A rainbow party is purportedly a group sex event involving fellatio. The idea was first publicized on Oprah Winfrey's talk show in 2003. 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." [1]
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Oprah Winfrey Show
The rainbow party was first publicized in October 2003 on the Oprah episode "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 supposed sexual practices of their children. A guest, who claimed to be aware of teenagers' sexual habits, claimed (among other things) that teens engaged in "rainbow parties" in which fellatio is performed on one boy or several boys in sequence by girls wearing various colours of lipstick, thus leaving a "rainbow" of colors on each boy's penis. According to the report, girls reportedly enjoy the competitive aspect of the event by using the lipstick to essentially "mark" the depth of penetration, treating the sex play as a contest of sorts; guys participate because of the pleasure received, and also in a competitive manner to see who could "complete" the rainbow. Some experts have labeled this show as lurid pseudo-journalism designed to exploit parents' fears about their children.[2]
Book
Rainbow Party is also a novel commissioned by a Simon & Schuster editor to "scare" kids.[3] The author was Paul Ruditis. The book, which Library Journal declined to review, is about teens who fantasize about having a rainbow party. Publishers Weekly says the book makes a "compelling argument" against abstinence-only sex education but notes the story is "not as compelling as its premise." The book proved controversial, as it was meant for teenagers (recommended by the publisher for ages 14 and up), thus raising questions about its appropriateness. 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]
Popular culture
- A 2004 episode of the television series Huff, called "Lipstick On Your Panties," Byrd, a 14-year-old, is punished for taking part in a rainbow party.
- In "The Unusual Suspect," a 2006 episode of the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, one crime scene investigator explains what a "rainbow party" is to his partner, referring to it as a (factual) group sex party and competition. His partner sarcastically replies, "So much for spin the bottle."
- In "The Man of the Year", a 2006 episode of the television series The OC, the character Kaitlin Cooper references having been invited to a lipstick party and refusing to go.
- A rainbow party scene is in Jodi Picoult's 2006 novel The Tenth Circle.
- In an episode of "Lil' Bush" on Comedy Central, Dick Cheney is heard mumbling "Rainbow party."
- A third-season NCIS episode named "Iced" mentions that the gang L.V.M. is having prostitutes over for a rainbow party.
See also
References
External links
- Oprah Winfrey Show: Is Your Child Leading a Double Life?
- Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis (ISBN 1-4169-0235-X)
