I have been part of a counterculture for a long time now. I didn’t necessarily realize I was a part of a counterculture, but gauging from the uproar over the word “Vagina” in political – or any sort of public – arena, the movement is not only necessary it is over the top essential now.
It is also essential for us, those of us who carry a vagina and the vagina-less, to come together and tell the world we love vaginas. We wouldn’t be ourselves without our vaginas and to ban the name of one of our defining body parts would be like not being able to utter “leg” or “index finger” or “elbow”.
I am sure there are people out there who find those three body parts quite exciting sexually. In this society, so much is sexualized but besides that, some people might just get tickled by the idea of an elbow or “oh my the index finger” and forget how much your leg might through that person over there miles across the moon.
I have performed in The Vagina Monologues many times as a part of the V-Day Movement started by Eve Ensler to combat violence against girls and women. It was through these performances I met many other vagina carriers who helped me see my vagina differently.
Not only did we perform together, we grew together, we cried together, we painted masks on our faces and did yoga together. We reclaimed both our vaginas and our femininity. We weren’t a bunch of “militants” who walked around with fatigue clothes, black boots and the requisite crew cut.
We were all sizes, all shapes, all belief systems.
Our one common part was our vaginas.
We had mothers and daughters. We had long time friends. We had friends who were angry at each other. We naturally had drama and hurt feelings AND we have, year after year, resolution and coming back together for a common cause: raising money to protect women who have been sexually or physically abused in their homes or workplaces – and our secondary cause which isn’t named but always happens: vagina loving.
Now, if your mind went to something sexual that wasn’t what I meant at all.
We loved our own vaginas and came to love the other women, too. Let’s remember not to sexualize everything. Imagine what would happen in our society overall if we just stopped being so hypersexualized. Think of how productivity would increase!
Back to what happened thanks to performing in the Vagina Monologues:
We came to admire vaginas.
We came to learn from other vaginas.
We came to appreciate the intricacies of vaginas.
We came to know women who were older or younger than us. We networked with other vagina-friendly activists. Note in these photos, we don't exclude men. We love men and appreciate their contribution to our cause. After all, each and every person alive has been conceived, birthed, or held safe during pregnancy near a Vagina.
We created from a fresh perspective of loving our own vaginas and not bad-mouthing other vaginas.
We practiced our right to free speech, which includes using words like Vagina, shoulder, penis, eyes, breast, nose, buttocks and brains.
See what I mean about Counter-Cultural?
Join us in loving our Vaginas: there is a new movement afoot because of an uproar in the government leadership here in the United States, primarily from Non-Vagina-Carrying participants.
We each have a voice, Vagina-carriers. It is time for you to use yours.
What you can do
- Write a VaginaBlog post on your blog then email your post to the Michigan House Speaker: [email protected]
- You can also email it to your representatives telling them you are't going to stand for such nonsense anymore. Tell them to stay out of your Vagina and deal with the more important issues at hand
- Post your #VaginaBlog to Twitter and Facebook
- Reclaim the word Vagina and stand tall
Follow me on Twitter: @juliejordanscot
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© 2012 by Julie Jordan Scott
Julie Jordan Scott has been a Life & Creativity Coach, Writer, Facilitator and Teleclass Leader since 1999. She is also an award winning Actor, Director, Artist and Mother Extraordinaire. She was twice the StoryTelling Slam champion in Bakersfield. She leads Writing Camp with JJS & this Summer will be traveling throughout the US to bring this unique, fun filled creative experience to the people wherever she finds the passion & the interest.
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