Broadcaster Yumi Stynes has revealed her eight-year-old daughter was “flipping through” her controversial children’s book Welcome to Sex and wasn’t “disgusted” by its graphic content.
Stynes together with Dr. Written by Melissa Kang, columnist for youth magazines, the book contains descriptions and illustrations of masturbation, oral sex, “scissors,” and other acts.
Stynes has previously said that “Welcome to Sex” was aimed at 10- to 15-year-olds, but sparked further backlash when he suggested a “mature eight-year-old” could flip through the book.
In an interview published on Sunday, the radio host said her eight-year-old daughter skimmed the pages of Welcome to Sex during a trip to the beach.
Broadcaster Yumi Stynes has revealed her eight-year-old daughter was “flipping through” her controversial children’s book Welcome to Sex and wasn’t “disgusted” by its graphic content
“It’s something I hesitated to mention,” she told commentator Peter FitzSimons in his Sun Herald column Five Minutes With Fitz.
“I haven’t told anyone else because I don’t want to cook my own kid.”
“But I took the book to the beach and my eight-year-old daughter flipped through it and watched. She wasn’t disgusted, she wasn’t trying to decipher things well above her pay grade.
“She just skipped them.”
Stynes said the “Welcome to Sex” furore started “among the herds on the internet” and was then picked up by Ben Fordham on his 2GB radio programme, “which turned the outrage into the mainstream”.
“I stand by what I said, ‘It depends on how mature your kid is,’ Stynes told FitzSimons. ‘Around 10 to 15 years old, but I’d be happy with a mature and bright eight year old.’ Take a look.’
Stynes had previously said that “Welcome to Sex” was aimed at 10 to 15-year-olds, but drew backlash after he suggested a “mature eight-year-old” could flip through the book
Welcome to Sex was removed from the Big W and Dymocks bookshelves but has become a bestseller on the Amazon website.
When excitement first erupted over the explicit content in July, Stynes said, “I’m really proud of Welcome to Sex,” noting that no one was forced to read it.
“If you don’t want your kids to read it, you REALLY don’t need to buy it for them,” the ABC host posted on Instagram.
Stynes also posted several screenshots to Instagram showing rape and death threats she had received since the release of Welcome to Sex: Your no-silly-questions Guide to Sexuality, Lust and figuring it all out.
A 23-year-old Eshay rapper who sent Stynes horrific messages threatening sexual assault has pleaded guilty to using a carriage ride to threaten, molest or insult.
Eli Engwicht, who claimed he found the book offensive, told Stynes in a message, “I want to see you torn apart limb by limb and tortured for hours.”
Stynes also received messages of support from defenders after posting a video of a bookstore offering “Welcome to Sex.”
“People are angry because you’re ruining their ability to exploit children,” @oneangrymotherfrocker posted alongside the bookstore video.
Another woman wrote, ‘These are the people who will deny child sexual abuse ran in their families.’ Or look the other way.’
“Welcome to Sex” was available in the children’s department or on the bottom shelves of major retailers and featured descriptions of men as “penis owners” and women as “vagina owners”.
The book was first launched by Stynes in May, but then conservative podcaster Chris “Primod” Issa stirred up outrage by uploading an Instagram video that went viral.
“How can anyone think they aren’t after the kids after seeing books like this for sale publicly at the Big W,” he said.
Social media users vented their anger, with one writing: “Really?” Do we need to teach 11-year-olds different sex positions? This book is a big no from me.”
But others jumped to the authors’ defense, labeling the reaction a “moral panic.”
One parent said, “I can’t wait to buy this.” Your period book took my 10-year-old daughter’s (and me!) anxiety away. Forever grateful.’
Stynes together with Dr. Written by Melissa Kang, columnist for youth magazines, the book contains descriptions and illustrations of masturbation, oral sex, “scissors,” and other acts
Ahead of the book’s release in May, Stynes told website Mamamia that she hoped the work would help parents be open about sex with their children.
“I think a lot of parents inherited shame from their own parents and from our culture and society at large,” she said.
“I think it’s partly a shame because of the gross bodily fluids, but parents are also afraid of saying the wrong thing.”
“Don’t worry about planting an idea in them that wasn’t there before and then only making things worse!”
Stynes added, “A lot of the difficulty that parents have with chats like this is simply that they don’t know what to say and how to say it.”
“It’s a very immobile muscle that most of us have,” she said.
She hoped the book would be a “trusted resource” that would discourage parents from “saying the wrong thing or saying something based on sexism or bad science.”
Yumi Stynes defended her controversial children’s book Welcome to Sex (left) after it was pulled from shelves at Big W, saying: “If you don’t want your kids to read it, don’t buy it.”