Why are people so afraid of the word Vagina?

Question

I am directing a production of the Vagina Monologues in LA and I am wondering why people are so afraid of the word? We have t-shirts that say "I love my Vagina" and people give us dirty looks. (We also have shirts for men that say "I love Happy Vaginas)

All the proceeds from the Vagina Monologues go to organizations dedicated to eradicating violence againist women and girls. V-day is an international movement! I am mostly concerned about women who say "that's disgusting." What is so disgusting about it?


www.vday.org

Answer 1

The V-monologues is amazing, and very empowering for women to see and relate too. Why do men seem to focus on a lesbian scene when there is in fact it a survivor or a brutal rape of men during war in Bosnia, destroyed by the violence of multiple rapes. Just another reason for men to denigrate females. Vagina is something women are supposed to not admit having for to do so would be tantamount to openly admitting to having sexual feelings and that we know is frowned upon. Women should be pure as the driven snow so that they can assure their beloved that yes dear you are the biggest (lie number 1), and the best (lie number 2), and you make me swoon with your sexual prowess (lie number three now get the hell off me you just wasted 10 seconds of my life). We should celebrate the fact that our lovely vaginas are the soft and sleek birthing canal for all those beautiful blessed little babies. Women are the bringers of life. That is why so many of the prehistoric burial sites in the UK and Europe are womb shaped since those people had enough sense to realize how worthy females were and didn't feel the need to control their bodies nor their thoughts and feelings. Amen sister.

Answer 2

"Vagina Monologues" - Does anybody else get an interesting visual?

I don't think women feel that the 'vagina' is disgusting... I think there is a feeling of sacredness... uniqueness... and it is personal... I think it's the outward 'display' that some women may find disgusting more than the vagina itself.

That may be one of the few body parts left that we culturally don't run comparisons on. Of course, I'm not as social as I used to be, so I could be wrong.

Personally, I wouldn't encourage my kids to wear a happy penis or a happy vagina shirt, so I won't be wearing one myself, but I'm all for happiness of the 'sexes' - even if I'm not advertising it.

Live well~

Answer 3

Everyone has a different level of comfort in discussing sexuality and reproductive 'parts'. Some people have been taught that their sexual parts are 'dirty', not discussed in polite company, or have had prior experiences which make them cringe at the use of appropriate terminology.

I have the fortune to teach sexual health education to grades 6 through 9. I usually begin the unit by (out of the blue) saying... "penis... vagina"... and then waiting for the giggle. I do this over the course of several days. I tell 'em to get it out of their systems so we can learn! It works. Anything can be overcome. The Vagina Monologues are doing a lot of good in the world... and people are slowly learning to discuss sexual health with the same bluntness that they would discuss brushing or flossing. Taboos are only taboo if we don't talk about 'em!

Answer 4

I don't think people are afraid of the word. I do think many people have the same reaction as if some woman said she wanted to become a prostitute, it would disgust the people around her. Same if a guy was mouthing off about his penis in polite company, or if he proclaimed that he wanted to get a girl so he could slap her around. People would be disturbed by these examples of behavior by men or women. I do think women get off on thinking the word 'vagina' scares men though.

Answer 5

The word "Vagina" is covered in social taboos and restrictions. The mere fact that the word causes so many to cringe is a simple illustration of the social restrictions imposed upon women this very day (and people say women are no longer oppressed. Ha!). According to these restrictions, women are supposed to be demure, silent, pure, and constantly waiting for her big and buff Prince Charming to lift her from her bonds of chastity. (gimme a break!) Women who are not this way, who are comfortable in their skins, are labeled as whores, loose, sluts, etc. When was the last time people cringed at the word "penis?"

Answer 6

Because the word "vagina" isn't sexy, and the very anatomical part holds the virgin/whore dichotomy that people still don't know what to do with. I love the Vagina Monologues. Yes, you leave feeling sad, angry, and motivated. IF YOU AREN'T MAD, YOU AREN'T LISTENING! Some people are still in denial. Good luck with the production!

Answer 7

I dunno.

seems kinda silly to me.

Used to collect idiotic headlines (worked for a newspaper and I pulled and edited wire copy) We had some dozies. "Doctor Testifies In Horse Suit." "Twelve people killed, Five Seriously,"
etc., etc. But my favorite (and this is no crap - you can look it up)

Back in the sixties the University of GA had a star football player named Happy *****. He got hurt, and the sports page headline of the Athens Banner-Herald was "Dogs face Clemson with ***** Out."

Make some tee-shirts what say "nothing could be finah than to be in your vagina on a Fry-day" And write dick (with a sharpie) on the guy's forehead for buying it. Throw in a shrimp basket that really had nothing but batter crumbles in it.

I got a great collection of bus plunges, too. Headlines I mean. Mostly from South America. Burned them all up when I lit one of the dog's farts.

Answer 8

We aren't, and that upsets a lot of women like you. The reason we aren't is because of the provenance of this play. Eve Ensler originally based it on Betty Dodson's sexuality workshops, but
Dodson became more and more disillusioned with this schtick. For Dodson's commentary, see: http://www.bettydodson.com/vaginano.htm

Ensler didn't have the guts to stand behind her skit about the statutory lesbian rape of a minor child, choosing to sweep it under the carpet when the play got popular, and censorship apparently became a cog in the feminist machine:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/mcelroy2.html
http://www.canadiancrc.com/articles/Vagina_Monologues_Rape_Scene_Fox_12FEB02.htm

I don't care who the proceeds go to. That doesn't make me afraid. Learn the difference between when people are afraid of you and when they're laughing at you because you're naive and gullible.

Answer 9

I think many people think the vagina is a private (no pun intended) part and should not be discussed so openly.
I personally do not like the word. It just doesn't sound good. But I think the same about the word penis.
In a nutshell, it doesn't seem to appeal to the masses.

Answer 10

The fact that v-day is symbolic of feminism being a hate movement (god I get so MAD at men when I see it!!$!@), the Vagina Monologues containing lesbian rape scenes or the focus on "stopping violence against women" has really only increased it due to covering up women's violence couldn't possibly have anything to do with it, so I think it has something to fear. Men's fear. Men's fear of the power of our vaginas!!

Yay!!