Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.08.2013, Síða 16

Get Consent
Fáðu já’s quest to enlighten youngsters on the boundaries
of sex and violence
by Tómas Gabríel Benjamin
People in today’s society have an unprecedented access to information. Anyone can instantly find information about advanced thermo-
dynamics or Simpsons episodes. However, with such an abundance of information, there is a very important question to bear in mind:
Where is it coming from?
Iceland | Video
For many of today’s curious youth, their first an-
swers to sexual questions come from happening
onto porn online, but therein lies a problem. Main-
stream porn studios’ objectives are not to provide
a neutral and informative point of view on sex and
intimacy, but to sell a product and create demand
for more.
But hang on, can’t people tell the difference be-
tween fantasy and reality? According to a report
published in May by the children’s commissioner
for England, children exposed to violent and sadis-
tic imagery risk distorting their attitudes towards
sex and relationships. Further, the report deems it
necessary to "develop children's resilience to por-
nography."
Unlike the UK government who are push-
ing through a mandatory porn filter, the Icelandic
ministries of education and interior commissioned
a short film called ‘Fáðu já’ (“Get A Yes”) to give
teenagers their own internal filter.
‘Fáðu já’ premiered in January and is an edu-
cational film that raises awareness about sexual
violence. The film’s underlying message is that the
only way to be completely sure you don’t rape is
to get consent instead of assuming it. It also talks
about sex misconceptions, porn, and respecting
boundaries. The film is a product of love from three
Icelandic celebrities; journalist and children’s radio
show host Brynhildur Björnsdóttir, pop star and gay
icon Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson, and writer and activist
Þórdís Elva Þorvaldsdóttir.
Critical eyes for the
straight guys (and gals)
Überstar Páll Óskar is the film’s director and narra-
tor. He tells me where the idea for the project came
from: “I saw a Facebook status from a teenage girl
claiming that if she’d be raped by a celebrity, that
she’d probably really enjoy it,” Páll says. “My heart
sank. I started typing “honey, if you were to experi-
ence such horrible violence, I can promise you that
A) you would not love it or be thrilled about it, and
B) you would not care if the rapist was famous or
not, because it is a violent invasion into your private
self.” Before long, my answer was a full A4 page. I
didn’t press the send button, realising that I had a
script in my hands.”
Páll has looked extensively into all kinds of
educational films, and says they’ve changed little
from the ‘50s. They are mostly scare films detailing
devastating consequences of substance abuse or car
crashes.
Continues over
Páll Ólafsson
Alísa Kalyanova
NEWS IN BRIEF
16The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 11 — 2013