UC Berkeley exposes elementary kids to giant penis, 'pin-the-tail on the anus' game

[alp227]

Advance warning: the source of this story is the right wing Campus Reform, a sleazy, dishonest right wing outfit devoted to complaining about any foreign, unorthodox idea on the college campus that hurts a fundie conservative's feelings. So instead of giving these a-holes any more traffic i've archived the site using Archive.is, link is here:

A group of elementary and middle school students touring University of California - Berkeley last week were exposed to a man in a giant penis costume and school-sponsored sex games.

"All day long, little kids were prancing by the dental dam demonstrations, sex-themed games of chance, and the guy in the penis suit," student Claire Chiara said in an interview with Campus Reform Thursday.

The children were led through the campus quad while Berkeley students were playing “pin-the-tail on the anus” and tossing condoms through holes on a poster board meant to represent vaginas and anuses.

There was also a man dressed as a giant penis handing out condoms, although he was not permitted to hand them to the children.

now the only media outlets giving this attention are the typical clique of right wing blogs. But Wonkette gave this story a mention in a humor article.

basically this story is a paragraph long complaint about children being exposed to...seeeeeeex. C'mon their argument is basically, "these kids are scarred for life and are going to turn into STD-carrying harlots!" do these right wing morons not understand that learning about sex is not the same as watching pornography?

fuck this country. Americans are so illogical with it. every vice they fear so much whether it be sex or alcohol they are too afraid to discuss it openly with their kids...and then they wonder why kids grow up not knowing what healthy sexuality is or how to drink responsibly.

[exboyfil]

1. Sorry I can't go there

Parading around advocating a libertine lifestyle is exercising your freedom of speech, but it is coarsening the culture. If I was a parent I would be upset about these foolish displays which are totally inappropriate for children.

I had the big sex talk with my daughters in sixth grade. Actually I used a Human Biology book that is part of some nursing curriculum.

As a side note my daughter and I enjoy Darwin Week at our local university. This year I was not very thrilled since two days out of the four were taken up discussing sex. My daughter would have preferred more information about ongoing scientific research into evolution and genetics for example.

[alp227]

2. ...and comment #1 manages to read like Campus Reform comment

"advocating a libertine lifestyle"...describe which part of the Berkeley exhibits were "libertine." Are you suggesting that a sex-positive POV is "libertine"? Watch your language. Didn't Reagan use similar terms to describe Berkeley students when he was governor back in the '60s?

[exboyfil]

3. Sorry I think the hook

up culture and promiscuity is libertine. That seems to be what the poster behind the kids seems to be communicating to me. I do not think it is healthy or wise. On the other hand I am all for responsible education about STDs, sex, pregnancy, contraception, and abortion. I am not saying that they cannot have these posters and games at Berkeley, but I am saying that I do not think sex is a game - it is much more serious than that. What adult students see and do at Berkeley is different than what children should be exposed to.

From a purely practical standpoint how much political traction are you going to gain about advancing the important topics noted above if you see nothing wrong with exposing children to displays intended for adults. It would be no different than screening Reservoir Dogs for a group of kids.

As an adult student I view these displays as foolish. That is my right.

[alp227]

4. "Reservoir Dogs"? Really?

Another Santorum comparison. Are you saying sex is so inherently adult that it should be "not in front of the children"? Which SPECIFIC elements of the posters do you see promote promiscuity? prove it or you are showing a straw man. no I am not advocating hook up culture. I simply want youth to learn what healthy sexuality is and how to avoid health hazards of sex and unplanned pregnancy. It seems based on your comments and the SI Swimsuit threads that DU has a large sex negative community whose views on sexuality are in common with the majority on our right wing rival boards.

[riderinthestorm]

35. I'm still goggling at "libertine".

Haven't seen that word used outside of some 19th century texts and/or romance novels....

[DEMTough]

5. I'd Like to Point Out That Two Weeks ago was National Condom Week

It was being celebrated at UC Berkeley. Obviously, this took place during that time. The kids were never meant to be exposed to the material by those who brought them there, nor were those who were hosting them. As a student myself, I can easily guess the students hosting these events didn't know that children were coming that day.

I'm glad these kids are mature enough about sexuality to openly discuss it, and yet allow some humor in the discussion.

But what were they going to do? Leave the campus or hide indoors until the children leave? Perhaps the people who scheduled the elementary school trip could have done their homework on what events were going on that week, and rescheduled.

As another adult (19) student, I see these displays as good humor to get the word out on safe sex. I look forward to transferring to Berkeley in the next year.

More info: [link:http://www.dailycal.org/2014/02/10/national-condom-week-begins-monday/|

[Enthusiast]

10. exboyfil expressed his admiration for Reagan recently.

[merrily]

24. So have Obama and Hillary.

[Enthusiast]

27. Both are misguided in their admiration.

They are way off.

[exboyfil]

29. That is not true

I pointed out a statement in a textbook was false, and a portion of the textbook was partisan in nature (the textbook being social work). Neither are helpful (you lose credibility by making false statements and you lose credibility by being partisan when you are supposed to be presenting an academic subject). I s am more than happy to correct falsehoods in other subjects (see my posts on evolution for example).

As far as my opinion on Reagan's record I have no comment on it. If you want to make factual statements, make ones which are true.

Here is a website that summarizes appointments to high level positions by President. It supports my contention that Reagan's record was as good as Carter's.

http://womensenews.org/story/campaign-trail/001106/fact-sheet-women-government-appointees#.UwyhtPm-2M5

[Bluenorthwest]

32. Pointing out that Reagan was responsible for ignoring the largest crisis to social

work and health care of our times is not partisan, it is factual. His policies were extremely harmful to minority communities, which are still paying the price for his bigoted ignorance.
The text book was dead on correct.

[Warpy]

6. Elementary school kids aren't going to be impressed by much of it.

They don't get much out of bible camp, either, both venues are remembered as games and maybe some arts and crafts and food their Moms won't let them eat at home.

Kids are a lot more resilient than you think they are. If this story is true (and I sincerely doubt it), the kiddies will not grow up twisted.

ETA: The term "exposed to" means to me that the children were not participating, that they were likely waiting in a hall next to a condom week party.

[blkmusclmachine]

9. Scarred for life.

[JVS]

28. I don't think it's right to expect college students to be appropriate for children.

[davidthegnome]

7. Hmm.

There was also a man dressed as a giant penis handing out condoms, although he was not permitted to hand them to the children.


Okay, maybe it's juvenile - but I just find that way too hilarious. It reminds me of an old episode of South Park.

[TexasTowelie]

8. Wow, they start young these days.

We didn't play that game until I was in college.

[riderinthestorm]

11. College kids doing typical college stuff on a college campus are not the problem in this story

Its the elementary school teachers who scheduled this field trip during National Condom week. This isn't Berkeley's fault. If the elementary school didn't want their kids exposed (heh) to this kind of stuff they shouldn't be bringing the kids on campus

[pipoman]

12. Really? UC Berkley officials who authorized

The tour should have been the ones responsible for either making sure the chaperones knew or advised where these activities were going on at. Pretty sure "National Condom week" isn't on my calendar, nor is it widely publicized. ..I don't recall seeing a single giant penis or pin the penis on the anus game that week.

[riderinthestorm]

17. College kids doing typical college stuff on a college campus are not the problem

If you're going to come onto a college campus you're going to see stuff. I don't know of any campus that tells its students they have to gear their activities in such a way in case wandering 10 year olds might see adult stuff. (Well maybe Bob Jones or Liberty U or some such but Berkeley? Snort)

If the teachers were worried about the kids seeing stuff on a college campus then they shouldn't be taking them there

[pnwmom]

13. How would the elementary teachers know about National Condom Week?

I never heard of it before.

[riderinthestorm]

18. Honestly that doesn't matter.It's Berkeley. If you're going on campus you take your chances

That you'll see college students acting like college students which can include activities like those in the OP

[pnwmom]

19. Lots of people in CA don't know enough about Berkeley to know that -- especially first generation

families.

Why are you assuming that parents who didn't go to college themselves, parents who might even be immigrants, would know all about the kinds of things college students might do and Berkeley students in particular?

Even parents who DID go to college probably went in an era with very different "activities." When I took my seven year age son to visit his sister at her college, I thought he'd get excited to see the science facilities. I wouldn't have been expecting him to get a thorough education in college sex.

I'm not saying that there was anything wrong in Berkeley having these events for their students. But I think they could have done a better job of informing prospective visitors.

[riderinthestorm]

22. Well my kids are farm kids so I guess my sensibilities maybe different

Sex was just part of daily life. If I was going to pick up semen at the airport that usually happened after a full and frank discussion about the mares ovulation cycle snd sperm motility. Which would be met with a yawn by my kids and a request for a Cinnabon from the airport vendor.

As for a college being "shamed" because their students chose to spread the word about safe sex then I disagree even more so. I stand by my position that if you are afraid your kids are going to be exposed to college students doing college stuff on campus then they shouldn't go on campus.

College educated teachers brought the kids on campus. They know the score snd chose to take them to Berkeley on a field trip. If there's any blame here ( snd I for one don't think there is any) then it rests with the COLLEGE educated teachers who organized the trip

[REP]

33. Seriously?!?!

I graduated university in '86. My mother got her undergrad in the '50s and postgrads in the '70s. My grandmother graduated college in the '20s. My grandmother wasn't shocked by college campus life in the 50s, 70s or 80s. I can't tell you much about the 50s aside from interracial dating, but there was plenty going on in the 70s and 80s.

[belcffub]

38. I work on a large college campus

and have never seen anything like what is described.... I've been on the campus for almost 20 years now... I mean I wish I saw those things but really its pretty boring...

[riderinthestorm]

39. It could just as well be the pro-life group with their graphic dismembered fetus pics 5 feet high

Honestly, I'm not fixated on the "event". I'm ALL about anything that encourages this age group to practice safe sex and use condoms. My larger point was that you have to expect that college students are going to be doing college stuff on campus so there shouldn't have been any surprises.

In my day it was streakers. Every day one, two and sometimes a group streaking across the quad. There were always people smoking MJ. Open groping/bordering on sex action by couples. Frat guys in leashes during hazing....

... and yes, all the other usual boring stuff. College campus' are occupied by adults. The teachers had to have been college educated, they know what CAN be going on in the quad. Sounds like they decided the field trip was worth it.

And FWIW, I agree. Get the kids interested in this terrific new place that they can aspire to. Even with shenanigans (and I reiterate, I don't see the activities in the OP as shenanigans but a fun way to get attention and get people to come over, explore what's going on, and get condoms!)

[noamnety]

14. I wish right wing campus reform

was more willing to fight against things that really might give kids nightmares, like the posters they parade about on the street during their anti-choice rallies.

[alp227]

30. LOL. if those "pro life" protesters were on campus during a kids' tour

the campus reform type sites would be celebrating...because y'know because "pro life".

[pipoman]

15. Did you consider the controversy over SI

right here on DU while writing the last 2 paragraphs? Scantily clad women, bare buttocks, swimsuits seen on most public beaches around the world and the like being equated to porn and degradation of women. Seems very much the same controversy to me.

[alp227]

31. see my reply #4 nt

[gollygee]

16. This sounds like a communication error

but not that big of a deal. It's possible kids will be exposed to things outside appropriateness for their age level when on a college campus. It would have been nice to avoid it, but I don't think the kids will be scarred by seeing safe-sex messages intended for young adults instead of kids.

And they were silly and funny because that's the way to reach young adults. The article makes the fact that the messages were set up as games to be part of the problem, and describes the games as if they're horrific, but really the only problem is that kids outside the age level they were designed for were around them.

Also, if I had to guess, they probably weren't right in the event - ie they probably weren't "prancing right by the dental dam demonstrations . . ." They were more likely walking just outside of the event and probably had some idea of what was going on but not as detailed as the article suggests.

[Gormy Cuss]

34. Plus the kids' "trauma" would be directly related to how the adult chaperones reacted.

Telling kids that what they were seeing were a)just a costume of a boy part, in the case of the penis get-up and b) part of a fun event with a serious message for adults is about all they needed to know. If they asked questions, the chaperones can answer them as honestly as permissible and in a flat tone and using age-appropriate language and detail.

[bemildred]

20. And they say we are modern and have no taboos and superstitions. nt

[Enrique]

21. the college students serve as an easy target

I think two different things are getting mixed up here:
1.the idea that the kids would be traumatized. Forget about that. They saw something naughty, big deal.
2.the educational value of the college students' antics. I think young people should be given freedom to be stupid, within reason. But let's be real, the giant penis etc. are more about being naughty than about providing education.

The problem the rightwingers have is that they have a good case with #2, but then they have to answer the question "so what?" It's hard to make a case that the college kids being naughty is worth getting upset about, so they go to the kids' angle.

[merrily]

23. Homo or hetero, sexual things to which kids are exposed should be age appropriate.

I leave it to the experts to decide for the masses what is or is not age appropriate, but I personally would probably have removed a young child from the scene, if it is being described correctly.

[pintobean]

25. Uh-oh

I guess we should declare war on Brazil.



http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/senior-testicle-bat-cancer-research-article-1.1367516

[Brickbat]

26. Why were the elementary/middle-school kids touring Berkeley?

[tammywammy]

36. Last week was National Engineering Week

If I had to guess that would be it. I know we had a lot of schools touring where I work and employees doing things at local schools.

[riderinthestorm]

40. So if the educators were savvy enough to examine the calendar for that

we are expected to believe they missed National Condom Week.... at Berkeley... for a field trip.

Sorry. Not buying it. (not aimed at you specifically, just the posters who expressed incredulity about the fact that "nobody could have known....&quot

[tammywammy]

41. I'm a graduate student and had no idea there is a national condom week.

But engineering week was on the news, plus I work at an engineering facility so is always a big deal. I also know the schools around here do a lot of activities for engineering week.

I think the school, Berkley, could have steered the kids another way when walking through campus.

[Coyotl]

37. Hey wingnuts,

just be glad your parents had sex, oohh, and STFU unless then didn't.