I agree , for Gods sake he is a child

I think he's only 12; the same age as my DD, and if I heard people speculating on her sexuality I would be horrified.

I also wonder what difference does it make? Who cares? He has a very good voice and nobody's sexual orientation has any bearing on whether or not they are talented.

I must agree with you there.

My son's just 8, but I know how you feel because I'd feel the same way. All this guff about his supposedly "feminine" voice-- do they ever speak to 12 year old boys? Most don't sound like Barry White.

I would say that he is effeminate. As I doubt he has had a sexual thought yet, what sexuality he is, is yet to be found out.

I know many men who you swear money on were gay (just because they are camp/effeminate) yet are fully and rampantly heterosexual.

Conversely, as a gay man who is not camp/effeminate, I wish I had a pound for every time someone has learnt that I'm gay, they've said "Oh are you?! Sorry but you don't act like one. You know, like, well errr umm"

So we really must get away from this ignorant false connection between gay = camp/effeminate just because that is the only type you have seen on TV. They pick that sort as presenters for that exact reason that they are flamboyant.

And also as Ronan is still a child, I'm not sure I want to be talking about their sexual preferences or anything sexual about them.

I hate to sound cruel but when I was his age I was a bit effeminate, bullied at school for my camp voice "Are you gay?" etc, etc. I learned to be more "butch" in my teens, for want of a better word, so I wouldn't get bullied anymore. At his age I didn't know I was gay. I think he probably is gay. I've never seen a straight lad flick their hair like Farrah Fawcett-Majors before! But so what if he's gay, good luck to him straight or gay.

Also why is what sexuality anyone is, STILL so important in 2011?

And time people stop abusing the pathetic excuse that they are just interested.

When someone says that they are bringing their new friend, does anyone ask "Oh are they Black? Not that I have anything against Blacks, I'm just interested"

Come on people! Gay people have existed since time began, isn't it really time we stopped being obsessed with people's sexuality?

And lots of black children are bullied about being black, but they can't change that. The thing that needs to change is the bullying not the person. So I'm sorry that you were bullied to the point that you felt that it was you who needed to do something about it.

No I don't think I changed who I was, just my voice, a bit. I can still be camp, lol. But I think things have moved on slightly since I was a kid. I think it's probably more acceptable to be "gay" at school than it was 20 years ago. However I could be completely wrong.

I don't think anyone here is saying it's important, neither is anyone slating gay people. They are just giving an opinion.

Hes just a kid wait till hes a few years older if you want to find out .

I'd love to be able to agree with you but it isn't acceptable where I live, it may be in other skills but I got hell during my 'coming out' stage at school, I'm just glad I only have exams now at that place otherwise I'd have easily had a breakdown.

And just another thought, what if Ronan DOES know he's gay? Some gay guys reckon they know from childhood. Maybe he's comfortable in his skin, maybe his family know and don't care. Maybe his friends/school peers know and don't care. Maybe some people on here are so obsessed with finding issues where their really aren't any. It worries me that there seems to be a kind of "but he'll grow out of it" attitude. "He'll be a strapping 6 foot rugger- type once he hits 21". Well he probably won't. He might carry on being an effeminate gay man for the rest of his life. And if he does, I wish him all the best. Are other gay men who think "He's gay" and say it out loud to someone else homophobic for wondering if a kid is gay or not? I just hope he doesn't encounter vicious abuse as a result of BGT.

I'm sorry to hear that. Hope things get better! I said I might be wrong!!

Things will get better, I should be off to college by September so nobody will care at that point...

Back on topic so it doesn't look like I only care about myself ...

What if Ronan is gay we shouldn't judge him.

Typical of you to get your usual homophobic dig in as you normally do.

And as usual you completely failed to mention the normal straight stereotype of men lusting after Britney dressed as a schoolgirl.

So if you want to go on stereotypes, make sure you include both sides or you come across as what you are doing and that's homophobia.

I'm a gay man and have already commented on the fact that talking about a child's sexuality is wrong. Sorry I don't fit your negative stereotype.

No and to pretend not to be interested is disingenuous

I cannot believe that this thread has been allowed to continue as long at it has. It is just plain WRONG and hugely inappropriate to be the subject of a thread on this forum. End of.

Ok fair point but calm down. It was the gaydar pinging comments I was getting at. I don't know where you get 'usual homophobic dig' from though.

I was surprised last night when my 15 year old said "He's gay". Because he is always telling me off for any of my remarks which sound inappropriate to him. He explained to me that it was not a reference to Ronan's sexuality, about which my son had no views. At his school it is a term that they apply to boys who wear scarfs in a stylish way, or who move their hands dramatically and so on. Such boys are not necessarily more interested in boys or indeed girls. They are interested in fashion, style, etc. and some of them, who do not excel at sport, and do not want to be categorised as chavs, nerds, goths, adopt this other styling.

Why does there have to be anything sick or perverted in discussing this issue though? Its not as if anyone on here is doing so particularly grotesquely or anything. What do people expect? When someone presents themselves to 15 million people, there's a large chance people will talk about all facets of their character. Its not a disparaging remark to call him gay or say he's camp its simply a logical comment based on what I can see and hear.

3 sad things going on here.

Firstly that anyone who appears to be different in some way comes under scrutiny like this. Secondly that people are speculating about a 12yo boys sexuality. And thirdly that the reason for the scrutiny is because he isn't masculine enough. Lots of nasty undertones coming out with people calling him a sissy, how they wouldn't vote for such a girl, etc.

In 2011 it's quite mindboggling that people can find this worthy of talking about. Let alone when the person in question is still a kid. Ask yourselves why you feel the need to label people and fit them into nice little stereotypes. Probably because you believe those stereotypes, and are more interested in the labels than seeing people as individuals.

Grow up, and move on.

Well said.

My answer to the question, who the hell cares, and what's it got to do with anything??

Grow up people.

When he speaks he sounds like a girl and when he sings he also sounds like a girl.

And this is important why?