Don't Blog During Cyberchase
It's hard to concentrate listening to Christopher Lloyd as Hacker.
I really wonder if adults who work in children's television ever have sex. I mean, isn't it a cultural prerequisite that children's entertainers be completely sexless? C'mon, who really believes that "Steve" from Blue's Clues is getting any? Even the new guy, "Joe", can't possibly be active. Don't get me wrong, he's terminally adorable, but he can't be knockin' Keds with anyone. Can he?
Now, I've entertained children and when I am in that mode I am all sweet. I'm sure no one who has met me in that mode has ever expected me to even know what sex is. (Except for the existance of my child- but hey- how about a virgin birth?) You see, that frustrated me. It wasn't just sex, it is a lack of acceptance that I could possibly be interested in any aspects of life that aren't all Raffi all the time. (By the way- I can't stand listening to Raffi- so pttttthhhhhh!) So, maybe I should allow children's entertainers/ educators the opportunity to have a "dark" side.
That's an inaccurate way of describing it. Sex isn't dark. We tend to keep it in the dark. Now, I'm not advocating that we start parading sex on children's shows or start giving them graphic instructions of things adults do after the kids go to bed. But, what if we could find a way to promote healthier expression?
I know that this sounds like a turn about from my rant about popular porn a few months back. It isn't. I still think that we glorify taboo and ojectify women in a way that is a lose-lose situation for everyone. Especially for kids. But what would constitute a healty display of love and desire? The fact that I even have to ask that question should tell me that this culture is a little twisted when it comes to sex. What do we- as a culture, not as scientists- know about sexuality? We know "dirty" when we see it. But what else do we know? We have a lot of assumptions about sexuality, but how many of those assumptions touch upon the truth?
This will require some study on my part.
I really wonder if adults who work in children's television ever have sex. I mean, isn't it a cultural prerequisite that children's entertainers be completely sexless? C'mon, who really believes that "Steve" from Blue's Clues is getting any? Even the new guy, "Joe", can't possibly be active. Don't get me wrong, he's terminally adorable, but he can't be knockin' Keds with anyone. Can he?
Now, I've entertained children and when I am in that mode I am all sweet. I'm sure no one who has met me in that mode has ever expected me to even know what sex is. (Except for the existance of my child- but hey- how about a virgin birth?) You see, that frustrated me. It wasn't just sex, it is a lack of acceptance that I could possibly be interested in any aspects of life that aren't all Raffi all the time. (By the way- I can't stand listening to Raffi- so pttttthhhhhh!) So, maybe I should allow children's entertainers/ educators the opportunity to have a "dark" side.
That's an inaccurate way of describing it. Sex isn't dark. We tend to keep it in the dark. Now, I'm not advocating that we start parading sex on children's shows or start giving them graphic instructions of things adults do after the kids go to bed. But, what if we could find a way to promote healthier expression?
I know that this sounds like a turn about from my rant about popular porn a few months back. It isn't. I still think that we glorify taboo and ojectify women in a way that is a lose-lose situation for everyone. Especially for kids. But what would constitute a healty display of love and desire? The fact that I even have to ask that question should tell me that this culture is a little twisted when it comes to sex. What do we- as a culture, not as scientists- know about sexuality? We know "dirty" when we see it. But what else do we know? We have a lot of assumptions about sexuality, but how many of those assumptions touch upon the truth?
This will require some study on my part.
posted by Bree O'Connor at 11:35 AM
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