Photo above by my good friend Aaryn.
Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m only recently committed to using the v-word in place of various euphemisms. I get it, okay? The reason it’s easier for me to say “penis” than “vagina” is because I have been culturally conditioned to feel shame about my girl parts nether region lady-bits vagina. But also, it’s that vagina isn’t always accurate. It’s not always necessarily the biological girly bit that I’m talking about. Sometimes I mean clitoris, and sometimes I mean mons, and sometimes I mean labia majora–or minora–but most often I mean the whole kit and kaboodle. The whole shebang, as it were. The penis is easy; it’s just exactly what it is, and there’s not much to it. It just hangs there, simply itself, easily named and called upon.
But women are different. Our sex is more mysterious, more complex in both composition and function, and comprised of not one but many sensitive and lovely parts–only one of which is actually a vagina. And I don’t have a word for that. Besides girl parts, I mean.
Anyway, these semantics are on my mind because I have noticed, like some others, that I’m hearing a lot about this lately. Seems like every time I tune in to the popular culture somebody’s talking about one vagina or another. Which is fine by me. I’m cool with it. It’s about time, I guess, that our vaginas came out of the closet–or wherever it is we’ve been hiding them.
No Responses
January 16th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Yeah, for vaginas! And the fantastic links here…though the third one seems broken.
I think you’ve given me permission (especially after reading Stinky ‘Gina) to blog about a vagina incident in our house. I’ll be working on it. Incidentally, me and my vagina are looking forward to meeting you and yours in real life.
January 16th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
me again. the link is working and…wow. wow.
who knew there were so many euphemisms for vagina?
oh, and one last thing—and correct me if you know differently— i thought that the term v-jay-jay has been commonly used among women within the black community for a very long time.
January 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
We call ‘em girl bits.
And Aaryn - the writers at GA didn’t invent VJJ (what a lexical coup that would be!), they just kind of brought it to the forefront of popular consciousness; at least, my popular consciousness, through Oprah.
January 17th, 2008 at 3:15 am
What a funny post. Do you get the E! Channel over there? The show called “The Soup” makes fun of Oprah saying vah-jay-jay all the time. But seriously, I agree that it’s good people are talking about things more now. Not so many secrets and such.
P.S. I haven’t been on your site in a few weeks– I love your new header!
January 17th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Oh! Your title totally references the Palace of Joy! I’m so flattered!
January 17th, 2008 at 4:53 am
What’s wrong with “vulva?”
January 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Oh my, you nail it. I also struggle with saying the word, but I do out of respect for it–and the fact that we’ve given that very important part of anatomy more nicknames and euphamisms than any other part–except maybe the brain. Which is coincidental?
January 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Vulva, vulva, vulva. Nothing wrong there.
Generally, though, if I’m referring to external genitalia, it’s in a situation where specificity is preferable. What kills me is how many women don’t even know what all the parts are or what they’re called. We should have our daughters memorize them, like state capitals or oceans.
January 18th, 2008 at 3:58 am
I think vaginas have been the subject of great interest since the dawn of time. They’re that powerful. I like the word. I grew up in the south where vaginas were referred to as bakery items: cookie and muffin.
January 18th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Daughters hell. Our sons need to know it, too. Btw, both my daughters (8 and 9 yrs) unabashedly refer to their “vulva” when the need arises. They’ve been briefed on the subheadings, but haven’t had cause to be specific yet. In Austin, TX the hip mamas like to give their kids the term “yoni.” I’m told it means sheath for a sword. I’m not crazy about the honor that gives the penis but whatever. On an only vaguely related side note, when my husband was a kid all the boys used to call their male member “Burt.”
January 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Isn’t it interesting how society creates these rules - an etiquette if you will - regarding what we should feel confident saying, and what we should not.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I did a monologue in the V-Word for a fundraising event and it was such a great thing to do! Yeah, say it loud and say it proud!!
January 24th, 2008 at 1:01 am
I want to teach my daughter the proper terminology but have actually seen other women gasp when I mention this. I think she should know her vulva from her clitoris from her vagina from her mons. And I think she should be proud of her possession of both those parts and the terminology for those parts. And I think more women should teach their kids the proper terminology. Fine if we all want to joke around and use the euphemisms for fun, but it’s important and respectful to know the words. It’s not a shameful thing and it bums me out when I witness the blushing and aghast-ing that often follows my proper useage.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:02 am
….then again, I like the idea of calling the whole region My Palace.
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