OTTAWA, Ontario, May 16, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A national marriage and family think tank has condemned a graphic exhibition on sex which is to open tomorrow at Ottawa’s Science and Technology Museum, calling it “erotic and titillating,” and has asked Minister of Canadian Heritage to scrap the entire exhibition.
“This exhibit includes what can only be described as soft pornography, expressly designed for youth in the context of a museum,” wrote Dave Quist, executive director for the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada (IMFC) to James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage in an open letter dated today.
“Based on a tour by our staff, the exhibition espouses a specific point of view including the approval and promotion of anal sex, multiple sexual partners and sex without emotional/marital commitment.”
“Minister Moore, I would respectfully ask that this exhibition be cancelled,” stated Quist.
SEX: A Tell-all Exhibition is scheduled to open tomorrow. The exhibition has already been denounced by conservative commentators who say that, despite its claims of being “scientific” and objective, it is disturbingly explicit and promotes an amoral vision of sexuality.
“Our children are bombarded by sexual content in their lives from a too-early age,” wrote Barbara Kay of the National Post. “Some of it is informative and appropriate; much of it is intrusive and unwholesome. The last thing students need is more sexual graphics, more full-frontal life-size nudity, another invitation to early experimentation.”
Public outrage against the sex exhibition appears to have been heard by the directors of the museum. Museum staff confirmed to the IMFC that the previously included animated video of children masturbating has been removed and the unaccompanied age restriction has been raised from 12 to 16 years. Younger children will reportedly still be able to visit with an adult, however.
James Moore, Canadian Heritage Minister, and Luc Fournier, Acting Director for the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology did not respond to LifeSiteNews’ phone message and e-mail by press time.
“The complaints and feedback of parents is making a difference,” stated IMFC in a press release today. But the organization said that more drastic measures need to be taken to protect teens from the exhibition’s hedonistic sexual perspective.
“Sexuality is something many families would prefer to teach within the family context,” stated Quist in his letter to Moore.
“Furthermore, surveys demonstrate that parents want sexual information to link sex with love, intimacy and commitment – something completely unrepresented in this exhibit. Surveys also reveal that as many as 91 percent of parents want their teens to delay sexual activity until after the completion of high school, reducing the risk of abuse, STIs and unintended pregnancies that can alter the course of a young person’s life.”
“Where the exhibit does address the risk of STIs, the premise that abstinence and monogamy are the only 100% sure way to avoid STIs is also absent. Evidence does not show that early exposure to this type of ‘education’ will delay sexual initiation. To the contrary, the best means of delaying early sexual initiation is through the active involvement of the biological dad in the household.”
The IMFC lambasted the exhibition not only for what they argue is its lack scientific rigor, but also for the way the exhibit hyper-sexualized the content.
One part of the exhibit states that “The age at which I start having sex, the types of relationships I experience, how my body reacts – all of these define me.” The IMFC however pointed out that “supporting early sexual encounters has been shown to result in unwanted pregnancies and at a higher risk of emotional and mental health issues.”
Another part examines passionate kissing where youth can read, “When my mouth comes in contact with yours all these nerve cells bombard me with stimulation. I feel you, I touch you, I taste you and we intertwine.” The IMFC pointed out that there is “no scientific purpose” for such dialogue and for the accompanied looped video of passionate kissing.
“Along with Canada’s other national museums, the CMST [Canadian Museum of Science and Technology] has had a strong, positive reputation. Based on the opinions of many taxpayers who are already providing our office with feedback, and a personal tour through the exhibit, I believe that this exhibit is out of touch with the will of the majority of Canadians and its continuation will only sully the museum’s reputation,” concluded Quist in his letter.
Contact Information:
Canadian Museum of Science and Technology
P.O. Box 9724, Station T
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5A3
Ph: (613) 991-6090
Luc Fournier, Acting Director
Ph: (613) 998-4472
E-mail: [email protected]
Denise Amyot, President and CEO
E-mail: [email protected]
James Moore, Canadian Heritage Minister
(responsible for the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation)
E-mail: [email protected]
Related LSN coverage:
Sex exhibition aimed at teens set to open in Ottawa museum