Masturbation Video Removed From Museum

A series of complaints about an exhibit on sex at the Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa has resulted in younger teenagers being banned from viewing it and has also caused the museum to remove a video about masturbation from the exhibit altogether.

The museum has justified this by claiming that the complaints represent public opinion and that an institution funded by taxpayers should respond to what the public think.

To me, a few dozen complaints don’t necessarily convey wider public opinion!

And anyway, surely the job of a museum is to educate, regardless of how palatable that education is?

Canada and other Western nations have high rates of teenage pregnancy. Research has shown that children who are provided with information about sex tend to have sex later and in a more safe way. And masturbation is the ultimate in safe sex!

To exclude younger teenagers from this exhibit seems ridiculous. Banning information from responsible sources from being viewed by children leaves them vulnerable to getting their information from the wrong people!

Ultimately, worrying about whether a few 13-year-olds watch a video on masturbation in a museum is really failing to understand the root of the problem. Teenagers have sex – this isn’t a new, teenagers have always had sex. The authorities need to concentrate their efforts on making sure teenagers have the ability to make informed decisions about sex. Focusing on banning access to resources on sex will only make sex more appealing in the long run.

Contact the author here: jmw@morningquickie.com