Children as young as five are being targeted to take part in a homosexual and transgender storytelling workshop at a Church of Scotland venue this weekend.

On Saturday youngsters have the opportunity to “explore the diverse makeup of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in a child-friendly way” at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh.

Critics have accused activists of using the event to deliberately mislead children.

Unnatural

Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust, said: “These events are part of a marketing exercise aimed at presenting as natural a type of family that cannot be created by natural means.

“But no matter how much effort is made to present positive images of families headed by lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, and no matter how young and impressionable the audience, the fact remains that it takes a man and a woman to create a child.

“Research demonstrates that children thrive best in a family where their father and mother are committed to each other for life as well as to their children.”

Equality

But the Church of Scotland defended the event, and Revd Mark Johnstone said: “It is right that children in LGBT families should have equal opportunity to share their stories in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.”

The session, aimed at five-to-eight-year-olds, has been jointly organised by the Scottish Storytelling Centre and LGBT Youth Scotland.

It is part of “LGBT History Month” at the venue, which is based in the former home of Protestant reformer John Knox on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Last year the Church of Scotland funded the centre to the tune of £85,000.