A Detailed Look At “The Family Sex Show”

[Sazzasez]

Just for clarity & in case anyone jumps at the chance to call me a right-winger bent on denying women reproductive rights: I’m a socialist agnostic who has protested anti-abortionists.

And I know a child safeguarding hazard when I see one.

Performances planned in Bath, Bristol and Norwich.

grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/nope?s=r

[tabbycatstripy]

It’s come to something when you feel you have to caveat an objection to “The Family Sex Show” with “I promise I’m not anti-choice and right wing”.

[Organictangerine]

@tabbycatstripy

It’s come to something when you feel you have to caveat an objection to “The Family Sex Show” with “I promise I’m not anti-choice and right wing”.

I know, it staggers me

[tabbycatstripy]

And any show that has to put “Can I leave if I want to?” in its FAQs isn’t getting my money.

[CandyLeBonBon]

Fucking hell!

[ImaniMumsnet]

Hi @Organictangerine,

Sorry for the inconvenience but we've had to delete your latest post with the petition link as we only allow petitions to be posted on our petitions board www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard. Please repost here.

Best wishes

[Organictangerine]

No worries @mnhq

Anyway check out the petition on the petitions board if you feel so inclined…

[PonyPatter44]

I posted on the other thread about this but Glinner has identified one particular issue very clearly. The people behind this zany sex romp claim that the aim of safeguarding is to prevent sexual violence. A cynical person might take that to mean, violence will not be required, if you just lie back and take it like a good boy / girl. The more I think about this "family friendly show", the more I think its hugely sinister.

[tabbycatstripy]

‘The people behind this zany sex romp claim that the aim of safeguarding is to prevent sexual violence. A cynical person might take that to mean, violence will not be required, if you just lie back and take it like a good boy / girl.’

Couldn’t give a fuck what they think the aim is. It’s actually to prevent the premature sexualisation of kids, because that’s abuse.

[PonyPatter44]

I don't think the cast and crew are wrong 'uns, necessarily, but I suspect they are useful idiots.

[LetitiaLeghorn]

I'm curious. What does it matter what your politics are? If you deny you're right wing, is that because a right wing person's opinion would be less valid than a socialist one?

[Awkwardy]

Yeah I get that vibe too @PonyPatter44

Someone had a - fairly ok if slightly left-field idea - of helping parents who don't really know how to broach the subject of SRE with something that makes grim, embarrassing PSHE lessons a bit more entertaining.

And then it got hijacked into this monstrosity with the biggest red flag sticking out of it

And whoever had the original idea has been told to suck it up or be branded a bigot in the time-honoured fashion.

[tabbycatstripy]

‘If you deny you're right wing, is that because a right wing person's opinion would be less valid than a socialist one?’

It’s because it’s a common attack strategy when people suggest child safeguarding is important.

[stimpyyouidiot]

Great write up. I emailed n&n festival and also the nspcc.

I posted the reply from n&n festival on the previous thread about this.

The nspcc replied with this:

Good Evening, 
Thank you for contacting the NSPCC in relation to your concerns regarding this production; your email was received on 08/4/22 at 08.26
We have reviewed the information you have provided and made enquiries with relevant departments within the NSPCC.  We can confirm that we were not aware of this production until recently, it has not been developed in partnership with the NSPCC nor is it endorsed by us.
We are unable to comment upon whether the content of the show is in line with NSPCC research, as stated on the show’s website, without knowing more about the exact content of the show or specifically which research they refer to. 
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.  I can see that you have already contacted your MP and Norfolk and Norwich festival, you may also wish to write directly to the company who have developed this production as they will be better placed to answer specific questions you have about the production itself.   
If you ever have concerns for the welfare of a child, please do not hesitate to contact us again via return email or by calling us on 0808 800 5000.  If a child is at risk of immediate harm, please call the Police straight away.

[ResisterRex]

I looked at all of the website and it screams red flags. Anyone who takes their kid to this needs a visit from social services. If I knew anyone who took their kid to this, I'd be cutting ties immediately and telling the school. None of it is appropriate and all of it has the common theme of lowering boundaries, and normalising sexual terms like "pegging" so that when children repeat them, adults carry on like nothing just happened.

[ResisterRex]

This is pretty lame from the NSPCC:

"We are unable to comment upon whether the content of the show is in line with NSPCC research, as stated on the show’s website, without knowing more about the exact content of the show or specifically which research they refer to."

You'd think they'd have learned from rubberwankmanincident by now

[stimpyyouidiot]

I did like that they confirmed that they weren't aware of it until recently, not had anything to do with the production and don't endorse it either.

So it looks as if they've not spoken to the people who should know the most about this stuff.

[Clymene]

Even if no one takes their child to see this, even if the audience is mainly made up of Guardian journalists and the actors' mates, the Arts Council has questions to answer. They are funded by central government and the lottery. Our money basically. Our money to create a production about sex for children created by people who don't understand (or want to understand) safeguarding and who are pushing an agenda which government guidance says is inappropriate

[DomesticatedZombie]

@ResisterRex

This is pretty lame from the NSPCC:

"We are unable to comment upon whether the content of the show is in line with NSPCC research, as stated on the show’s website, without knowing more about the exact content of the show or specifically which research they refer to."

You'd think they'd have learned from rubberwankmanincident by now

Well, are they going to look into it?

[Sazzasez]

@tabbycatstripy & @LetitiaLeghorn - I put it in as an FYI, after seeing how the discussion on “Deeply Concerned about Child Safeguarding in Bristol” mutated into “can I oppose something appalling if it means agreeing with people who are appalling”.

I have said nothing that should suggest a religious person, or a Tory voter, has a less valid view than mine.

Nor does my being a socialist agnostic make my view on this any MORE valid.

Clear?

[stimpyyouidiot]

If other people also speak to them about their concerns maybe they would?

[PrelateChuckles]

But continuing on their track of talking about safeguarding while demonstrating how not to do it, ThisEgg launches into an “example”, not of safeguarding, but of how to dismiss a safeguarding concern - if a child has bruises, the responsible adult asks, and the child says they fell in the playground.

End of story, according to ThisEgg: “Therefore these answers may not require further action”.

... WHAT?!

- this is what TheFamilySexShow’s FAQs instructs concerned adults:

“These statements might warrant open, follow-up questions”. (It’s worth noting they give no examples, not even bad ones, of what these open follow-up questions might be).

And then, the kicker:

“A response from the child such as “I saw the Family Sex Show at the Theatre” would be a reasonable response they were not in fact at risk”.


WHAT??!!!

[tabbycatstripy]

Sazza - I’m with you. I am a reluctant Tory voter at the moment. I voted Labour for twenty years. I’m just pointing out that some people assume that a person talking about child safeguarding is right wing. And that’s an issue.

[tabbycatstripy]

‘ “A response from the child such as “I saw the Family Sex Show at the Theatre” would be a reasonable response they were not in fact at risk”.

WHAT??!!!’

Yeah, I would ask, “What was that, then?”

Then I’d DIVE on my school’s safeguarding reporting system.

[Organictangerine]

@LetitiaLeghorn

I'm curious. What does it matter what your politics are? If you deny you're right wing, is that because a right wing person's opinion would be less valid than a socialist one?

I think it’s more because when right wing people oppose the topic of sex being in the public arena, it’s usually for religious or ideological reasons than practical concerns.