A Vagina By Any Other Name…

Vagina: noun (plural vaginas or vaginae /-nē, -nī/)
the muscular tube leading from the external genitals to the cervix of the uterus in women and most female mammals.

Just when you think think are ludicrous enough, a new high seems to move the bar up just a little more. Case in point: the Michigan statehouse barring Rep. Lisa Brown from speaking after an earlier testimony on a reproductive health bill being debated in the statehouse, where she said the following:

“I have not asked you to adopt and adhere to my religious beliefs. Why are you asking me to adopt yours?” she said. But what came next is what got her in trouble: “And finally, Mr. Speaker, I’m flattered that you’re all so interested in my vagina, but ‘no’ means ‘no.'”

So apparently the word vagina is no longer a publicly acceptable word in Michigan. Maybe someone in the Michigan state legislature should explain to us ignorant peasants how you can teach about reproductive health and sex education–like say as outlined in Michigan law 380.1507–and not use vagina or penis? What are we teaching kids, they are called “man parts” and “woman parts”? Seriously. But I think one of the commentators on the NPS story above really is the highlight of the day. They wrote:

“As a Missouri citizen, let me take this moment to thank the Michigan legislature. Missouri’s legislature, overwhelmingly republican, has kept us on the national stage held up as backward and red necked. Speaking for all Missourians, I am proud to pass the torch of idiocy to the legislature of Michigan. Thank you, Michigan, the weight of that nomicer was getting onerous. “

So I guess someone should phone the folks over at the OED and let them know they need to delete the word from their dictionary, because some misogynists in the Michigan legislature think it’s “bad decorum” to use medical anatomy terms when debating reproductive health matters. Sure is good to know they are watching out for all of us. Sorry all you Wolverines.

Until next time…education won’t kill you, but ignorance is a different story.

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