Fifty Shades Of Grey Schoolboy Causes Stir At School

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31760713

Anybody think that its appropriate for an 11 year old boy to dress as a character
from a book described in Wiki as a "erotic romance", aimed at adults and notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM) ?

I heard his Mother being interviewed on the Today Program this morning and she seemed to think it was funny. She did admit, however, that he didn't know what the book was about, so why did he want to dress like this in the first place ?

[ichkeria]

Sounds like she was trying to take the mickey out of the event. Doing it for her own benefit rather than taking an interest in her child's reading.
And having doubtless milked the response she was after she gets to appear on a radio show and no doubt be treated as a hero by some

[Old_Geezer]

Ah two threads on this. Must be a vital story then :-)

[andy-hughes]

He is dressed as the character in an adult sado-masochstic novel. It is not his suit that is the issue - it is the cable ties and mask he is carrying as 'accessories' that make his costume identifiable specifically as a character from an adult novel, and as such, his costume is inappropriate.

Where do we draw the line?

If a child turns up as a character from 'Lord Of The Flies', with a papier mache head on a stake - would that be 'a bit of a laugh'?.

The child (and remember he is a child)'s mother passes the incident off as 'a bit of a laugh' - the usual catchall for any offensive behaviour, which is to accuse people who are offended by it as being lacking in a sense of humour.

I am with the school - the outfit was inappropriate and the mother should be castigated for either - sending her child dressed as a character he does not understand, or for sending her child dressed as a character which he does understand - both of which are not acceptable.

[sherrardk]

And the mother's a primary school teacher - you'd think she'd know better.

[phleb]

I think it is inappropriate. He is a child, and should not have to be linked to the erotic book. Parents are being so irresponsible. I know its world books day, but i always thought this was children's kind of thing. Fifty shades is hardly a child's book. Teachers did the right thing, I don't want me kid to ask what you dressed as and then the boy starts explaining......!!! i want them to stay kids!

[dmbhunt]

We lives in a country that prides itself in the right to free expression, but with that right comes a responsibility. There is a time and place, this is not it! Adults may decide that its appropriate, an 11 year old may understand what it is all about but will not have the emotional maturity to deal with the reactions of others. Why are some parents in such a hurry to make their kids grow up?

[Booldawg]

would've been nice if the mother had spoken to boy about what he would like to have dressed up.

Seems like she sent him to school as Mr Grey purely to satisfy her own sense of humour. Parenting is not about self indulgence.

[ummmm]

Simply just daft.

What age advisory has the film got?

[andy-hughes]

Booldawg - // would've been nice if the mother had spoken to boy about what he would like to have dressed up.

Seems like she sent him to school as Mr Grey purely to satisfy her own sense of humour. Parenting is not about self indulgence. //

I think that just about sums it up.

[ummmm]

I think parenting is very much about self indulgence. If it wasn't there wouldn't be any designer childrens clothing. There is a line to be drawn though and a sexual character is way above that line.

[andy-hughes]

naval - // I feel it is unfair to castigate the child for dressing up as him. //

I don't think anyone is castigating the child.

At eleven, you do as you are told, and ideally, you can trust your parents to keep you out of situations where you are likely to be confused, ridiculed, and upset, especially if you are in that situation to exhibit what your mother ironically likes to think of as her sense of humour.

[mikey4444]

100% agreement here ! I thought that the Today Program host let this boy's mother off very lightly this morning.

To answer Ummm....its an 18 certificate film.

Perhaps she will send him as the Marquis de Sade next year. Or maybe Peter Sutcliffe.

[jim360]

The mother makes an interesting point, though, in that when someone who engages in kinky but consensual sex is rated less appropriate than serial killers, there's a bit of perspective gone missing somewhere.

[mikey4444]

As I recall from the Today interview this morning this daft woman explained that her son knew about the character and the book, because "everyone has been talking about the book"

Well, they have in her household, that is for sure.

[retrocop]

Seems like a big storm in a little tea cup to me. We have liberal types in government wanting to push sex education down the throats of children at an early age but do not want to just discuss the birds and the bees. No. They want to push it further into more deviant sexual practices. They might as well hand out Anne Summers catalogues as text books.

[andy-hughes]

naval - //Andy Hughes did you see the interview this morning? If not you may wish to look it up.

The child did most of the talking and explained his reasoning behind HIS choice in a clear adult manner. //

You can always find a child who is erudite and can give the impression of understanding of what he speaks.

But be honest - would you like to think that your eleven-year-old completely understood the concept of sado-masochism and bondage - albeit through a rather turgid book and unentertaining film? And would you like to parade that fact through his school so that his less 'enightened' friends can wonder what on earth he has come as?

I wouldn't.

[bednobs]

perhaps the mum could not be bothered to make a costume for him, or like me remembered it was dress up day at 10 pm the night before, and had to use what she had (an eyemask, cable ties and a suit the boy already had)

[Fusion5]

Isn't it supposed to be a child's favourite book character. Stupid woman.