A Detailed Look At “The Family Sex Show”

he basically abused people in plain sight and nobody did a fucking thing about it.

John Lydon tried to speak out.

I mean, i was a punk. And now here i am wanting to revive the spirit of Mary Whitehouse.

I'm sure Mary Whitehouse would have been gender critical, a feminist and oustpoken women who stood her ground when protecting women and girls.

Apart from the older women who tried to keep him out of the hospital wards.

There is a theme here.

Signed

I grew up with Mary Whitehouse as a figure of fun, as that was how she was portrayed in the media.

It now occurs to me that the same media was full of people who were also portraying Jimmy Savile as a wonderful man who did such a lot for charity.

I think I really need to look into Mary Whitehouse in her own words.

I abhor censorship, and particularly the kind of "Mary Whitehouse" knee jerk response to theatre that's open about sex.

It's possible that the public understanding of Mary Whitehouse is more akin to the mockery of her than Mary Whitehouse's actual philosophy or actions in some regards. Whitehouse correctly interpreted what was happening with PIE and the Home Office. She was part of the pressure that brought about the passing of the Protection of Children Act 1978.

whatcanidoaboutit.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/mary-whitehouse-versus-pie-the-home-office-1978/

1. the words "family", "sex" and "show" do not belong in the same sentence for anyone with a healthy mindset regarding sex or families.

2. this has been a problem on the left/liberal side for decades. In the German Democratic Republic, young leftists became so obsessed with deconstructing anything associated with conservatism that they literally believed it was their duty to initiate their own children into sex. Those with a strong stomach can read all about it here: www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-sexual-revolution-and-children-how-the-left-took-things-too-far-a-702679.html

3. the fact they lied about the NSPCC being involved - something they've now removed from their website - is a massive red flag. Why are they overstating their safeguarding chops?

abhor censorship, and particularly the kind of "Mary Whitehouse" knee jerk response to theatre that's open about sex.

There have been some interesting threads about Whitehouse recently. On some issues, she was absolutely correct, and she put up with threats and smears that would terrify many.

*deigned to tell us

The NSPCC really needs someone to take a closer look at them. Their hand waving away of this and asking others to contact the theatres suggests they're not taking seriously their core role - that of safeguarding children.
And it seems that the theatres are doubling down and celebrating this opportunity for adults to be naked in front of other people's little children - not that the citizens of Bristol are impressed with the commentators identifying precisely what an opportunity this is to groom children by eroding their boundaries:

www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/bristol-theatre-defends-naked-family-6935646

Thanks @Organictangerine for putting it like that - you're right, there is a middle ground, and I suppose our language needs to reflect that. Otherwise, it's too easily used against us.

I'm just a veteran of right-wing attempts to ban stuff before it's even been seen, and I'm a bit nervous of that. And was sort-of brought up on The Little Red School Book - bought for us by my mother, when they tried to ban it (does anyone remember that?)

Happy to contribute towards the price of a couple of tickets for people to see the show & report back ...

No @ExMachinaDeus because it hasn’t started yet.

Don’t feel like you’re having to persuade yourself to think it’s acceptable to teach five year olds about masturbation while letting men from Twitter strip off in front of them, in order not to look like Mary Whitehouse. The two are poles apart and there’s plenty of decent, sensible middle areas between them.

Has anyone actually seen this show? I'm not in the area, and I"m not a safeguarding expert (I tach undergrads, so safeguarding issues are different ) but it would be interesting to hear responses to the show from those of you expert in safeguarding &development of children of the age bracket the show is designed for.

I am really conflicted about this - I abhor censorship, and particularly the kind of "Mary Whitehouse" knee jerk response to theatre that's open about sex. And that no-one has seen. I guess I was brought up as a bit of an old 1970s hippy/liberal about these things. Although never, ever pro-porn (which is basically commercialised rape).

But there are elements of the show, as it's advertised & talked about, that do seem quite at odds with the care we now try to take over children's bodies, minds, and their appropriate sexual development.

Any reports from audiences?

I don't think ignoring this will mean it dies a death, either.

I also think the only way the NSPCC and co is going to change is if they're embarrassed I to it. Sadly this problem requires a national newspaper investigation and exposé. Emailing and being nice and so on, does not work.

Could someone in one of the towns where the show is supposed be on make a report to SS?

If people start protesting publicly or picketing the show, these people are just going to get the attention they want.
Just let it die, because it will.

Sorry. I disagree. Things that have been ‘ignored’ in the past just keep coming back again and again. Each time crossing more boundaries.

And if every group in society push back the message will be a universal ‘this is not appropriate for children’

I did make a report to the NSPC, several days ago. Their response was to thank me for bringing it their attention, to say they had not heard about it and had not been consulted about it, and that there were "not aware" of what the content was. That was pretty much it.

'Parents or members of the public who are concerned about someone working with children or vulnerable adults should contact the police, social services or the person’s employer.'

www.gov.uk/report-unfit-work-children-vulnerable-adults

Should the organisation be reported as unfit to work with children?

I can't decide which infuriates me most.
The fact this show ever got off the ground or the frankly nauseating lack of response from the NSPCC who have been a liability for literally years now.
What a world we are in

I've had a look at the NSPCC - this is the body that should deal with these kind of concerns, isn't it?

I think it comes under:

www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/away-from-home/sports-clubs-activities/

Their reporting form is unavailable.

One can email the theatre company to ask about their safeguarding policy, who their welfare officer is, etc.

Is the problem partly that this seems like ... sort of 'meta' grooming. It's not necessarily that children are at risk of abuse during the show or workshops, it's more that it's undermining boundaries and consent so may damage safeguarding subsequently.

I am (clearly) no expert on the subject, but that's what it seems like to me. It's teaching children unhealthy and potentially risky mindsets/ideas.