Since Melinda Tankard Reist clearly trusts the judgement of the Classification Board (Canberra Times, Anti-exploitation campaigners urge ratings classification for art, 28 April 2011), she should be aware that the Henson images rated by the board were at most given a PG rating. This contrasts with something like the Bible, which the Board rightly recommends a Mature audience for.
The Board, and most Australians, recognise there is a huge difference between nudity and pornography. Otherwise many parents would be on the line for the photographs they took of their children engaged in bathtub play. The other aspect is consent. By all accounts, Henson works hard to achieve informed consent with all involved parties, including parents, siblings and, of course, the youths.
This is more than many parents do when they sign their children up for gymnastics or soccer (where injury rates are high), or acting or modelling roles. Why should nudity be considered worse than life-long ankle injuries? Perhaps the saddest part of this hydra is when a mature young person, who thought long and hard about her decision, is repeatedly told by the likes of Tankard Reist that her image is ‘absolutely revolting’.
– Arved von Brasch, CLA member, Canberra ACT