New South Wales MP and conservative morals campaigner Fred Nile says it is dangerous to promote homosexuality in schools, as it may confuse teenagers during their sexual development.

Appearing on a special edition of Q&A on Thursday night, alongside a panel of gay rights activists, Mr Nile was asked what could be done to address bigotry and violence towards homosexuals in schools.

In his response, Mr Nile said homosexuality should not be taught to children while they are at such a sensitive age.

"My observation is that teenagers are going through sexual development and [it] can be quite dangerous, I think, to promote homosexuality in schools to children," he said.

Panel member Katherine Hudson from Wear It Purple, a mental health support group that aims to stop homophobia in schools, challenged Mr Nile.

"Sorry Mr Nile, but how is promoting acceptance of difference in schools promoting homosexuality? It's not. You are born gay," she said.

"I'm saying you can confuse boys and girls at that sensitive age when they're still developing sexually," Mr Nile responded.

He said young boys and girls naturally do not want to be with each other when they are young, and can therefore be confused to think they are homosexual.

"Boys often, as they're going through ... puberty, don't want to be with girls. They want to be with boys and that's how God planned it," Mr Nile said.

"If you get hold of that boy at that stage when he's only 14 or 15 and say 'do you like to be with girls?' [and he responds] 'yuck, I can't stand girls', [the implication is] 'well, you're really a homosexual'.

"[The boy might ask] 'Am I?' [and would be told] 'yes, yes'.

"Same thing with the girl [they would be told] 'you're really a lesbian'.

"I think it's dangerous to promote this in schools."

On the topic of gay marriage, Mr Nile said he did not advise same-sex couples to enter into an institution that is traditionally heterosexual.

"I think marriage is between a male and female. That's history — not just Fred Nile's point — but every society for thousands of years and every religion has had the view that marriage is between a male and female," he said.

He also denounced claims homosexuals did not have the same rights as married couples in Australia.

"All the laws were changed a couple of years ago to give de facto homosexual couples exactly the same rights as married couples in Australia," Mr Nile said.

"They now have all the legal rights under our law.

"They still want to take the heterosexual title of marriage and put it on their homosexual relationship between two men or two women."