Rainbow party (sexuality): Difference between revisions
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A '''rainbow party''' is a supposed [[group sex]] event featured in an [[urban legend]] spread since the early 2000s. A variant of the standard [[sex party]] urban myth, the stories claim that at these events, allegedly increasingly popular among adolescents, females wearing various shades of [[lipstick]] take turns [[fellatio|fellating]] males in sequence, leaving multiple colors (a "[[rainbow]]") on their penises.<ref name=NYTimes>Lewin, Tamar |
A '''rainbow party''' is a supposed [[group sex]] event featured in an [[urban legend]] spread since the early 2000s. A variant of the standard [[sex party]] urban myth, the stories claim that at these events, allegedly increasingly popular among adolescents, females wearing various shades of [[lipstick]] take turns [[fellatio|fellating]] males in sequence, leaving multiple colors (a "[[rainbow]]") on their penises.<ref name=NYTimes>{{cite news| author=Lewin, Tamar| date=2005-06-30| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/30/fashion/thursdaystyles/30rainbow.html| title=Are These Parties for Real| publisher=The New York Times| access-date=2009-08-27}}</ref> The idea was publicized on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' in 2003, and became the subject of a juvenile novel called ''Rainbow Party''.<ref name=NYTimes/> However, sex researchers and adolescent health care professionals have found no evidence for the existence of rainbow parties, and as such attribute the spread of the stories to a [[moral panic]].<ref name=NYTimes/> On May 27, 2010 the television program ''[[The Doctors (2008 TV series)|The Doctors]]'' discussed the topic with dozens of teens, parents, and professionals. |
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==Story== |
==Story== |
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[[Deborah Tolman]], director of the [[Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality]] at [[San Francisco State University]], writes: "This 'phenomenon' has all the classic hallmarks of a [[moral panic]]. One day we have never heard of rainbow parties and then suddenly they are everywhere, feeding on adults' fears that morally-bankrupt sexuality among teens is rampant, despite any actual evidence, as well as evidence to the contrary." Tolman finds that several features of the story ring false. She was skeptical that many adolescent girls would be motivated to engage in such activity in the face of the severe social stigma still attached to sexual activity, and rejected the idea that adolescent boys would examine each others' lipstick marks. However, the urban legend was widespread; an informal survey taken by ''[[The New York Times]]'' in 2005 found that most teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16 were familiar with it.<ref name=NYTimes/> |
[[Deborah Tolman]], director of the [[Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality]] at [[San Francisco State University]], writes: "This 'phenomenon' has all the classic hallmarks of a [[moral panic]]. One day we have never heard of rainbow parties and then suddenly they are everywhere, feeding on adults' fears that morally-bankrupt sexuality among teens is rampant, despite any actual evidence, as well as evidence to the contrary." Tolman finds that several features of the story ring false. She was skeptical that many adolescent girls would be motivated to engage in such activity in the face of the severe social stigma still attached to sexual activity, and rejected the idea that adolescent boys would examine each others' lipstick marks. However, the urban legend was widespread; an informal survey taken by ''[[The New York Times]]'' in 2005 found that most teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16 were familiar with it.<ref name=NYTimes/> |
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==Origin== |
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The story was originally related by [[pediatrician]] Meg Meeker in her 2002 book '''Epidemic: How Teen Sex Is Killing Our Kids'''<ref>{{cite book | author=Meeker, Meg | title=Epidemic: How Teen Sex Is Killing Our Kids | publisher = Lifeline Press | date = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-89526-143-4 | url = http://www.archive.org/details/epidemichowteens00meek }} </ref> The book related case stories of adulescents suffering cancer, sterility, acute infections, and unwanted pregnancies as a consequence of starting sexual activity too early in life. Meeker relates the following story from a 14-year old patient from Michigan: |
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<blockquote>[Allyson] had heard some kids were going to have a "rainbow party," but had no idea what that meant. Still, she thought it might be fun, and arranged to attend with a friend. After she arrived, several girls (all in the eights grade) were given different shades of lipstick and told to perform oral sex on different boys to give them "rainbows." Once she realized what was happening, Allyson was too stunned and frightened to do anything. When a girl gave her some lipstick, she refused at first but, with repeated pressure, finally gave in. "It was one of the grossest things I've ever done[.]<ref>Meeker, p22-23</ref></blockquote> |
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==On ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''== |
==On ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''== |
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The rainbow party was publicized in October 2003 on the episode of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' entitled "Is Your Child Leading a Double Life?", which was about the perceived trend of increasing sexual [[promiscuity]] among American youth and the lack of parental awareness of the sexual practices of their children. |
The idea of the rainbow party was publicized in October 2003 on the episode of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' entitled "Is Your Child Leading a Double Life?", which was about the perceived trend of increasing sexual [[promiscuity]] among American youth and the lack of parental awareness of the sexual practices of their children. |
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One guest on the show, who claimed to be aware of teenagers' sexual habits, asserted, among other things, that many teens across the United States engage in rainbow parties. According to the same report, teenage girls are also competing to see who can have the most babies with black men in an attempt to irritate parental guardians of foster homes. |
One guest on the show{{who}}, who claimed to be aware of teenagers' sexual habits, asserted, among other things, that many teens across the United States engage in rainbow parties. According to the same report, teenage girls are also competing to see who can have the most babies with black men in an attempt to irritate parental guardians of foster homes. |
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The report may have been inspired by the earlier book ''Rainbow Party'' that was a sex-education warning book written in New York.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} In this book of fiction, which is the first reference to rainbow parties in any publication, a group of friends are planning to attend a sexual party. Some teenagers are forced through [[peer pressure]] to attend. In the end, each teenager suffers serious repercussions in the book from rape during intoxication, pregnancy, vaginal disease or throat cancer from [[HPV]]. This book has been adopted as a sexual education book by some school districts in eastern states of the United States further spreading the urban myth that rainbow parties exist. To this date, there have been no police records indicating that a rainbow party in progress has ever been witnessed by authorities.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} |
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==Book== |
==Book== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* Ruditis, Paul. ''Rainbow Party''. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1-4169-0235-X |
* Ruditis, Paul. ''Rainbow Party''. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1-4169-0235-X |
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{{Sexual urban legends}} |
{{Sexual urban legends}} |
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Revision as of 23:41, 27 May 2011
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2010) |
A rainbow party is a supposed group sex event featured in an urban legend spread since the early 2000s. A variant of the standard sex party urban myth, the stories claim that at these events, allegedly increasingly popular among adolescents, females wearing various shades of lipstick take turns fellating males in sequence, leaving multiple colors (a "rainbow") on their penises.[1] The idea was publicized on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2003, and became the subject of a juvenile novel called Rainbow Party.[1] However, sex researchers and adolescent health care professionals have found no evidence for the existence of rainbow parties, and as such attribute the spread of the stories to a moral panic.[1] On May 27, 2010 the television program The Doctors discussed the topic with dozens of teens, parents, and professionals.
Story
Deborah Tolman, director of the Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality at San Francisco State University, writes: "This 'phenomenon' has all the classic hallmarks of a moral panic. One day we have never heard of rainbow parties and then suddenly they are everywhere, feeding on adults' fears that morally-bankrupt sexuality among teens is rampant, despite any actual evidence, as well as evidence to the contrary." Tolman finds that several features of the story ring false. She was skeptical that many adolescent girls would be motivated to engage in such activity in the face of the severe social stigma still attached to sexual activity, and rejected the idea that adolescent boys would examine each others' lipstick marks. However, the urban legend was widespread; an informal survey taken by The New York Times in 2005 found that most teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16 were familiar with it.[1]
Origin
The story was originally related by pediatrician Meg Meeker in her 2002 book Epidemic: How Teen Sex Is Killing Our Kids[2] The book related case stories of adulescents suffering cancer, sterility, acute infections, and unwanted pregnancies as a consequence of starting sexual activity too early in life. Meeker relates the following story from a 14-year old patient from Michigan:
[Allyson] had heard some kids were going to have a "rainbow party," but had no idea what that meant. Still, she thought it might be fun, and arranged to attend with a friend. After she arrived, several girls (all in the eights grade) were given different shades of lipstick and told to perform oral sex on different boys to give them "rainbows." Once she realized what was happening, Allyson was too stunned and frightened to do anything. When a girl gave her some lipstick, she refused at first but, with repeated pressure, finally gave in. "It was one of the grossest things I've ever done[.][3]
On The Oprah Winfrey Show
The idea of the rainbow party was publicized in October 2003 on the episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show entitled "Is Your Child Leading a Double Life?", which was about the perceived trend of increasing sexual promiscuity among American youth and the lack of parental awareness of the sexual practices of their children.
One guest on the show[who?], who claimed to be aware of teenagers' sexual habits, asserted, among other things, that many teens across the United States engage in rainbow parties. According to the same report, teenage girls are also competing to see who can have the most babies with black men in an attempt to irritate parental guardians of foster homes.
Book
Rainbow Party is a novel commissioned by a Simon & Schuster editors.[4] The author was Paul Ruditis. The book, which Library Journal declined to review, is about teens who fantasize about having a rainbow party.
The book proved controversial, as it was meant for teenagers (recommended by the publisher for ages 14 and up), thus raising questions about its propriety. In turn, concerns were raised that excluding the book from bookstores and libraries would amount to censorship. The publishers justified Rainbow Party on the grounds that it was a cautionary tale intended to teach readers that oral sex can be dangerous.[4]
Notes
- ^ a b c d Lewin, Tamar (2005-06-30). "Are These Parties for Real". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
- ^ Meeker, Meg (2002). Epidemic: How Teen Sex Is Killing Our Kids. Lifeline Press. ISBN 978-0-89526-143-4.
- ^ Meeker, p22-23
- ^ a b Memmott, Carol (2005-05-22). "Controversy colors teen book". USA Today.
References
- Ruditis, Paul. Rainbow Party. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1-4169-0235-X