Aww...but vagina-related news is so much fun!

Oh I'm so glad they changed it back. I went off in my LJ about that last night. Vagina- 1 Idiots who think Vagina is a bad word- 0.

But ... what will happen to the children?!?!?! They might start asking pesky and inappropriate questions about their own bodies, heaven forbid!

Why should we shelter our children? Why have Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy? Silly words like hoohah? Why can we not be honest to our children? Are we afraid they just can't handle the truth? Then when they get older and find out the truth we pretend like we lied to them for their own good.

You have to wonder how someone offended by the word "vagina" and asks for it to be removed, will take the news that they are being dismissed as the goit that they are, and having the offensive word put back in its rightful place.

I reckon that marquee will be riddled with bullets in a few days time.

I'm glad it's changed back, although I don't like the law student's suggestion that a vagina is the "essence" of a woman... I think I'm much more defined by things like my personality, my intellect, etc., than by my vagina, which frankly is getting a little dusty from lack of use these days :P

I agree Law Fairy, the vagina being the "essence of a woman" struck me as a kind of odd thing to say. I kept my mouth shut though, because its not like Im in any position to mention it.

Best headline EVER!

Seriously, though, I *cannot* believe this was such a big deal. We have the Vagina Monologues every year on campus, which is surrounded by houses and little kids, etc and I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain. "Hoohah" indeed.

Personally, my vagina prefers private consumption, but to each her own. ;)

mandevilla,
There's no Santa? Well, that might explain why I am not getting paid for all those toys I've been making at my elf bench!

Hooha ha ha

Playwright Carolyn Gage said it best: "only a straight woman would confuse a vulva with a vagina."

Also--FTR, Eve Ensler is not being picky or sensitive about her play's title and content. ALL plays are protected in the same way: the theatre cannot change the name or content, or one line of dialogue without the playwright's written permission.

Screenwriters have almost on control of content, but playwright's have a surprisingly number of rights--even posthumously. (Of course, p/w's are paid 1/8 what s/w's are; there are tradeoffs.)

the theatre cannot change the name or content, or one line of dialogue without the playwright's written permission.

You'd think the manager of the theater (or whoever the guy was who changed it) would be aware of such things. What an idiot. And only ONE person complained, how could he have seen that as valid cause for changing it in the first place?

Anyway, good thing it's changed back.

Alright, it's after midnight, so I know that this is old news but I'm irate about it anyway.

PARENTS. YOU CANNOT SHELTER YOUR CHILDREN FROM EVERYTHING. EVENTUALLY LITTLE BOBBY OR SUSIE IS GOING TO LEARN WHAT A VAGINA IS.

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY PMS.

Honestly, I'm tired of being expected to be ashamed of my body and having everyone offended when I mention my period, my breasts, or even the width of my hips. Yes, women have vaginas. Yes, once a month those vaginas tend to leak fluid. No, they won't go away if you ignore them.

Damnit. I'm tired of having to shelter everyone else's kids from the realities of life.

...

Even though that rant did nothing to solve the problem, I feel strangely better. And sorry if it was a little off-topic.

This is such a great play (i've seen it twice so far) and stories like this are really cause to examine how we view not only the female genitalia, but female sexuality and reproduction in general. How many of the women reading Feministing referred to their vaginas by another name when they were younger because they were told to do so by their mothers? I know I did, more or less up until puberty. Girls should feel comfortable calling it what it really is: a VAGINA.

What, the lady that didn't want to define the word "vagina" to her daughter couldn't explain why she felt more comfortable explaining what a "hoohaa" was?

("That's what doctors call your hoohaa, dear" would be my response - assuming I'd been dumb enough not to use the correct word to begin with.)

You know, if people were more matter-of-fact about these things, we'd all be better off.

shortly after hearing about this story, i was stopped at a stoplight behind a pickup truck that had "flesh colored" testicles bouncing from beneath its trailer hitch. at first i giggled because i'm pretty lowbrow, overall. but then i thought of auntie repressive in florida, and how she would explain balls to her niece. somehow i think she wouldn't be calling anyone to say she couldn't believe she'd have to. and then i started getting pretty mad about the idea that a woman's body is up for public consumption as long as we use euphemisms. that's a really good lesson for that poor girl in florida who had never seen the word but was educated enough to read and pronounce it.

"("That's what doctors call your hoohaa, dear" would be my response - assuming I'd been dumb enough not to use the correct word to begin with.)

You know, if people were more matter-of-fact about these things, we'd all be better off. "

I agree, after all what doctor says "ok Miss, let's take a look at that Hooha"

I don't understand how a women could be offened by the term vagina. I mean she has one herself how can it be offending? Although children may ask questions that is a part of life and sooner or later they would ask it anyway so having it removed wouldn't have changed anything