Naomi Wolf: live webchat TODAY, Thursday 6 September, 12pm to 1pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Naomi Wolf is joining us for a live webchat on Thursday 6 September at 12 noon. Naomi's latest book, Vagina - A New Biography, has attracted major media attention this month and we're delighted she's joining us to tell us more about the book and answer your questions. 

Described as 'exhilarating and groundbreaking', Vagina combines cultural history, physiology and personal memoir to explore the role of female desire and how it affects female identity, creativity and confidence.

Naomi Wolf is author of seven books including the bestseller, The Beauty Myth. She travels regularly to speak about gender equality and social justice. She lives in New York and is working towards a doctorate at New College, Oxford University. 

Please post your question to Naomi in advance, or set the date in your diary to join us this Thursday at midday to chat to Naomi 'live'.

[garlicnutty]

Norma, it's not obligatory to say 'new york' twice!

[garlicnutty]

What the hell's she doing up there? Having a picnic with the toy money?

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Love that new yorker article.

[MySpanielHell]

Well fortunately there is a solution to nervous fanny for a reasonable £200. Naomis Wolf's adviser will dress you in a sarong, blindfold you, ring bells in your ears, rub a toy monkey over your body and then see the Virgin Mary in your vagina.

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Love that new yorker article.

[garlicnutty]

Doesn't anybody remember the Weird things your body does thread? 48 MNers (my count) saying they get a 'nervous fanny' ... must be something!

[BIWI]

[TunipTheVegemal]

I like this line in the Levy one:
'If my vagina heard a potential partner murmur, ?Welcome, Goddess,? she would turn to me and say, ?Get us out of here now.?'

[OatyBeatie]

Warrior Training is testament to the power of the penis-brain connection. It stimulates the powerful "bloke neurotransmitter" that is essential to male well-being.

[MySpanielHell]

I cannot believe Ariel Levy managed to write that article without mocking the whole book outright; she was very restrained and professional in her comments. I've looked up Wolf's 'adviser' - the man who will stare at your vagina and see a vision of the Virgin Mary. It costs £200-300. He also does New Warrior Training for men, whatever that may be.

[BIWI]

I liked the last word especially!

[pofacedalways]

I LOVED the last line of Moore's piece. Made me wet myself a bit.

[BIWI]

Oh yes, Hully.

[Hullygully]

suzanne moore in the grauniad yesterday summed it all up

[ThisWeekonFancyPuffin]

Haven't read the book, but from this webchat it seems to imply that men are giving women unhappy vagina sexy time in order to keep us down? Is this right?

[SuperB0F]

book, in The New Yorker. I'd urge anyone who wants to understand why the whole thing is anti-feminist nonsense to read it here.

[IawnCont]

She has made a lot of good points. But a lot of bad ones too, very damaging. As far as the book goes, I don't know- I think it would be good for women who feel their sexuality has been massively conditioned, but personally I'm okay with my vagina. We get on.

[SuperB0F]

Ariel Levy has written a superb critique of the b

[OatyBeatie]

I agree she does have a good point about govts "pimping feminism for their own ends." And her govt's horribly overbearing extradition policies are a target that needs attack. With the exception of the awful letter I think she did quite a good job on this webchat of defending her Assange stance (not that I agree with it) and was sometimes too harshly attacked.

It was the pseudoscience that antagonised me most. If you are going to write a book about neuroscience and well being it is not enough to "just care."

[MmeLindor]

Messy
It is the signals that are sent when a 'leading feminist' talks about the conspiracy against Assange that is worrying.

And her use of rape myths such as women who are raped would not want to be in contact with their attackers afterwards, or that they would not have consensual sex after the rape.

Not to mention the anonymity issue, which would lead to less rapes reported not more. Who would report a rape if they knew that their pic could end in the paper, or their personal life could be dissected on internet fora?

[messyisthenewtidy]

Ok Albie! But I think she has, and I think she makes a good point about the governments "pimping" feminism for their own ends. Maybe I'm too soft.

[mcmooncup]

[AliceHurled]

I thought you had to read the book mooncup, then contact her to discuss using that website, as the chosen one.

[messyisthenewtidy]

Why is everyone being so harsh? Yes that letter was truly awful but she seemed to genuinely regret it and her years spent dealing with rape victims is proof of her dedication. She was also frank in her answers and didn't try to ignore the difficult questions.

As for the Vagina stuff, whether the science behind it is bogus or not, she obviously just cares about women's physical and emotional well being. She is arguing that porn culture is harmful to women's well being and that men need to pay more attention to how female sexual pleasure works. I can't disagree with that.