Ruined Snow Penis Stimulates Debate (Loony Feminist Alert!)

Harvard Crimson ^ | Monday, February 24, 2003 | HANA R. ALBERTS

[MikalM]

Ruined Snow Penis Stimulates Debate

When a few members of the Harvard crew team decided to build a snowy representation of the male anatomy on Feb. 11, they never imagined it would be so hard to keep it up.

The 9-foot snow phallus, constructed in Tercentenary Theater, was torn down just hours after its erection.

But its impression still sparked an intense debate, from dining halls to dorm rooms, over the appropriateness of public displays of genitalia.

Even The Economist magazine weighed in on the discussion, offering the destruction of the sculpture as evidence of American prudishness on its usually staid pages.

But women’s groups on campus have led a chorus of complaints against the snow penis, arguing that such a display is demeaning to women.

“It was offensive because it was pornographic,” said Amy E. Keel ’04, who said she and her roommate “dismantled” the giant snow penis.

“As a feminist, pornography is degrading to women and creates a violent atmosphere,” she said.

Keel said that her personal experience as a rape survivor makes this statue even more uncomfortable to observe.

“Men think they have the right to force that on you,” she said. “It’s a logical extension.”

Furthermore, Keel claims that she and her roommate were verbally and physically harassed by a group of roughly 25 men when they attempted to tear down the statue with a cardboard tube at 1:30 a.m. the morning after it was built.

“A few people came out and crowded me with their bodies and one person shoved me away from the penis,” she said. “It was gendered violence, because [their comments] were said in the context of our gender and accompanied by aggressive actions toward us.”

Though Keel assumed some of her harassers were among the creators of the statue, she said she could not identify any of the men.

And crew team captain Michael J. Skey ’04 denies that he or any of the other makers of the statue had been involved in the incident. According to Spey, the group left the Yard over three hours before Keel and her roommate tried to take down the snow phallus.

“We cleared out by 10:15 p.m.,” Spey said. “We had morning practice, and if guys are out there that late I’d be pissed. That’s why we did it so early.”

But regardless of the alleged circumstances surrounding the snow penis’ downfall, a controversy over the meaning of the statue lingers.

Women’s Studies Lecturer Diane L. Rosenfeld, who teaches Women, Violence and the Law this semester, said that the implications of the snow phallus go beyond the legitimacy of the statue’s presence.

“The ice sculpture was erected in a public space, one that should be free from menacing reminders of women’s sexual vulnerability,” Rosenfeld wrote in an e-mail yesterday.

She said the snow penis follows a long line of public phallic symbols, including the Washington Monument and missiles.

“Women do not need to be reminded of the power of the symbol of the male genitalia,” Rosenfeld said. “My guess is that they are constantly reminded of it in daily messages.”

A discussion about feminist perspectives on the statue, sponsored by the Radcliffe Union of Students, will take place Tuesday night in the Adams House small dining room.

But the makers of the statue said they intended to build the snow penis as a simple joke.

Skey said he came up with the idea to allow a few members of the team to “hang out together” outside of practice.

“We built it for fun, instead of building a snowman,” he said. “We built it specifically as a junior high prank.”

Skey said he never expected such national attention—or such heated opposition.

“Once it turned around into a huge sexism debate, it was like a giant keg of gunpowder waiting for a spark,” Skey said.

In spite of Skey’s intentions, Keel said she was offended by the joke.

“I have a right to speak out against the joke,” Keel said. “I criticize the motives of putting it up, but since they did, it is within my rights to put it down. It goes both ways.”

Skey said he agreed Keel did not do anything wrong by knocking down the statue.

“If people found it obscene, they had a right to rip it down,” he said. “That’s perfectly true.”

But Skey said he thinks that at a school like Harvard, jokes can be blown out of proportion.

“Smart kids overanalyze things,” he said.

—Staff writer Hana R. Alberts can be reached at alberts@fas.harvard.edu.

[MikalM]

...and if you want to send a love letter to Glorious Heroine of the Revolution Amy Keel, '04, write her here.

[cubreporter]

How come they complain so much about this but I never hear any complaining about women being nude almost everywhere you look!!!

[FreeTally]

I had to check the source twice to make sure this wan't from The Onion.

[GSWarrior]

Victimology run amok.

[JoJo Gunn]

If it had been a sculpture of a hammer and sickle those womyn would have been feverishly rubbing against it like dogs in heat.

[Callahan]

What's stuck up Amy Keel's snow-gina???

[templar]

But its impression still sparked an intense debate, from dining halls to dorm rooms, over the appropriateness of public displays of genitalia.

Public displays of genitalia are not appropriate. This isn't a feminist issue, it is a public morals issue.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

...But women’s groups on campus have led a chorus of complaints against the snow penis, arguing that such a display is demeaning to women...

...The same women's groups who were silent when Monica was an item...

[Illbay]

“Men think they have the right to force that on you,” she said. “It’s a logical extension.”

Hm. No matter how she tries, she can't escape the double entendre.

[AdA$tra]

“Men think they have the right to force that on you,” she said. “It’s a logical extension.”

...was torn down just hours after its erection.

There isn't much of anything one could say about this that isn't funny.

[Semper Paratus]

Think of this story the next somebodys Harvard credentials are touted.

[Jonah Hex]

But to lump this in with the Washington Monument and missiles? You don't think this person is perhaps already a little over the edge?

[Alouette]

A few people came out and crowded me with their bodies and one person shoved me away

Next time, bring a blowtorch.

[metafreeper]

“It was offensive because it was pornographic,” said Amy E. Keel ’04, who said she and her roommate “dismantled” the giant snow penis.

"As a feminist, pornography is degrading to women and creates a violent atmosphere," she said.

Keel and her friends then excused themselves from the interview, saying they were late for a local performance of "The Vagina Monologues."

Skey said he agreed Keel did not do anything wrong by knocking down the statue.

"If people found it obscene, they had a right to rip it down," he said. "That’s perfectly true."

That's more disturbing than anything the feminazis said.

[RichInOC]

They're just nervous because they didn't know they came that big in white.

[Pushi]

“It was offensive because it was pornographic,” said Amy E. Keel ’04, who said she and her roommate “dismantled” the giant snow penis.

They probably ate it.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

When a few members of the Harvard crew team decided to build a snowy representation of the male anatomy on Feb. 11, they never imagined it would be so hard to keep it up.

The 9-foot snow phallus, constructed in Tercentenary Theater, was torn down just hours after its erection.

[snip]

Women’s Studies Lecturer Diane L. Rosenfeld, who teaches Women, Violence and the Law this semester, said that the implications of the snow phallus go beyond the legitimacy of the statue’s presence.

“The ice sculpture was erected in a public space, one that should be free from menacing reminders of women’s sexual vulnerability,” Rosenfeld wrote in an e-mail yesterday.

She said the snow penis follows a long line of public phallic symbols, including the Washington Monument and missiles.

“Women do not need to be reminded of the power of the symbol of the male genitalia,” Rosenfeld said. “My guess is that they are constantly reminded of it in daily messages.”

[johniegrad]

“Smart kids overanalyze things,” he said

Odd. I see no evidence of "smart kids" anywhere in the article.

[ErnBatavia]

She said the snow penis follows a long line of public phallic symbols, including the Washington Monument and missiles.

“Women do not need to be reminded of the power of the symbol of the male genitalia,” Rosenfeld said. “My guess is that they are constantly reminded of it in daily messages.”

Wonder if any of the nekkid male protesters walked up to her, wagged some weenie and said, "Woo woo!"?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Police Field Complaint about Busty Snow Woman

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/5246348.htm

[Callahan]

I remember this funny Jeopardy-type game show where three Harvard coeds squared off against three of community college students. The intellectual snobbery of the Harvard students was on full display as they turned down their liberal noses at the "little people." Hilariously, all the questions pertained to TV sitcoms and pop-metal bands instead of Marx and Sontag. The community college slackers kicked their arrogant butts back to Boston.

[ErnBatavia]

They probably ate it.

Now THAT is highly doubtful!

[Ichneumon]

they never imagined it would be so hard to keep it up.

The 9-foot snow phallus, constructed in Tercentenary Theater, was torn down just hours after its erection.

[snip]

But Skey said he thinks that at a school like Harvard, jokes can be blown out of proportion.

Writer Hana Alberts deserves some sort of award...

[Cvengr]

Guess we better not say anything about the shape of that opening we broke through the lake to go ice fishing.

[wimpycat]

ROFLMAO!

Why the "snip"?

Ouch!

This can't be for real. All that priapic innuendo in the article...

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

“As a feminist, pornography is degrading to women and creates a violent atmosphere,” she said.
.
.
.
“It was gendered violence, because [their comments] were said in the context of our gender and accompanied by aggressive actions toward us.”

I seriously can't believe there are people in the world who use sentences like this with a straight face.

[DainBramage]

“Women do not need to be reminded of the power of the symbol of the male genitalia,” Rosenfeld said.

“My guess is that they are constantly reminded of it in daily messages.”

Oh bite me Rosenfeld.

[Cvengr]

As soon as it's brought to light this whole big thing will melt away.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The next time anybody says that someone is brilliant because they went to Harvard, I'll remember this article.

It is just like the movie PCU.

[Izzy Dunne]

She said the snow penis follows a long line of public phallic symbols, including the Washington Monument and missiles.

Gee, Dr. Goddard, the pancake-shaped missiles aren't flying very well. Perhaps we should try a different shape, maybe pointy?

Oh no, Jack. What would women think?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

It sure brought a smile to my face. The prof and the "victims" will read it and think they're vindicated, everybody else will see the big joke.

[johniegrad]

Because they create a hostile dining environment, I haven't been able to eat clams in years.

[Pearls Before Swine]

These feminists are so ignorant they didn't realize that all they had to do was leave the snow penis alone for a while--sooner or later it would have just melted away.

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

The only person I know to have gone to Harvard is also the most blatantly leftist and PC person I know.

[Sender]

She said the snow penis follows a long line of public phallic symbols, including the Washington Monument and missiles.

Don't forget swords, cigars, baseball bats, motorcycles and laser pointers. It's OK though, the feminists can symbolize all they want over donuts, hula hoops and the number 'zero'. I don't mind ;)

[linn37]

attacking a giant penis with cardboard rolls? now thats a story lmao

[Cvengr]

You must've met the conservative one.

[Izzy Dunne]

There isn't much of anything one could say about this that isn't funny.

I'll tell you what's not funny: SHE'S SERIOUS!

[MikalM]

Public displays of genitalia are not appropriate. This isn't a feminist issue, it is a public morals issue.

Check Post #14.

[templar]

You don't think this person is perhaps already a little over the edge?

Oh, she's as loony as a fruitcake. Or a Californian. But it doesn't take away from the idea of public morals and public displays of genitalia. She's right about the inapropriateness of the display, but her reasons are as stupid as the display itself (IMO).

[OXENinFLA]

When a few members of the Harvard crew team decided to build a snowy representation of the male anatomy on Feb. 11, they never imagined it would be so hard to keep it up.

LOLOL!!!!

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

scary thing is, she's probably pretty tame compared to the rest of the Hahvad population.

[templar]

Check Post #14.

Check #40.

Two different issues here, the display and the crazy chick.

[dirtboy]

The 9-foot snow phallus, constructed in Tercentenary Theater, was torn down just hours after its erection.

They could have just flashed a picture of Janet Reno in front of it (I'm melting! I'm meellting...)

[Cvengr]

Yes, the Rice of the North has its drawbacks. ;^)

[Dan from Michigan]

ROFL. I figured this had to be from BSNN or the Onion at first.

[stands2reason]

Obviously boobies aren't "threatening" or "violent" like the erect penis is.

[MikalM]

The point of bringing up Post #14 (the VAGINA MONOLOGUES reference) was to show the incredible double standards these people have. A snow construction that will melt in a few days is a public obscenity, but a tuition- and tax-subsidized three-hour paean to female genitalia is a triumph. Especially if it celebrates the seduction of a 16 YO girl by a middle-aged lesbian (yup, that's one of the "Monologues"...)

As for public art displaying genitalia being immoral, wouldn't that disqualify a lot of the great paintings and statues of the last 2500 years from ever being shown?

[theDentist]

“Smart kids overanalyze things,” he said.

... as do the stupid.

[weegee]

I have two things to say:

"Put some ice on that" and "it's just sex".

Let the college kiddies at Hahvahd ponder that in their poli-sci classes.