Ensler explores the importance of language in “The Vagina Monologues”. I found this quite interesting because far too often we ignore the words we use, how we say them, and the various emotions behind them however subtle. She goes on to list the various names she has heard people use when referring to vaginas, each with its own context. Some, such as twat and horsespot bring with them a negative feeling, as if the vagina was something bad or perhaps to be ashamed of. While others go on to have more playful names, for example nishi, mimi, and pal, which imply an embracing of their natural beauty. Still several nicknames imply a sense of forbiddance, dignity and ghoulie both imply that the vagina is something that should not be public in nature, let alone discussed in a novel such as this.
All of these names are a reflection of our culture. It speaks to how our society nudges women towards what is acceptable of female sexuality. Especially when you look at how people who hail from different geographical, economic, or ethnic backgrounds view their vaginas. The language these women use to describe their vaginas in this book says a lot in this respect about culture.
When Ensler asks women about what their vaginas would wear I think she is trying to unearth what all of these women envision the embodiment of their sexuality to look like. There is no one set definition of what sexuality looks like and these women are a testament to that. Some of the women when asked what their vaginas would wear said things such as, see-through black underwear, a bikini, or emeralds. Meanwhile, others envisioned their vaginas as rocking a pair of sweatpants, something machine washable, or even an electrical shock device! Sexuality varies from woman to woman and Ensler is attempting to show the reader that it is normal and that women express their sexuality in very different ways.
No comments:
Post a Comment