Last year a survey indicated that about 8% of young people identify as lgb (see blog 18 August 2006). Another recent survey by financial recruitment company Joslin Rowe found that about 8% of applicants for jobs in the City anonymously identified as lgb. So it seems reasonable to assume that the figure is reflected in the population as a whole.

But anyone who takes a look at the CBBC Your Life messageboard might be forgiven for thinking that kids only think of themselves as straight. Because I've looked there recently, and I can't find any messages about same-sex crushes etc. although there are plenty of messages about boy/girl crushes. And the CBBC Bullying messageboard doesn't seem to include messages from kids who are bullied about sexuality, though messages about most other forms of bullying can be found there.

The BBC Diversity Policy, says the Corporation aims to reflect the population of modern Britain – through gender, age, ethnicity and cultural diversity, disability, faith and social background, and sexual orientation.

The policy was recently reaffirmed by the SoPPs which say the BBC must be inclusive. So I hope the board moderators aren't routinely replacing such messages with "Oops! This message broke the House Rules".