Anything I can do to a friend's kid who shows signs of being gay?

[Standard-Fare]

I spend a good amount of time with the two young sons of one of my female friends (age 7 and 8).

 

Recently while I was babysitting them, the younger started making fun of the older for being a "fairy." I told them that word wasn't nice.

 

The younger persisted to lodge accusations against his brother. From what I gathered the older brother was caught in some circumstances kissing another boy at school ... tongue kissing. At one point during this retelling the older pounced on his younger brother and wrestled to stop him from talking, and he told me "Don't listen!"

 

I let this incident just pass over. I admit I didn't know how to handle it. But I'm wondering now if/how I could help the kid going forward.

 

Let me be clear: My concern here is not about the kid "becoming gay." In fact I believe he probably is...this was not my first time seeing inklings of that.

 

My concern is that he has some compassionate adults on his side as he wades through this. God knows what's happening at his school, but it's a religious school and I don't expect him to see a lot of open-mindedness. Unfortunately, I've also seen signs that his mother (my friend) would be judgmental and punitive with him over signs of homosexuality.

 

Is there any helpful role I can play here or do I just have to keep my nose out of it?

 

** Also worth noting: I WAS a teeny bit concerned about the "tongue-kissing" detail, only because that seems like a fairly advanced activity for an 8-year-old regardless of gender.

[DumpedGuy9617]

Maybe ask the mom about it? That would be awfully young for a kid to come out like that. I would just tell the mom you're concerned and want to help. If you know, she probably does too.

[DumpedGuy9617]

Whoops, I just saw what you said about the mom...hmmm that's a tough situation.

[preraph]

You can be supportive of him when he's under your care and not tolerate those other kids being mean and you can take them aside and explain to them there's nothing wrong with him being different and that they need to stop being mean to him.