Ruined Snow Penis Stimulates Debate

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(Reproduced without permission from The Harvard Crimson Online)

By HANA R. ALBERTS
Crimson Staff Writer

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 [email protected].

― stephen. s (yaye), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:22 (twenty-three years ago)

No mention of the sculpture's snowballs...

― Minky Starshine (Minky Starshine), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Get with the program people - Harvard Snowcock Scandal 2003 !

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:34 (twenty-three years ago)

“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.

Good God, someone confiscate this woman's uterus.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:34 (twenty-three years ago)

(ha Negativland induces male hostility!)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:37 (twenty-three years ago)

What does this mean for Japanese penis-worshippers as they tote giant stone penises? Who, it is to be noted, only bring out images of female genitalia to frighten away evil spirits.

Pornography’s purpose, it is also to be noted, is to stimulate naughty thoughts. In this context, in the absence of the female form, can one disembodied penis be considered pornography (at least of the straight male oriented variety)?

― No One (SiggyBaby), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:37 (twenty-three years ago)

if they made snow breasts or something it'd be offensive too, right?

― Maria (Maria), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:39 (twenty-three years ago)

And furthermore, isn't the inevitability of the member's melting symbolic of the inevitabilty of the decline of male power?

― Minky Starshine (Minky Starshine), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah!

― Maria (Maria), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:40 (twenty-three years ago)

It's snowing here now. Maybe I'll make a snow penis and snow va-jj later in celebration of the sexes. Or maybe I'll just stay inside and keep warm.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, breasts would be easier... hmm...

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Easy breasts!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Freud was right

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 21:59 (twenty-three years ago)

That’s what I keep saying.

― Sigmund Freud (SiggyBaby), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:00 (twenty-three years ago)

“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.”

I didn't know ILE had got so big.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:04 (twenty-three years ago)

But seriously, on the evidence of this article, this snow penis has clearly prompted a mass debate.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I SALUTE YOU (WITH MY PENIS)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:06 (twenty-three years ago)

PREEEEEESENNNNNNNT . ..... . . . .. . . ... .

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:13 (twenty-three years ago)

I think what's being forgotten here is the horrible plight of men, who have to walk around with "menacing reminders of women's sexual vulnerability" attached between their legs!

Anyway: I think they're being a bit ambitious in arguing that the penis is an inherent and explicit threat. I'd agree with any argument that said it was, say, symbolic of certain attitudes that create an atmosphere unfriendly toward women. But in the sort of way you can only argue against, not dismantle by force or fiat.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:18 (twenty-three years ago)

But...but...Censorship is the answer! It makes all the bad thoughts just go away!

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:24 (twenty-three years ago)

CENSOR THE PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:28 (twenty-three years ago)

This thread is full of great song lyrics

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:31 (twenty-three years ago)

What would Spock say?
I wonder why they didnt just make a big snow vagina. I gues sthe fact that the girl who torn the cock away was a rape victim provides ample motivation. But do otehr women also see penises as threatening monsters? What about cheerful , plump vagina freinds? Or even, urine tools? There is much to debate here. Perhaps they should make a big sculpture of a knifer slicing though a cock and a sign saying " Like missles, penis scultpures represent male power! "

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

“Smart kids overanalyze things,” he said.

He is very wise.

― jm (jtm), Wednesday, 26 February 2003 22:55 (twenty-three years ago)

What Spock would say? I ask porqué didnt as soon as they make a vagina great of the snow. Fact of sthe of gues I of which the girl who torn the hammer far was a victim of the violation provides the ample motivation. But the women of otehr also see the penises like threatening monsters? Glad, plump what on freinds of the vagina? Or still, tools of tinkle it? There is much to discuss here. Perhaps they must make a great sculpture of knifer that it slices although a hammer and a sample that says "like missles, scultpures of the penis represent the masculine energy!

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Thursday, 27 February 2003 00:32 (twenty-three years ago)

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

Im wondering what shape she would like missiles to be?

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 27 February 2003 00:54 (twenty-three years ago)

All breasty, like sea mines or the Bouncing Bomb.

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 27 February 2003 00:57 (twenty-three years ago)

But wouldn't exploding breast bombs be a reminder of the threatening tool of the patriach that is breast cancer.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 27 February 2003 00:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Yuck - crabs for a father.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:10 (twenty-three years ago)

free from menacing reminders of women?s sexual vulnerability

Ahem.

WHAT?! This is the most pathetic statement I've heard from a "feminist" in weeks. And yes, I do consider myself to be a liberated woman and a feminist (just to get that out of the way up front). It's the whole "women's sexual vulnerability" thing that's pissing me off - it's a cop-out, plain and simple. "Vulnerability" reeks of the "poor little princess, Daddy'll take care of you and protect you until your prince comes along" crap that I though women were railing against. I mean, aren't we supposed to be assuming authority over our own bodies? Or are we going to say "well, this tea is hot and it burns my delicate and vulnerable lil' mouth, so please go cool it off for me" instead of embracing our independence? Does the world need to cater to us because we're weak and vulnerable and helpless? Puh-leeze!

Yes, rape happens. So do other violent crimes against women. And men. And children. And animals. But to claim that some obvious joke of a snow-phallus is a threat to one's feeling of safety is just pathetic and pitiful. It's subscribing to that whole culture of victimhood crap, where people blame all of their woes on others instead of taking responsibility for themselves and their actions.

Instead of tearing down the penis, why not build snow-breasts? Or snow-vaginas? Or an over-large Venus of Willendorf (can't get much more feminine than that in the arts, right)? (And the VoW would actually make a rather cool looking snow-person, come to think of it.)
reminded of the power of the symbol of the male genitalia

Um, men only have power over women if women give them that power in the first place. As far as penis' being powerful, I don't see them that way at all - they're funny-looking dangly things that do all sorts of cool things. But they're also the most vulnerable portion of a male's anatomy (with the possible exception of the testicles, if the testicles are not considered to be part of the penis).

This whole symbolic thing is a load of crap, too. Penis' only have symbolic power if people worship them and anoint them with that power. And I can't imagine many people doing that nowadays - female or male. A penis is a penis, a vagina is a vagina. They're not symbols. They're some of the more interesting parts of the body. But they're not threats.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Also, they're riduculous.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:14 (twenty-three years ago)

riduculous

Sorry, I was typing with my ridiculous penis

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:15 (twenty-three years ago)

*laughing* Mind posting pictures?

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:23 (twenty-three years ago)

That would be beyond ridiculous.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:24 (twenty-three years ago)

But possibly entertaining in a John Waters-ish kind of way.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:26 (twenty-three years ago)

It's not going to happen.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 27 February 2003 01:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Damn. Another dream shattered by a selfish ILE person.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Thursday, 27 February 2003 04:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Stop oppressing people with your penis, N.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 27 February 2003 04:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Or depressing them with it. Or just pressing them with it full stop.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 27 February 2003 04:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Dastoor and his Swift Army Dick

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Thursday, 27 February 2003 05:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Feminists piss me off. All they do is complain. This whole thing was just a stupid prank, my friend at Carnegie Mellon sent me pics of her and her friends doing the same damn thing. Why does everyone get their panties in a bunch?

― Lola Falana, Thursday, 27 February 2003 05:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I dont think its feminists, it's stupid Harvard academics who've had a library up their arses for too long. And no sex. Probably.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 27 February 2003 05:43 (twenty-three years ago)

lol. Agreed

― Lola Falana, Thursday, 27 February 2003 05:48 (twenty-three years ago)

If I no balls I may have said such a thing. But the speaker's clothes always soil his purity of motive.

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Thursday, 27 February 2003 06:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Having been there, I can only say that Trayce is OTM.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 27 February 2003 14:13 (twenty-three years ago)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030227/161/3dh72.html

more sexism?

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Thursday, 27 February 2003 17:24 (twenty-three years ago)

is anyone at all disturbed by the phrase "Sept. 11 attacks and terrorism slideshow" on the left hand side of that link?

― Dave M. (rotten03), Thursday, 27 February 2003 17:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I think the women of Spain have every right to object to sending other countries tourist ads that basically say "Come to Spain and see our hot sweaty sluts."

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 27 February 2003 17:52 (twenty-three years ago)

(They could at least try something like "CUM FOR THE HOT SWEATY SLUTS -- STAY FOR THE PAELLA.")

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 27 February 2003 17:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I guessit woudl be better if there was a man with a bag of sardines on his head being bitten by radioactive elves who are screaming " IF I DONT GO TO SPAIN I WILL MASSACRE THE BISHOPS!"

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Friday, 28 February 2003 00:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Incidentally I have only once ever observed a woman with a "thongt" style bikini, inMaine. It was very strange. I was more disturbed than aroused. Also, she bent over to take okk her shoes RIGHT in front of me when I was leaving , and I felt very embarrased. EYES< DO NOT LOOK AHEAD< EYES< LOOK UP

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Friday, 28 February 2003 00:53 (twenty-three years ago)

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