Are emojis turning our kids gay

But that might not be the best move, experts say. The symbols frequently appear in memes, comment sections, and group chats, making it difficult for adults to recognise when a young person is actively engaging with manosphere ideologies. In manosphere spaces, emojis are a coded way of expressing belief, reinforcing stereotypes or subtly passing off controversial ideas.

When you scroll through social media, it’s not uncommon to see proud parents sharing snapshots of their children’s lives. To counter this, the guide below explores common manosphere emojis, explains their meanings and how they are used in discussions about masculinity, gender dynamics, and relationships.

The series shows how social media, online platforms and gaming forums can expose young boys and men to communities promoting extreme views of masculinity, relationships and gender roles. Here are some of the most common emojis and their meanings in various manosphere subcultures:.

Increasingly, parents of LGBTQ+ kids post about their children's coming-out journeys on social media. Consequently, teenagers are likely to take on these beliefs, not realising the biases or potential harm which lies behind this rhetoric.

This key feature of manosphere communication uses coded emojis to reinforce certain beliefs, mock opposing views and signal allegiance within these online communities. Understanding the symbols and language used in these spaces is not about policing how teenagers communicate but about guiding them towards balanced perspectives and ensuring they are not drawn into extreme or harmful ideologies.

Messaging apps now include emojis that represent gay and lesbian identities. And I say this as an LGBT studies teacher in San Francisco - we still have tons of homophobia in families and among students.

How to Talk to

Reply reply myttransthrowaway •. We even had a parent with similar beliefs to your mom complain that we were going to "turn kids gay" by teaching about LGBT issues 🙄 It's an ongoing dialogue and battle for acceptance.

In one scene of the drama, the son of the detective tries to explain the meaning of the emojis used in online comments on Instagram. The conversation highlights this hidden world of communication, unknown by most adults. SSS Learning is a leading online provider of safeguarding training - find out more about our courses for education settings.

Here’s a list of some meanings of emojis, as shared by the Surrey Police Emojis linked to d***s and sexting themes spark discussions, as highlighted by TV show "Adolescence.

The effect of LGBTQ

By understanding these symbols, parents and educators can identify online influences shaping teenagers' attitudes and foster open, informed conversations about digital literacy, gender equality, and critical thinking in the online world.

Learn how to recognize and use these LGBTQ+ emojis appropriately to avoid sending the wrong message. Parents and educators need to understand how young people engage with these ideologies, as they can present inadvertently in seemingly innocuous digital spaces.

Protecting kids’ online identities with emojis isn’t a new trend, but more and more parents are embracing it. Young boys might start encountering manosphere content on sites like TikTok, Reddit, Discord and YouTube, where influencers use humour, memes, and motivational-sounding language to make their perspectives feel empowering or, in some cases, enlightened.

By remaining informed and proactive, parents and educators can help young people navigate online spaces safely while fostering respectful, healthy, and inclusive attitudes in the real world.