Should We Be Renaming The Vagina?

[FrothyDragon]

"THE nastiest name ever to be given to the female sex organ is ''vagina''. ''Vagina'' is Latin for ''scabbard'' or ''sword sheath''. A scabbard is owned by the same person as owns the sword that it exists to house."

(Taken from the Greer review of Wolf's latest book)

So. Given the connotations of the word, I propose that women rename their "vagina", to give us a word for it which doesn't imply male ownership.

Thoughts?

"Prime example of reductionist red-tented womb woo.(ETA: the amazing thing is that a full creature grows out of two little cells which melted into each other - how it came out in the end is pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of things)"

Erm this thread is about vaginas

On a feminist and women's rights forum.

Just because wombs are for gestating babies and vaginas are for giving birth to those babies doesn't mean that 'all women must have babies'.

However to deny this fact: a womb which hasn't been pregnant has not fulfilled its potential as an organ, is a bit weird.

Yes, a thread about vaginas on a FWR forum - the last place where I'd expect it to be reduced to "birth channel" or talk about physiological destiny.

"Yes, a thread about vaginas on a FWR forum - the last place where I'd expect it to be reduced to "birth channel" or talk about physiological destiny"

I don't see it as a reduction to see it as a place where we enter the world - but I do see it as a reduction to view it as somewhere to stick cocks in. We have different perspectives clearly.

And as for 'physiological destiny' - my meanings got shunted sideways by your 'lesser' and by implication 'greater' vaginas diversion, into more floral language than I intended. I do not believe that organs have a 'destiny', but I stand by my assertion that they have a function.

Oh this is one of my favourite topics ever. Just the other day i was scolded by an american friend for using cunt casually. I promptly informed her that the etymology of cunt was more feminist and feminine than vagina for ALL the reasons that are here. I find the word vagina SO insulting and degrading, and shameful that it is used by women ALL the time without any consideration to it's origins. Hurrah for cunt i say!

reductionist red-tented womb woo Heh heh heh.

at 'red-tented womb woo' Personally I really don't have a problem with vagina, cunt, fanny or even fadge or chuff depending on the context.

Couldn't resist noticing this though: 'Up until recently, no-one entered this world by any means other than by the vagina.'

Since we're talking about etymologies, you do know why a caesarian section is called a caesarian section, right? And that Julius Caesar lived quite some time ago?

"Julius Caesar lived quite some time ago?"

In human terms roman caesars are pretty recent

Besides, caesarians are only recently being performed as the norm. The overwhelming majority of births have historically been vaginal (of course sadly many women have died during childbirth- and still do because of a lack of access to medical care).

Except the Caesar thing isn't true. And when a caesarian was performed it was performed on a woman who was dying or had already died. It wasn't exactly a birth in the way we know it today. It was dragging a baby out of a woman's corpse.

Just to clarify, is the womb itself a red tent or are we sitting round in red tents discussing our wombs?

My daughter at about the age of 3 independently named hers her 'sugar puff' (after noticing the similarity to the breakfast cereal) Since then that has become the family name for it. Not sure it would take off in society though, but still makes me smile.

Ha, that is brilliant!

I read the title and the original poster (as per my layout) as "Should we be renaming the vagina Frothy Dragon" and nearly spat my juice out.

I read a review titled Greer Lays into Wolf's Vagina and found it hilarious, she just pulled Wolf apart and the most basic of points (the flowers anyone? Vagina, Vagina, Vagina, with amusement! All parts of the human body are connected to the brain, as you'd know if you dropped a hammer on your little toe).

I love Greer, she aims to provoke thought more than give opinion in my eyes, from this I never know whether she's being serious or getting me to think about why she's wrong.

I'd say no renaming, but then I'm happy to use cunt to refer to my own. I hate the idea that it's one of the worst swear words ever. I may change to using sugar puff though, as that is amazing.

Rosa, is your amazing teacher in the North East of England by any chance?

Hello to all,
I've had an idea ever since I heard about the renaming of the vagina. To get it off my mind I thought I would share it.
I agree that the name vagina sounds like Godzilla's wife's name. (lol).
Joking aside, I believe that part of a women is very special and deserves a special name. A name that can only be owned by a woman, powerful and yet feminine.
A man has his penis, and we all have an anus, it seems logical and just feels right to rename the vagina Venus. The goddess of love, very important for making love and also for delivering bundles of love.
Thank you for your attention.

I call mine Little Minge.

I respectfully ask the Chair - is there going to be a vote or will this be decided by consensus?

I'm glad to have DSs so I don't have to worry about stupid names for female organs... [smug]

I like cunt, or quim for best.

Wow, a strange new user (complete with obligatory number in his user name) revives a 5 year old thread about vaginas. Why, oh why, I ask myself? (For approximately one nanosecond before coming to the really obvious conclusion).