Sticks & Stones

Most people would agree that the old playground chant referred to in the title is not quite true--names can, and do, hurt. Sticks & Stones aims to raise awareness about the power of hurtful language and stereotypes with the hope of making school a safer place for children who come from families with same-sex parents or a homosexual family member. Almost all the voices heard are those of young children, aged approximately 5-10, in candid interviews that explore the concepts of family, being gay, and gender roles. Hearing what a multicultural group of children really think about these topics is both eye-opening and compelling as we see young brothers talking about having “two gay dads” or watch lesbian mothers playing hockey with their children. While the broad subject is tolerance, the program effectively points out that even casual misuse of labels, or ignorant attitudes, can truly hurt, and encourages viewers to have more respect for and empathy with those different from themselves. A good complement to titles such as That's a Family (VL-11/00), aimed at increasing awareness in younger children, this is recommended. A companion volume, In Other Words, is also available at the same price. Aud: I, P. (E. Gieschen)