Popcorn kernels and butter heated up in microwaves in the homes across the world, and the sound of trumpets blaring accompanied a title floating onto the millions of television screens.
“Welcome,” John Burgundy said enthusiastically, as soon as the opening credits music cut off, “to the first of HBO’s specials to help count down the days to the 2012 Sex Olympics in Sochi! For the next few days I look forward to bringing you highlights of the previous Games. Let’s start, with our reporter Matt King, who has a short video to share with you.”
A video began to play, accompanied by dramatic music and a rather sombre looking reporter holding a microphone. “This is where it all began, the events that would eventually lead to the Sex Olympics. Here protesters took to Times Square following the death of Marie Cornwall, a teenager who committed suicide after contracting AIDS. She wrote in her suicide note ‘I wish I’d known, I wish someone had told me the risks’ feeling she couldn’t speak about it due to the shame associated with underage sex and, in those days, sex in general.
“Molly Cornwall, the girl’s mother, a woman who thought herself approachable, was shocked and blamed society’s prudishness about the issue. She has since focused all her efforts working tirelessly to improve sex education in schools.
“The deaths of six other young men and women across the country helped provide support for her cause, and barriers to the old ‘Pure Regime’ (as coined by Cornwall) began to fall down.”
The video faded to black, and John Burgundy displayed a solemn expression. “That was the spark that changed the course of history, and the Sex Olympics owes much to Mrs. Cornwall. Without her efforts, the world may yet have viewed violence more acceptable than sex.”
He brought a smile back to his face and swivelled in his chair to introduce the rest of the cast for the specials. “But the day has changed, and the world is a bit more accepting of sex. Here with us today are a few people who can give us an insight to the creation and proliferation of the Sex Olympics and the changing atmosphere around the world.”
There were a group of people seated around a large wooden table. “Thank you, John,” the woman at the head of the table said. “I’m Ayesha Parker, and I’d like to introduce our guests.” She pointed to each one and gave a quick description. “Andrew Adams, a representative of The Church and an opposer of the Sex Olympics. Bogdan Vasilov, one of the organizers of this year’s games. Danger Maddov, gold medalist in Archery at the previous Sex Olympics in 2008. And Marcos Cruze, the army veteran responsible for the Sex, Not Violence non-profit organization. Thank you all for joining us.” They all murmured how pleased they were to be part of the show while Ayesha shuffled her notes.
“Bogdan, I’ve been reading your bio and found out you were part of some of the earliest protests against the Pure Regime,” Ayesha pointed out.
The Russian nodded. “I vas studying in New York at the time and to improve my Eenglish. I alvays read the newspaper in the morning from cover to cover. I took a great interest in the Cornvalls’ case. My home back in Russia vas one open with such things. It vas one of few, though. It vas a shame I couldn’t help Mrs Cornvall more. But I didn’t stop thinking about her case. A similar movement started in Russia and as soon as it did I vas there.”
Ayesha nodded respectfully. “It must have been a tough time?”
“Mmm,” Bogdan murmured in agreement. “Those of us who fought against purity were hounded, banned from certain jobs. For example I returned to Russia to teach, but as soon as my connection with the protests became known I was vilified and then fired. But as more people suffered from AIDS, HIV and other issues, our support grew and eventually we couldn’t go unheard, no longer could we be oppressed or shoved into society’s corner.”
Ayesha seemed full of admiration for Bodgan, as did all but one at the table, who only shook his head. “We’ve another segment from Matt King.”
Again the show cut away to the same sombre looking man, this time standing in front of a massive marble sculpture of five olympic rings with underwear, fluffy handcuffs and all sorts of toys. “Here we are, in Sanam LuangSquare, Thailand, at the Five Ring Sculpture that has become synonymous with the Sex Olympics. Thailand was the country to host the first event in 1988. Who knew that just twenty-four years later, it would become such a massive occasion? I spoke with the organiser of those events, Suriya Promrak.”
The video cut away again to an airy room in which an old man sat with Matt King. “Suriya, how did you feel when Thailand was chosen to have the first Sex Olympics?”
He spoke quickly in Thai with subtitles translating. “Proud, greatly proud that our country had been chosen to host a sign of human progress. Nervous too, of course, as it wasn’t accepted as it is now. There were threats… of bombings… of frightening retribution if these events were allowed to go ahead. It was come and go, we could’ve backed out and some wouldn’t have blamed us. But then thirty years of work would’ve gone to nothing. The Purists would’ve won.” Suriya Promrak gave a slight grin and the video cut away and back to the studio.
“Great man,” Ayesha said passionately. “I probably wouldn’t be sitting here in this chair if not for him. And a man who is today celebrating his seventy-sixth birthday, so congratulations to him!” She smiled and cleared her throat. “Most people these days are accepting of the Sex Olympics and the ideals it presents, but a few vocal opponents still exist. One such opponent is Andrew Adams.” She turned to him. “Mr. Adams, can you offer us a perspective on why you protest these games so vehemently?”
The spectacled man nodded. “Certainly, Ayesha. I know my opinion is generally unpopular these days, and if I bring religion into this, I will simply be dismissed and told not to impose my beliefs on others. And I agree with that, so I’ll keep my arguments completely secular. The Sex Olympics promote a lifestyle that is harmful to human society everywhere, plain and simple.” A few of the other guests scoffed and grumbled, but he paid them no mind. “It never made sense to me how these games came into existence. Marie Cornwall, God rest her soul, contracted a life-threatening disease due to sex, not because someone stopped her from having sex!”
Danger Maddov cut into the monologue with an enthused voice, “She committed suicide because she couldn’t talk about sex! She was afraid people would treat her badly if they knew!”
Marcos Cruze added support for Danger. “I’d rather have people having sex than killing each other. Before these games started, no one batted an eye at the horrific violence glamorized in media, and now look. Violence in movies and television is at an all-time low. Sex is higher, but violent crimes have all-but disappeared in many parts of the globe.”
Andrew Adams calmly let them finish before rebutting their points. “I won’t talk about the poor girl anymore, but had she never had sex, she wouldn’t have had to worry about anyone avoiding her due to AIDS. More importantly, though, the rampant sex displayed in these games promotes a lifestyle that is destroying marriages. People are tempted to cheat on their spouses more, and it’s become easier than ever. Sometimes I walk across town, and I see people having sex out in the open! Adultery is bad no matter how you play it, but at least when it’s kept within the private confines of the home, it doesn’t encourage others to commit adultery as well.”
Marcos scoffed. “You exaggerate. Sex out in the open, as you word it, is still illegal. The movement wasn’t about allowing people to bang in the middle of the street. It was about bringing people to accept that sex is not a dirty thing, that it is something natural and how we continue as a species. It should not be a subject of shame but something that should be part of conservation. It was a ridiculous time we were living in, when on TV you could show someone get shot in great detail but apparently a boob was too much.”
“Sex is absolutely normal. I don’t deny that,” Andrew said curtly, “but these games send a message that you should be going out and trying all these ridiculous sexual acts that are dangerous to you. The reason we have existed as a species for so long is because we were careful with sex. We’d all have already died of AIDS otherwise. Sex is good, but it needs boundaries. That’s all any of my colleagues are trying to say. Why try to fix something that’s not broken?”
“It was broken, though,” Danger pointed out. “Hence why people were dying of AIDS and contracting other diseases and feeling like they could get no help. And you refuse to look at the positives this new acceptance that the Sex Olympics has led to. STDs and STIs are at record lows, condom usage is higher than ever, and the general populace is happier because they are fully informed about sex and know they can talk about it without feeling awkward.”
Andrew lost his cool for a second and stood up, slamming his fist on the table. He quickly recovered and apologized.
“And on that note, I think it’s best we move on to our next segment with Matt King,” John burgundy said, breaking the awkward silence.
The reporter now stood in the middle of the Olympic Village in Sochi, looking much happier on this occasion. “Here we are, at the place where the athletes will live for the next for weeks. There is such excitement in the air and a willingness to get going. I for one can’t wait to watch it with you all. From me, Matt King, reporting live from Sochi, Russia and from John and Ayesha back in the studio in New York, goodnight and good luck to the athletes.”