Voices

Views from elsewhere

Why right-wingers shouldn't stop women saying "vagina"

Let's make a hoohah.

By Sarah Ditum Published 15 June 2012 13:05

The idea that anyone could be distressed by the word "vagina" is hilarious

The idea that an adult man could be distressed by the word "vagina" is hilarious

Tender reader, take a seat because I'm going to talk about something upsetting. Maybe "something" is a bit too vague. OK then, it's a fibromuscular tubular tract. Are you with me? What if I tell you it's a part of the female body? A sex organ? Fine, I'll just come out with it: VAGINA.

Still conscious? Then you have a more robust constitution than the Michigan State House, where Democratic Representative Lisa Brown was prevented from speaking after she used the V word in a debate about abortion. I mean, she wasn't just shouting "Vagina!" at the assembled legislature. This was definitely a context-appropriate use of the word.

All the same, it was too much for some, including Republican Representative Mike Callton. "It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women," he spluttered (I didn't hear him say it, but it sounds like the sort of thing that would be spluttered rather than just said). "I would not say that in mixed company."

Of course, Callton was absolutely fine with the "mixed company" in question deciding what should happen to women's bodies – the bill being debated would ban all abortions after 20 weeks, with very limited exemptions where the mother's life is in danger. It was just the act of giving the physiologically accurate names to the parts of women's bodies that went too far for him.

The idea that an adult man could be distressed by the word "vagina" is hilarious, and also deeply sinister. Declaring the vagina unspeakable makes women's bodies unthinkable: in Michigan, the argument about reproductive rights proceeds as though the embryo were drifting about independently, rather than being carried within a woman who will have to give birth to and care for the eventual baby whether she wants to or not.

The lack of control that women have historically had over our reproductive organs is evident in the difficulty that we still have in naming them. Women are left hesitating between highly specific anatomical terms and The Worst Word In The Word, with a range of florid euphemisms in between.

"Vagina" is a very useful word when you want to talk about the birth canal, but the part of the body you actually see is the lesser-mentioned vulva – that is, the exterior sexual organs including the clitoris. It's an essential distinction to be able to make, but it doesn't necessarily reflect the day-to-day user experience of owning female genitals, where the inside and outside seem like part of the same thing.

The V words are also quite formal, making using them a bit like addressing your own body by its surname. If you're potty training a girl toddler, telling her to "wipe her vagina" would be plain inaccurate and confusing, and yet many adults don't know (or aren't comfortable with) with the word "vulva". So instead, parents tend to fall back on euphemism – including the slightly tautological "front bottom".

A bottom is at the bottom of your torso, obviously; saying "front bottom" makes it sound like we've resorted to Escher-ish tricks of perspective in order to conceal our ladybits. There are some colloquial alternatives – I've always quite liked "tuppence", ever since I heard a woman on the tram in Sheffield tell her stroller-bound toddler to "leave your flaming tuppence alone", and "fanny" has a good pedigree. But I still wasn't sure how to introduce my own daughter to her physiology on a friendly basis, so it was a relief when she volunteered the made-up word "nooni".

For adults, the range is even wider – and stranger. There are the terms that imply violence and unease, ones that you'd never use about your own body like "axe wound", "gash" or "hairy clam". None of these are the kind of thing you could say to a lover – but then, the V words don't seem appropriate in that situation either. I'm inclined to agree with the person who told me, "During sex I'll accept 'pussy' but my preference is 'cunt'."

The C-word is perhaps a bit strong for most situations – it's become more widely used in the last decade or so, but I don't remember hearing it until I was 18 (and can recall coming across the Bowdlerization "c***" in the NME and wondering urbanely why they'd starred out so mild a word as "crap"). But once you get used to it, there's something very pleasing about the way it fills the mouth from throat to teeth, and if anyone should get to wield that rhetorical power, I think by rights it ought to be the owner of the item.

But whether you've got a foof or a fandando, a growler or a ladygarden (or even an Iron Ladygarden), the important thing is that you're on first-name terms with it. As the Michigan incident tells us, those who want to control women's bodies also want to treat that body as an obscenity. The best answer to people like Mike Callton is simply to say the word: vagina, vagina, vagina.

Special Offer: Get 12 issues of New Statesman magazine for just £12

More from Sarah Ditum

View the discussion thread.

35 comments

Tue, 2012-07-10 12:05 — Michael Szollosy (not verified)

Brilliant article, just absolutely brilliant. This is what I want from the New Statesman.

Part of me is still in shock and despair that this debate needs to be carried out in the political arena, but not as surprised as I should be in the 21st century. Apparently, there's still WAY too much patriarchy out there. (Some of these commentators should be ashamed of themselves, too.)

And part of me is grateful for the advice on how to deal with the naming-without-shaming with my daughter. I think I'll try the 'crotch' approach, so thanks to that poster - not a 'nice' word, but accurate. Need to counter & correct scientifically-minded older brother, who's already started referring to his sister's 'vagina', and any poetic euphemism won't work around here.

Sat, 2012-07-07 18:57 — ThorsteinGreville

The more correct term is uterus when referring to abortion law discussion. But uterus does not have the same shock value as vagina. The word uterus is spoken openly when discussing cancer of the uterus, etc. If the discussion was on religious genital mutilation in Michigan, then vagina would be appropriate, but still incorrect, as the term then would be clitoris or labia. http://www.squidoo.com/best-color-laser-printer-reviews

Wed, 2012-06-20 18:02 — Alex Baldwin

I should have known that the New Statesman would use a political storm about the word "vagina" as an excuse to print seedy photos.

Mon, 2012-06-18 08:34 — Turner (not verified)

The mortgage loan consultants understand it well that hundreds of people are already exposed to economic meltdown due to the worse-ever tough economy in the world in the recent times. They can have the report of credit file which he could have from the people had a bad credit score. He can consider the process of preparing a great mortgage loan policy for these people that have desire to get a property.

The process with . The credit - hunters need to leave a good impression over the lenders.

The consumers searching for

Mon, 2012-06-18 00:22 — Agent (not verified)

I just realised, you missed out 'twat', though that is more fitting for internet trolls.

Sun, 2012-06-17 19:19 — 48209 (not verified)

I think that saying vagina was not only inaccurate but also libelous, and said for its shock value.

The House members are not interested, prurient or otherwise, in Lisa's personal vagina ("I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina") and the implication of sexual violence implicated in the last phrase used when discussing rape ("but 'no' means 'no'").

If the discussion was on religious genital mutilation in Michigan, then vagina would be appropriate, but still incorrect, as the term then would be clitoris or labia.

The uterus does not shock because that is where a bubbling bundle of foetal tissue grows into a fully gestated foetus, which only becomes an human infant when it is extracted from its umbilical mooring.

Sun, 2012-06-17 14:33 — www.barometerbisnis.com (not verified)

do you think too much, it can be said that mere wishful thinking. not too sweeping is [...] [Read More]

Sun, 2012-06-17 12:29 — simoned

Isn't vagina a medical term too? If so then liver should be banned too and everyone who says liver or heart should be beaten with stones. joc

Mon, 2012-06-18 06:59 — Tyron Schuck (not verified)

Yes, it is a medical term. It shouldn't be banned.

_____________
toronto personal trainer

Sun, 2012-06-17 14:19 — is your (not verified)

vaginismus getting any better?
what's your current dilation? one or two vingers vide?

Sun, 2012-06-17 03:58 — Rick Mc Callister (not verified)

To paraphrase Marie Antoinette:

Laissez qu'ils disent con. Let them say cunt.

Sat, 2012-06-16 17:33 — MagpiesView (not verified)

Perhaps he was afraid that if he allowed the use of terms for lady parts he would end up getting himself described as a "Tw*t", or a "Cu*t"

Sat, 2012-06-16 15:34 — John Cheese (not verified)

Many democrat/socialists are manginas...

Sat, 2012-06-16 22:16 — againagain (not verified)

!democonvert!
I could have buttoned up your polo in the act of revenge!

Sat, 2012-06-16 20:52 — MagpiesView (not verified)

It's easy to act tough when you know you're not going to suffer from you actions AND don't care about those who will

Sun, 2012-06-17 13:37 — againagain (not verified)

!hug_extorsionist!
have one
/gawd...
just don't cry on me.../

Sat, 2012-06-16 11:47 — McMac

In my experience it's women who've maintained 'the worst word' status for 'cunt. I've seen women take personal insult at overhearing the word used in conversation by others.

The idea that this status is due to some sort of male conspiracy is not only a lie, it's the very opposite of the truth.

Sat, 2012-06-16 11:41 — McMac

Was it the use of the word Vagina that got her in trouble, or allusion to the conservative members of the house raping her.

Sat, 2012-06-16 07:38 — willoyen

In Chinese, vagina is ‘yin dao’, literally: yin – female, (as in yin/yang), dao – way, path. ‘yin dao’, the female path. The male executive organ is also yin: ‘yin jing’, the female stick. No wonder Chinese women who marry don’t take on their husbands’ names. Why would they, when all that counts is theirs?

Sat, 2012-06-16 04:10 — Adrian P Morgan (not verified)

In the "potty training a girl toddler" context (among others), I would probably say "crotch". Which includes the surrounding skin and is something boys have too (though differently decorated), but culturally is probably the best equivalent to "penis" in being just as accepted when context-appropriate without being a ridiculous euphemism.

"Crotch" will do for most ordinary purposes, but when you want to talk about vulvas or vaginas specifically, those are the words you should use. It is understandable to feel some aversion to using them (culture runs deep), but it is unacceptable to criticise others for doing so as the Republican representative did.

Sat, 2012-06-16 03:42 — SpeakingOfQuim (not verified)

I thought this was a fairly sensible article, on an important topic. It is badly let down by such solecisms as 'slightly tautological "front bottom". ' When you're writing about the politics of language it's important to say what you mean.

Sat, 2012-06-16 01:43 — joe smith (not verified)

Try saying at your colleague Mehdi Hasan's mosque, just to show how brave you are.

Fri, 2012-06-15 23:30 — Agent (not verified)

I prefer fanny, though especially its plural 'fannies' as the benchmark of girl part debate, despite my great aunt bearing that name. Pussy sounds too seventies - you need Cuban heels and a moustache to say that one! And all the others are weak or course - take your pick. If Eve Ensler had done 'Monologues for Fannies ' she would have been even more successful IMHO

I will regret this in the morning, like so many other things.

Fri, 2012-06-15 21:44 — (I love that woman) (not verified)

'those who want to control women's bodies
also want to treat that body as an obscenity'
- that's exactly how it is,
thank you Sarah, you are fantastic.

Fri, 2012-06-15 20:43 — Erik (not verified)

Ok, then describe for me the situation in which that would occur. Only I'm not sure you can, because the courts don't tell men what to do with their bodies, only women. And by the way, it wasn't the remark that was objected to, it was the specific word - hence why he said "It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women". This is not a man complaining about the ridicule of a sentence, it's a man complaining about the use of a word.

Fri, 2012-06-15 21:57 — @erik (not verified)

'This is not a man complaining about the ridicule of a sentence, it's a man complaining about the use of a word.'

Exactly, the word is taboo, and should never see daylight. That's what this 'man' is complaining about. If a word doesn't exist, there's no ridiculing, is it? Can we deny existence to women? Hardly. I mean, some can, of course. Can you twist the topic even more? I'm waiting.

Fri, 2012-06-15 20:19 — Trudy (not verified)

My daughter uses the word 'gina , which is a shortened and I think quite cute way of saying it, nonetheless managed to freak out family members. Also it sounds a bit like China the way she says it. Just saying.

Fri, 2012-06-15 20:01 — HMK (not verified)

I'm not particularly extreme.
But when women's rights are railroaded by duly elected officials in a blatant abuse of both the parliamentary process and democracy - anywhere - I get incredibly angry.

It should be noted that in the process of passing a Republican bill in Michigan that essentially makes mid-term abortions illegal, not a single representative of the pro-choice stance was allowed to ...speak, and the speaker of the house initially ignored the female legislators attempts to present their opposition.

The title states that the legislators were banned for saying "Vagina".
No. They were banned/cesored/treated differently than male legislators (in similar situations) from speaking because they presented an opposing opinion, because they stood up for the rights of women, and because they were women themselves.
This, in a "free" society.

Fri, 2012-06-15 18:57 — MrFelipe (not verified)

Vagina? look at this
Gatas Gostosas

Fri, 2012-06-15 16:31 — Cos (not verified)

Maybe they should have a session with this book to feel more comfortable.... a nice colourful way to chase those fears away!:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Coloring-Book-Vaginas/dp/B000R0HU92

Fri, 2012-06-15 16:31 — Cos (not verified)

Maybe they should have a session with this book to feel more comfortable.... a nice colourful way to chase those fears away!:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Big-Coloring-Book-Vaginas/dp/B000R0HU92

Fri, 2012-06-15 16:15 — WRick (not verified)

Yes, Silican. "I'm glad you're so interested in my penis" was uttered by a legislator during the debates about whether to prohibit health insurance companies from paying for Viagra, which took place on ... oh, wait: NEVER!

Fri, 2012-06-15 15:00 — Silican (not verified)

What she said was, "I'm glad you're so interested in my vagina". This served as a preface to remarks on the abortion debate and only false naivety would lead one to claim that no ridicule was intended. If a male member of the meeting had said, I'm glad you're so interested in my penis" might not the same reaction have been elicited?

Fri, 2012-06-15 20:43 — Erik (not verified)

Fri, 2012-06-15 13:37 — willoyen

Vagina! ... there! I'm saying it with you. And it's delicious!