Being Offended by Anatomy- VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA

Last year the Michigan House of Representatives was taking up some of the most restrictive anti-choice legislation in our country. Speaking in regards of the context of this bill Representative Lisa Brown (D) said, “Finally Mr. Speaker, I’m flattered that you’re all so interested in my vagina, but ‘no’ means ‘no.'” In the video you can watch here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7eRyQi-o9MA) you can see people behind Brown with virtually no reaction. Republicans later said Brown was “offensive” and wouldn’t allow her to voice her opinion on an unrelated school employee retirement bill the following Thursday.

 (image/fanpop)

Many people speculated that the reason Brown was barred from speaking again on that Thursday was because she dared to say the word vagina about a bill LEGISLATING VAGINAS! Shocking, I know. Other people couldn’t help but question if the barring of the representative was because of her referencing her Jewish religion. Republican head leaders of the house had not made it clear why they didn’t allow her to speak so it could have been anything. Later that day Rep. Mike Callton told the press that what Brown had said was so vile, so disgusting, that he could never bear to mention it in front of women or “mixed company.” This is just too funny to me. If people can’t even fathom to say an anatomical word what the hell gives them the right to dictate what happens to ~the word we do not speak of- VAGINA.

Okay, so the reason I bring this story up is because so often in our society are we ashamed to reference our anatomy. Our own bodies have become so stigmatized  that we’re embarrassed to even use a correct anatomical term for something that we all have. Is the word vagina so repulsive and degrading that we refrain from using it in academic and political context? I can think of several much more crude and offensive words that mean the same thing as female anatomy.

If you think that the word vagina is offensive, guess what? There’s a 50% chance that the person reading this has one, so get over it and embrace what you have. I’m not embarrassed to have one. Hell yeah, I would even say proud. Yes, we have vaginas, hey- some of us even have a penis! What’s so wrong with using those words openly? Remember in 5th grade sex ed the first time you ever heard your teacher say vagina and penis? That’s how I feel some people still react to these words. They’re apart of our everyday lives, they’re there, and most of the time in lue of a freak accident, they are going to stay there. STOP BEING OFFENDED BY THE WORDS PENIS, VAGINA, NIPPLE, BREAST, LABIA, VULVA, ETC. These words should not be censored, they should not be taboo to discuss, they should be embraced and encouraged. Nobody in their right mind would be offended by the words head, shoulder, knees, and toes so why vagina?

The Republican Reps. acted very immature in this case and really proved why rich, white men should not hold the key to women’s healthcare in their hands. While all of this was happening thousands of women, not only in Michigan but across the world saw exactly what was going on. They witnessed a male-dominated legislative body going to great lengths to silence two women who dared speak in opposition to a measure that would limit access to our health care.