the balloon show

What was the name 
of the children's tv show where 
every afternoon, grown adults 
would be sexually humiliated 
by balloons? Not attacked

by balloons, just 

the presence of balloons. Sexually
humiliated by it. Walking into a room
- oh god -
all these balloons here. Everybody sees
Everybody knows, they see me 
and the balloons! The connection's
transparent and now they all tell 
what I'm for when I'm naked, 
and - because of these balloons, 
it's fun to them. They laugh! Is it
at me? They like it. Just the ideas
these balloons bring, my shocked
face, my fluster - borderline tears
I've never been so humiliated
sexually in all my 

life,

but then

the children 
come in. To surround and reassure 
the adult. To explain to the viewing
audience. "They're just balloons!"
"There's nothing sexually humiliating
about balloons." "It's okay."

It wasn't always balloons, that was
just one show. The lesson was about 
being comfortable with yourself, 
and with everything okay - no matter 
what tried to sexually humiliate you.

It would be something different every 
time. And here come the children again, 
denying trauma and agency, dismissing 
boundaries and concern. Meant to be

educational, but 

I feel we may all have learned some
of the wrong things

from that show