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Ruined Snow Penis Stimulates Debate (Loony Feminist Alert!)
Harvard Crimson ^ | Monday, February 24, 2003 | HANA R. ALBERTS

Posted on 02/24/2003 12:01:43 PM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: academia; castration; demonstration; feminazi; feminazis; feminist; feministas; frigidwomen; harvard; idiotarian; itsjustsex; left; massachusetts; pc; penisenvy; politicallycorrect; protest; puritanism; putsomeiceonit; sexualbutchery; university; vandalism; victimology
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To: JoJo Gunn
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.
21 posted on 02/24/2003 12:15:01 PM PST by Callahan
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To: Pushi
They probably ate it.

Now THAT is highly doubtful!

22 posted on 02/24/2003 12:15:34 PM PST by ErnBatavia ((Bumperootus!))
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To: MikalM
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...

23 posted on 02/24/2003 12:15:36 PM PST by Ichneumon
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To: AdA$tra
Guess we better not say anything about the shape of that opening we broke through the lake to go ice fishing.
24 posted on 02/24/2003 12:16:11 PM PST by Cvengr
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To: Chancellor Palpatine
ROFLMAO!

Why the "snip"?

Ouch!

This can't be for real. All that priapic innuendo in the article...
25 posted on 02/24/2003 12:16:16 PM PST by wimpycat (Well it's good that you're fine and I'm fine. I agree with you. It's great to be fine.)
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To: MikalM
“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.

26 posted on 02/24/2003 12:16:20 PM PST by Semaphore Heathcliffe
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To: MikalM
“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.

27 posted on 02/24/2003 12:17:35 PM PST by DainBramage
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To: Ichneumon
As soon as it's brought to light this whole big thing will melt away.
28 posted on 02/24/2003 12:17:59 PM PST by Cvengr
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To: Semaphore Heathcliffe
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.

29 posted on 02/24/2003 12:18:05 PM PST by Chancellor Palpatine (those who unilaterally beat their swords into plowshares wind up plowing for those who don't)
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To: MikalM
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?

30 posted on 02/24/2003 12:18:34 PM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: wimpycat
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.
31 posted on 02/24/2003 12:19:57 PM PST by Chancellor Palpatine (those who unilaterally beat their swords into plowshares wind up plowing for those who don't)
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To: Izzy Dunne
Because they create a hostile dining environment, I haven't been able to eat clams in years.
32 posted on 02/24/2003 12:20:05 PM PST by johniegrad
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To: MikalM
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.
33 posted on 02/24/2003 12:20:34 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Chancellor Palpatine
The only person I know to have gone to Harvard is also the most blatantly leftist and PC person I know.
34 posted on 02/24/2003 12:21:18 PM PST by Semaphore Heathcliffe
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To: MikalM
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 ;)

35 posted on 02/24/2003 12:21:40 PM PST by Sender (-A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. -WOPR-)
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To: MikalM
attacking a giant penis with cardboard rolls? now thats a story lmao
36 posted on 02/24/2003 12:22:08 PM PST by linn37 (work my fingers to the bone and what do I get?)
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To: Semaphore Heathcliffe
You must've met the conservative one.
37 posted on 02/24/2003 12:22:15 PM PST by Cvengr
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To: AdA$tra
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!

38 posted on 02/24/2003 12:22:18 PM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: templar
Public displays of genitalia are not appropriate. This isn't a feminist issue, it is a public morals issue.

Check Post #14.

39 posted on 02/24/2003 12:22:35 PM PST by MikalM
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To: Jonah Hex
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).

40 posted on 02/24/2003 12:23:24 PM PST by templar
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