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ENGLAND (LifeSiteNews) – An English theater company has sparked outrage by staging a sexually explicit show, featuring naked entertainers, for children as young as five.  

The Family Sex Show describes itself as a “ show for families about sex and relationships” and a “fun and silly performance about the painfully awkward subject of sex.” 

Ailie Debonnaire, the programming and engagement manager at Tobacco Factory Theatres, described the show as “a fun and playful show for adults and children aged five and up, which offers an honest, human sex education that is feminist, queer, non-binary, inclusive, and sex positive.” 

“This show can allow audiences of all ages to feel confident about their bodies, their boundaries and their sexual health,” she added. 

The show’s website features a content warning while encouraging parents to bring their children.  

“There is nakedness yes. At one point in the show, everyone on stage takes their clothes off to the level they feel comfortable to,” reads the show’s FAQ.  

But according to the show’s own website, all of the stories are written by and based on the performers’ own personal experiences of sexual relationships. 

Pictures of the production show adults simulating sex and a glossary featured on the website teaches children sexually explicit terms.  

The show’s FAQ makes it clear that children as young as 5 are welcome, arguing that “sexual development and behaviour starts from birth,” and that it is important for children to be “supported in their exploratory development.” 

The sexually explicit show generated a massive backlash from parents in the UK, including on social media site Mumsnet where one parents commented, “I cannot imagine bringing a five-year-old child to a theatre where people will tell her/him about sex and show their naked bodies to her/him. Am I the crazy one?” 

Parents also expressed their concerns on Twitter where one mother, Caroline Farrow tweeted an excerpt from the website’s FAQ where children are encouraged to draw animals masturbating.  

Farrow also launched a petition on CitizenGO. The petition describes the show as “nothing more than a blatant and extremely concerning attempt to sexualise children prematurely” and calls for theaters to “immediately scrap the production”. 

The petition has already gathered nearly 39,000 signatures, and performances of The Family Sex Show in Bristol and Norwich have been canceled following backlash and complaints from concerned parents. The protests were described as “threats and abuse at staff” in an article by the British Broadcasting Corporation; the BBC did not, however, present examples of the alleged threats and abuse.  

The Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol made similar claims when announcing the cancellation on their website. 

“Performances of The Family Sex Show by ThisEgg at Tobacco Factory Theatres have been cancelled. This is due to the unprecedented threats and abuse directed at our building and team,” the venue stated before offering refunds for already booked tickets.  

Josie Dale-Jones, a member of the ThisEgg production company, defended the show. 

“We wanted to make something that came at the topics of relationships and sex in a light way,” she said.  

According to the Daily Mail, concerned parents have not ruled out protesting outside Bath’s Theatre Royal where performances of The Family Sex Show are still planned for next month.  

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