# Family sex show cancelled



## Idaho (Apr 19, 2022)

The Family Sex Show cancelled amid threats and abuse at staff
					

Nearly 40,000 people signed a petition calling on the theatre performance to be axed.



					www.bbc.com
				




I feel a bit sad for them. But to be honest it sounds toe curlingly cringey. Like Legs Akimbo in league of gentlemen. And giving it the faux racey/controversial title was always going to set some people off.


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## friedaweed (Apr 20, 2022)

Idaho said:


> Family sex show cancelled
> 
> *Legs Akimbo*


The first thing that came to my mind. 

Having seen a few of these types of theatre productions in educational settings I've often observed that it's the kids that think they're shit and the adults that love the whole 'Ohh Matroness' about them. 

The second photo in the beeb scoop  just about sums it up. 

Would be a good thread in general this


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## Pickman's model (Apr 20, 2022)

Idaho said:


> Family sex show cancelled
> 
> I feel a bit sad for them. But to be honest it sounds toe curlingly cringey. Like Legs Akimbo in league of gentlemen. And giving it the faux racey/controversial title was always going to set some people off.


Do you want to sort your link out?


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## Idaho (Apr 20, 2022)

Pickman's model said:


> Do you want to sort your link out?
> View attachment 319346


Fixed.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 20, 2022)

It does indeed sound cringe but without seeing it I can't really judge, and it does sound like the whole point was to be educational and fun for kids so on that basis I'm all for it. They even confirmed there was input and guidance from educational and safeguarding specialists so that would be reassuring enough for me.

But being forced to cancel because of "threats" just proves there are still plenty of morons about who would rather jump to the conclusion that it's inappropriate.


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## JimW (Apr 20, 2022)

Lefty cancel culture  Oh, sorry, no, last bastion of decency against the pervs...


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## Santino (Apr 20, 2022)

skyscraper101 said:


> It does indeed sound cringe but without seeing it I can't really judge, and it does sound like the whole point was to be educational and fun for kids so on that basis I'm all for it. They even confirmed there was input and guidance from educational and safeguarding specialists so that would be reassuring enough for me.


If it _was_ dodgy, I expect they'd just leave out such assurances so as not to mislead anyone.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

I’m really not clear who this show is aimed at. 

Infant school aged children don’t need to see naked adults on stage, or people simulating sex. Young children don’t need to understand about consent because they can’t.

And while those are useful things for older children to understand, I can’t imagine anything more cringy than going to watch a show like this with your parents. Most kids can’t even stand to watch kissing on telly with their parents in the room.

So who is it for?


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## Ax^ (Apr 20, 2022)

skyscraper101 said:


> It does indeed sound cringe but without seeing it I can't really judge, and it does sound like the whole point was to be educational and fun for kids so on that basis I'm all for it. They even confirmed there was input and guidance from educational and safeguarding specialists so that would be reassuring enough for me.
> 
> But being forced to cancel because of "threats" just proves there are still plenty of morons about who would rather jump to the conclusion that it's inappropriate.




I'm guessing the threats and outrage seemed a little from the USA current sex ed/anything LGBTQ  is pedo nonsense that is running riot with the right in America

shit always start creeping over :/


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## 8ball (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> Young children don’t need to understand about consent because they can’t.



The later consent stuff links in naturally to what kids should be taught about the boundaries they have a right to keep over whether and where and how they are touched, but I really can't see how this in particular is appropriate for under 16 or so (in which case they'd be mortified to be at such a thing with their parents).  

Bizarrely conceived.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> Young children don’t need to understand about consent because they can’t.


don't they need to be taught about consent then, so they know what not consenting is?


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 20, 2022)

At a guess, maybe one of the main objectives from the show is to make everything less mortifyingly embarrassing for children, so kids are enabled to feel more at ease with discussing bodies and sex from an early age.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> don't they need to be taught about consent then, so they know what not consenting is?


Im an age appropriate way - all they need to know is the pants rule and that no one should touch them. 

You cannot talk about sex, pleasure and consent in such a way that it would be comprehensible to a 5 year old and relevant to a 14 year old. Or vice versa. It’s why RSE lessons have different content at different ages.


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## Idris2002 (Apr 20, 2022)

I've seen on twitter - it may or may not be true - that the people behind this said that they had sought safeguarding advice from the NSPCC, to which that organization said "it's news to us, guv, never heard of, or from, these folks". If that's true, it's definitely one for the "things that make you go hmmm" file.


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## Idaho (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> So who is it for?


So many of these theatrey things seem to be for the benefit of those working on the theatre. They require subsidies and grants to make most productions viable.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

I think it sounds potentially  a really interesting show. I just think it’s probably more suitable for adults/ teens who will probably want to go without their parents.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> Im an age appropriate way - all they need to know is the pants rule and that no one should touch them.
> 
> You cannot talk about sex, pleasure and consent in such a way that it would be comprehensible to a 5 year old and relevant to a 14 year old. Or vice versa. It’s why RSE lessons have different content at different ages.


It does seem to be quite a wide age range to cover with a theatre show, probably a bit ambitious there.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

Idaho said:


> So many of these theatrey things seem to be for the benefit of those working on the theatre. They require subsidies and grants to make most productions viable.


Yeah I worked with a charity who got an arts council grant and we had to put in loads of bolt ons and crap to get the money.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

Idaho said:


> So many of these theatrey things seem to be for the benefit of those working on the theatre. They require subsidies and grants to make most productions viable.


most art apart from the most brazenly commercial is subsidised tbf. if it wasn't it'd be even more of a plaything for the rich than it already is


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## Idaho (Apr 20, 2022)

skyscraper101 said:


> At a guess, maybe one of the main objectives from the show is to make everything less mortifyingly embarrassing for children, so kids are enabled to feel more at ease with discussing bodies and sex from an early age.


It's mainly the presence of adults that  makes it mortifying. Kids always seem pretty happy to talk about sex topics amongst themselves.


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## Spymaster (Apr 20, 2022)

"Family" and "sex" are two words that should really never be used in conjunction.


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## maomao (Apr 20, 2022)

Idaho said:


> It's mainly the presence of adults that  makes it mortifying. Kids always seem pretty happy to talk about sex topics amongst themselves.


I teach PSHE to kids and teenagers (11-14) and they don't know as much as they think they do. I do love embarrassing them with the idea that middle aged and old people can have healthy sex lives though. No details required, just the very idea tends to get whoops of disgust.


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## Idaho (Apr 20, 2022)

Spymaster said:


> "Family" and "sex" are two words that should really never be used in conjunction.


And yet you cannot have the former without the latter.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

Spymaster said:


> "Family" and "sex" are two words that should really never be used in conjunction.


If the stories my children tell me about in-school sex ed are anything like accurate, it's probably best not to leave it to the schools. And it's definitely not best to leave it to their peers. Where does that leave them?


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## Raheem (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> It does seem to be quite a wide age range to cover with a theatre show, probably a bit ambitious there.


It's probably aimed at older kids, but "suitable for" younger kids who there isn't really a choice other than to take along.


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## maomao (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> If the stories my children tell me about in-school sex ed are anything like accurate


It can be very patchy, very few schools have specialist pshe teachers so it tends to be done either in form time or dumped on new teachers like me working from centrally prepared classes.


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## xenon (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> I’m really not clear who this show is aimed at.
> 
> Infant school aged children don’t need to see naked adults on stage, or people simulating sex. Young children don’t need to understand about consent because they can’t.
> 
> ...



Yep.  I kinda got called repressed or sommat on the other thread for saying who would actually want to see this with their parents. I mean  

Also not really surprising they've got the reaction they have with the obvious controversy seeking title 

Course I think issues about sex, relationships, consent etc should be taught to kids but this sounds like a misstep...


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## xenon (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> If the stories my children tell me about in-school sex ed are anything like accurate, it's probably best not to leave it to the schools. And it's definitely not best to leave it to their peers. Where does that leave them?




Free lance theatrical groups doesn't seem an obvious answer TBH.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

xenon said:


> Free lance theatrical groups doesn't seem an obvious answer TBH.


none of us will ever know whether it was or not.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> If the stories my children tell me about in-school sex ed are anything like accurate, it's probably best not to leave it to the schools. And it's definitely not best to leave it to their peers. Where does that leave them?


Dunno. But I can’t imagine that the parents who take their kids to see things like this will be the ones who want their teenagers to be ill informed.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

I mean, it sounds a bit cringe, but I was brought up in England so everything even vaguely sex ed related sounds a bit cringe.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> Dunno. But I can’t imagine that the parents who take their kids to see things like this will be the ones who want their teenagers to be ill informed.


sure, but it's not just about this show is it? anyone who attempts to do something like this - make sex ed relevant to kids, interesting, even fun - runs the risk of getting this kind of pushback.


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## trashpony (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> sure, but it's not just about this show is it? anyone who attempts to do something like this - make sex ed relevant to kids, interesting, even fun - runs the risk of getting this kind of pushback.


I I’m not aware of any other theatre groups who want to talk to primary school aged children about pleasure and boundaries. Are there loads of them?


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

trashpony said:


> I I’m not aware of any other theatre groups who want to talk to primary school aged children about pleasure and boundaries. Are there loads of them?


the post you're replying to says that I think this this furore has consequences beyond this very specific example?


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## Ax^ (Apr 20, 2022)

as an aside from my past posting on this one , i can comment that sex ed for kids has always been a prickly subject even without the aid of facebook and other insipid wankers comdening it for the own personal reason or religious agendas ,

so  that i'll quote something that happened in my lifetime due to a catholic school system that i mentioned   last year



Ax^ said:


> hmm true story but my older sister got sex ed in school around about 9 years old and came home and told my little sister age 4 1/2 all
> the details, little sister happly went into school the following day and told her class mates
> 
> the school took it slightly badly and me , the little sister and the older sister sent an afternoon with the police whilst they investigated the knowledge obtained
> whilst my mom tried not to kill anyone



it a touche subject for most parents but its need in most situations its the when is the eduction approrate thats the issue,
every parent will think differently and you also have people with their own weird agendas about it


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## Santino (Apr 20, 2022)

killer b said:


> none of us will ever know whether it was or not.


I think what we do know is that you shouldn't advise children to google masturbating animals.


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## killer b (Apr 20, 2022)

Santino said:


> I think what we do know is that you shouldn't advise children to google masturbating animals.


did they do that in the show? seems... ill advised.


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## Yossarian (Apr 21, 2022)

killer b said:


> did they do that in the show? seems... ill advised.



It was on the show's website - seems a little odd, though curious kids with unrestricted access to YouTube etc. have probably already seen enough wanking animals to write a thesis on the subject.


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## urbanspaceman (Apr 21, 2022)

Nope
					

When is sex not sex? When it’s agenda, by Corisande Pick




					grahamlinehan.substack.com
				




This critique, written by somebody who seems to know about safeguarding and RSE, is quite damning about the show in question. It seems that they know nothing about safeguarding, and have not taken expert advice.

_"The Family Sex Show repeatedly claimed that they had taken advice from child safeguarding experts, however the show contravened NSPCC guidelines.  After they were contacted, the NSPCC  also said that not only had they never heard of it, they also had no input into devising it."_


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## Red Cat (Apr 21, 2022)

Santino said:


> I think what we do know is that you shouldn't advise children to google masturbating animals.



Well, yes, I think that's right.


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## killer b (Apr 21, 2022)

urbanspaceman said:


> It seems that they know nothing about safeguarding, and have not taken expert advice.


they claim to have written the show with advice from these guys, who look like they might have some expertise in the area?









						School of Sexuality Education
					

We provide comprehensive and inclusive sexuality and relationships education programmes.




					schoolofsexed.org


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## killer b (Apr 21, 2022)

Corisande Pick must be a pen name, 'cause whoever it is doesn't come up on google. I'm not sure I'd take anything written by some anonymous random on Graham Linehan's blog at face value though.


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## urbanspaceman (Apr 21, 2022)

killer b said:


> Corisande Pick must be a pen name, 'cause whoever it is doesn't come up on google. I'm not sure I'd take anything written by some anonymous random on Graham Linehan's blog at face value though.


Nobody is asking you to take it at face value. You can assess the arguments made for yourself.


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## killer b (Apr 21, 2022)

Sorry, what I meant was I'm not going to read an article by some anonymous random on Graham Linehan's blog - just the single paragraph you've quoted is enough to show me the cut of their jib. Where have the family sex show claimed to have consulted the NSPCC?


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## maomao (Apr 21, 2022)

Santino said:


> I think what we do know is that you shouldn't advise children to google masturbating animals.


What age can we start doing that then? Because me and my kids have a game where we Google for videos of different animals doing a poo and that's going to get old eventually.


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## Red Cat (Apr 21, 2022)

Not at any age if they're doing it because an adult has told them to do it.


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