Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - With One Word, Children’s Book Sets Off Uproar

Miss Mango · 02-22-2007, 11:48 AM

Am I the only one who thinks it is actually rather inappropriate? I haven't read the book, of course, so I don't know whether the word scrotum is integral to the story, but I'm betting it's not. I'm not for banning the book, but perhaps changing the word? For everyone saying "yeah, but kids are going to find out about sex and stuff anyway" - that's not an excuse. I read a lot of children's books when I was young, and guess what, none of them said 'scrotum', 'penis', 'vagina' or anything like that. And I didn't grow up twisted and unbalanced. These days, if you really want to make sure kids 'find out' about sex earlier, just let them look around on the internet, they'll find it eventually. I accept, for example, "Chances are kids by that age have heard far worse in the school yard at lunch or after school" - but is that an excuse to include it in a book? Because the kids might have heard the word already?

No, there's no need to ban the book, but was there really need to include the word 'scrotum' when there are many medical terms that mean less adult things? Immediately springing to mind is 'patella'. If anyone's read the book, can they explain why it wouldn't work if the kid had been bitten on the kneecap? Don't just defend the use of the word because it's free speech and kids are going to know what it means eventually anyway. It's still inapproriate. Sometimes, it seems, people try to be so liberal they forget how to be responsible.

02-22-2007, 11:48 AM	#39 (permalink)
Miss Mango Psycho	Am I the only one who thinks it is actually rather inappropriate? I haven't read the book, of course, so I don't know whether the word scrotum is integral to the story, but I'm betting it's not. I'm not for banning the book, but perhaps changing the word? For everyone saying "yeah, but kids are going to find out about sex and stuff anyway" - that's not an excuse. I read a lot of children's books when I was young, and guess what, none of them said 'scrotum', 'penis', 'vagina' or anything like that. And I didn't grow up twisted and unbalanced. These days, if you really want to make sure kids 'find out' about sex earlier, just let them look around on the internet, they'll find it eventually. I accept, for example, "Chances are kids by that age have heard far worse in the school yard at lunch or after school" - but is that an excuse to include it in a book? Because the kids might have heard the word already? No, there's no need to ban the book, but was there really need to include the word 'scrotum' when there are many medical terms that mean less adult things? Immediately springing to mind is 'patella'. If anyone's read the book, can they explain why it wouldn't work if the kid had been bitten on the kneecap? Don't just defend the use of the word because it's free speech and kids are going to know what it means eventually anyway. It's still inapproriate. Sometimes, it seems, people try to be so liberal they forget how to be responsible. Last edited by Miss Mango; 02-22-2007 at 12:03 PM..