Lately my mind has been adrift with thoughts about vaginas, it is likely the fem (c)literature sitting on my bed side table that is at play there, (Women on Top - Nancy Friday, Gender + Expertise - Maureen McNeil). Or the fact that I've read The Vagina Monologues an almost embarrassing number of times ( 7 to put it out there). I won't be gender-biased in saying that conversational rhythm is quite often irreparably damaged if the word 'vagina' is spoken. I only have to cast back to the number of times that I've mentioned the word 'vagina' to be quickly shut down with "do you have to, i was eating", or more commonly screwed up faces. Strangely and reaffirming as it may sound, I was just interrupted by one of my girlfriends whilst in the midst of writing this blog, busted in the act of googling 'clitoris', lets just leave it with that she was quite embarrassed to have thrown herself in the deep end when she questioned the topic area of my first blog. Comparably not as much as the girl sitting on the computer facing me who was mid-gulp in a mouthful of water when I casually replied 'vaginas', and choked. Don't get me wrong, Sophie's by all means no prude (after all she is friends with me, right?) She just isn't as comfortable as me in discussing vaginas whilst sitting in a packed university computer lab. So this is my point, if I am self indulgent enough to be making one. Why are we collectively carrying on so sexually inhibited into the 21st century when 30 odd years ago we fought for this exact liberty? We have the vocabulary, the permission, and the shared identities, but those voices are tentative, guilt filled, embarrassed, and challenged by the inadmissible.
Meet Annie Sprinkle, post-porn modernist, sex-worker, turned sexologist and proud public cervix displaying feminist. During one of her performance art piece's, Public Cervix Announcement, she invites her audiences to view her cervix with a speculum, and flashlight, in order to demystify and celebrate the female body. She shamelessly presents her vagina publicly in an act of sharing her ideological vision on positive sexualities. I love her, in my eyes she is a heroine feminist revolutionist challenging and exploding fears and mysteries surrounding the female body, and speaking publicly for the unspoken vagina. After all, females are the only species on earth with whom obtain an organ which functions solely for other no purpose other than sexual pleasure. I'm talking about the clitoris (incase you're scratching your head). Isn't that something worth talking about? I've always maintained a stance of sex positive feminism, in which believes freedom of expression is especially important for women's rights. So who has the tape over our mouths?
Meet Annie Sprinkle, post-porn modernist, sex-worker, turned sexologist and proud public cervix displaying feminist. During one of her performance art piece's, Public Cervix Announcement, she invites her audiences to view her cervix with a speculum, and flashlight, in order to demystify and celebrate the female body. She shamelessly presents her vagina publicly in an act of sharing her ideological vision on positive sexualities. I love her, in my eyes she is a heroine feminist revolutionist challenging and exploding fears and mysteries surrounding the female body, and speaking publicly for the unspoken vagina. After all, females are the only species on earth with whom obtain an organ which functions solely for other no purpose other than sexual pleasure. I'm talking about the clitoris (incase you're scratching your head). Isn't that something worth talking about? I've always maintained a stance of sex positive feminism, in which believes freedom of expression is especially important for women's rights. So who has the tape over our mouths?
2 comments:
arrrg my head is not working, but there is a french performance artist who puts the magnifying glass to her vagina and invites people to watch her menstruate.
also carolle schneeman, with her vag-scroll.
& orlan. who is wonderful, wonderful.
x licky
I think that's orlan?
Her performance piece she done with the plastic surgery, ummm carnal art?, where she was conscious and had her face morphed into features of all different iconic sapiens, is fucking wow.
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