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] For the album by Circle Jerks, see Group Sex. ... Oral sex consists of all sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, which may include use of the tongue, teeth, and throat, to stimulate genitalia. ... Oprah Winfrey, (born January 29, 1954) is a multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest rated talk show in television history. ... The Oprah Winfrey Show (also known as Oprah) is an American nationally syndicated talk show, hosted and produced by Oprah Winfrey and is the highest-rated talk show in American television history. ... A moral panic is a reaction by a group of people based on the false or exaggerated perception that some cultural behavior or group, frequently a minority group or a subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society. ...

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] “Promiscuous” redirects here. ... Oral sex consists of all sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, which may include use of the tongue, teeth, and throat, to stimulate genitalia. ... Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color and texture to the lips. ... For other uses, see Rainbow (disambiguation). ... Color is an important part of the visual arts. ... The penis (plural penises, penes) is an external male sexual organ. ...

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. A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ... Jean-François Millet Le Semeur (The Sower) Simon & Schuster logo, circa 1961. ... Paul Ruditis is an American author. ... Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. ...

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."^{[citation needed]} Abstinence-only sex education is a form of sex education which emphasizes abstaining from sex, often to the exclusion of all other types of sexual and reproductive health education, particularly regarding birth control and safe sex. ...

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] Categories: Bookstores | Stub ... For other uses, see Library (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Suppression of dissent be merged into this article or section. ...

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. Huff was a Showtime television series about a successful psychiatrist whose life changes abruptly when a 15-year-old client commits suicide in his office after rejection from exposing his homosexuality to his parents. ... The subject of this article may not satisfy the notability guideline for Television episodes. ... CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a popular Alliance Atlantis/CBS police procedural television series, running since October 2000, about a team of forensic scientists. ... Spin the bottle is a party game in which several players sit in a circle. ... The O.C. ( stands for Orange County) is an American television drama/soap opera program broadcast on the Fox Network. ... Kaitlin Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C.. Similar to Trey Atwood, the character is the second in the series to be played by two performers — Shailene Woodley in the first season, and Willa Holland from the third season onward. ... Jodi Picoult Jodi Picoult (IPA pronunciation: [1]) (born 1966) is an American author. ... Lil Bush is a satirical, politically-themed animated comedy show featuring caricaturized versions of the current world leaders. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ...

See also

• Sex party
• Prevalence of group sex
• Culture of fear
• Deviancy amplification spiral

A sex party is a gathering at which people meet for sexual intercourse. ... For the album by Circle Jerks, see Group Sex. ... Culture of fear is a term proposed in a variety of sociological theses, which argue that feelings of fear and anxiety predominate in contemporary public discourse and relationships, changing how we relate to one another as individuals and as democratic agents. ... Deviancy amplification spiral is a mass media phenomenon defined by media critics as an increasing cycle of reporting on a category of antisocial behavior or other undesirable events. ...

References

Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Oprah Winfrey Show: Is Your Child Leading a Double Life?
• Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis (ISBN 1-4169-0235-X)