Controversial ‘Growing Up’ sex films aimed to help teen-agers cope
Late last year the national secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, Miss Patricia Bartlett, gained considerable publicity nationally with her claims that the National Film Library had bought controversial films on sexual perversions for loan to schools. With the help of the National Film Library and the Department of Education, OLIVER RIDDELL has been looking at the films and Miss Bartlett’s claims. ’
The recent furore over tlie Government’s decision not to implement the recommendations of the Johnson Report for sex education 'in schools has once again highlighted the issue over what childrenshould see, experience, and be taught at school. The rights of parents, the duties of parents, the needs of society, and the attitudes of individuals, all make ' sex education at schools a highly emotive' .topic. Miss Bartlett ' complained it was “shocking” that a Government-funded body such as the National Film Library had bought the films to show to schoolchildren. The department denied that they would be shown to schools: the films had a “T.S.P.” (tertiary and special) rating which meant they would be seen only by tertiary students or special audiences such as social welfare officers. There are six films in the batch. They were produced by Film Australia, the Australian equivalent of the National Film Unit here, and were sought to provide ’ guidance rather than to educate. The makers describe them as: “A series of six trigger films to facilitate discussion in areas of adolescent sexual behaviour and social expectations. The films focus on issues through direct presentation of the pesonal experiences of young people. It is essential that the films be previewed to assess their suitability for particular audiences and to prepare appropriate discussion material.” The six films comprise the “Growing Up” series. They are “Brad,” about a tee n-age homosexual; “Jenny,” about a teen-age lesbian; “Wendy,” about a tee n-a g e abortion; “Kerry,” about a teen-age unmarried mother-to-be; “Week-end,” about teenage leisure activities and
attitudes; and “Disco,” about the mating game between teen-agers. - Normally, only members of the National Film Library may borrow the films. There are about 3000 school subscribers and about 550 community subscribers. In the interest of balanced coverage, after Miss Bartlett’s comments, the department agreed to make an exception of “The Press” and permit its representative to arrange his own private screening of the films. In the event, only five were available. “Jenny,” was not available. Each film lasts for about 10 minutes.
“Brad” is a teen-age homosexual who explains his feelings, his growing', awareness, his isolation, how his family came to • recognise his condition and to cope with ■ it, the. fear of hurting his family and how he suppressed his feelings, the pressures of being different, and then leading on to homosexual society with its support, partying, touching, needs for enduring relationships, and job insecurities. “Disco” tells how boys meet girls and girls meet boys, and what they expect and hope of each other. The different grades of acceptance — talking, dancing, having a drink, going outside, getting in the car together, sex — are discussed by both boys and girls. Language is frank but not coarse, and attitudes are very stereotyped. “Kerry” is a prospective
solo mother, a teen-ager who ran off with her boyfriend, became pregnant, and went' home fo her family for help. The boyfriend rejected marriage; She rejected abortion on moral grounds and her family rallied to support her. Otherwise, it is the story of a pregnant woman who happens to be young and unmarried. “Week-end”, is what teen-agers do when out of school and not at home. They look for action, but rarely create it, and the generally harmless activities are seen against a background of pressure to pair off, with a large group from which the pairs separate and then return as the pairing ends. “Wendy” is a teen-ager who, when she found she was pregnant, decided to have an abortion. The role of her mother, calm but protective, was vital. Wendy felt that if she had the child she could not
keep it so rather than give it away she would prefer not to have it- at all. The decision was made after counselling and much heart-searching, and she admitted afterwards that it had changed her life and personality. Wendy also made a strong plea for sex education and contraception for teen-agers. > The films are about coping: they make no moral judgments about what is said or done, but only ■* help ...to- cope in given situations. This neutrality .is itself a moral judgment by the makers of the films. To avoid saying that this is a “good thing” or a “bad thing” is to risk being accused of promoting what is shown as normal and natural. Miss Bartlett made that claim about the films, and she would by right if they were being shown to teenagers. Perhaps they should be anyway, although the Government’s rejection 7 of sex education as recommended in the Johnson Report makes this very unlikely.
As the films will not be shown to teen-agers, Miss Bartlett’s criticism is irrelevant. The films will allow adults who have seen them to help teenagers to cope. They are certainly not “obscene” in their visual or verbal content.
Controversial ‘Growing Up’ sex films aimed to help teen-agers cope
Press, 2 May 1980, Page 13
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