of ways one person can make another person feel hurt, afraid, or uncomfortable. When these are done to someone more than once, and usually over and over again for a long period of time, that's bullying.

The reason why one kid would want to bully another kid is this: when you make someone feel bad, you gain power over him or her. Power makes people feel like they're better than another person, and then that makes them feel really good about themselves. Power also makes you stand out from the crowd. It's a way to get attention from other kids, and even from adults.

Work Rights for teenagers

As a teenager, starting a part-time job can be pretty exciting. It promises a group of older friends, a sense of independence and maturity and, most importantly, your own money. But it´s no secret that work is not always a walk in the park.

Things like harassment, bullying and discrimination can make work an uncomfortable place to be. The good news is that this kind of behaviour is illegal at work, and you don´t have to suffer in silence.

Discrimination is when someone is not treated fairly because of their age, race or gender. The most common form of discrimination for young people to encounter in the workplace is age discrimination. This involves bullying or harassing someone because of your age. It can also involve being given the wrong kind of work, or not enough work, because of your age and not your ability.

Discrimination is illegal in any workplace, but it is OK for employers to treat you differently because of your age if your age would prevent you from doing the job properly.

For example, it is legal for an employer not to give a 17-year-old a job delivering pizza, because their age would prevent them being able to deliver pizzas my car.

Bullying and harassment, however, is always illegal, regardless of your age, ability or working environment. This means any behaviour by another person at work that makes you feel unsafe, needlessly embarrassed or intimidated.

A lot of employers assume that young people don´t fully understand their rights or how to use them. Sadly they are right most of the time. Very few teenagers know how they should be treated at work.

If you don´t know your rights as an employee, or what to do if you feel you´re not being treated fairly, it´s easy to be intimidated by a workplace where everyone seems to know more than you do. So the best way to avoid discrimination is to get educated!

If you are being unfairly treated at work for whatever reason, speaking up for yourself isn´t just a right, but a responsibility. Your fellow employees may feel the same. Your problems can´t be solved if you don´t bring them up!

There is no reason why every person in a workplace shouldn´t feel safe and valued. The sooner you address issues.